PERCEPTIONS OF FRENCH CITIZENSHIP IN THE CONTEXT OF IDENTITY BELONGINGS: THE CASE OF TURKISH MIGRANTS AND THEIR CHILDREN

Abstract

Migration refers to an identity process from the country of origin to the host country. In this process, migrants reinterpret their cultural, religious, political affiliations, and this reinterpretation also affects how they perceive the citizenship of the host country. This study aims to analyze the different forms of interaction between identity belongings and perceptions of French citizenship, based on semi-structured interviews. According to this analysis, immigrants and their children's perceptions of French citizenship vary according to their cultural, religious, and political affiliations. In this context, Turkish migrants are not a homogeneous group. Based on the interviews, it is possible to define Turkish migrants’ perceptions of citizenship in two ways; one engaged and the other limited. Engaged citizenship is a form of perception based on a reconciling relationship between French citizenship and identity belongings. In this perception of citizenship, the origin community becomes a bridge group in relations with France. In the case of limited citizenship, the migrant has more or less distance from French society due to their subjective/community/universal affiliations. The group affiliation constitutes a source of resistance to French citizenship, both from the idea that citizenship cannot unite all individuals in an egalitarian way and that the individuals develop a strategy to preserve their religious-cultural identity against change. This study aimed to address ordinary citizenship through the perceptions of the participants. Investigating ordinary citizenship perceptions of immigrants will contribute to the debates in host countries in the age of migration.