New Book: Belgian-Turks: A bridge or a breach between Turkey and the European Union ? Qualitative and quantitative research to improve understanding of the Turkish communities in Belgium (2008), Ayhan Kaya and Ferhat Kentel

The research deals with such a range of issues, such as the relationships that Belgian-Turks have with Turkey and Europe, with Belgium, its citizens and instutitions, with questions of identity and integration, where Islam – at both personal and public levels – plays an essential role.

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Belgian-Turks’ links with Turkey, Belgium and the European Union, their identity and integration, as well as the economic, cultural, political and religious diversity between Belgian-Turks themselves.
One of the objectives of the King Baudouin Foundation is to contribute to the integration of immigrants living in Belgium.
Who are the Belgian Turks, the people of Turkish origin who live in Belgium ?
This is a pertinent question, given that Belgian-Turks form one of the largest immigrant communities in our country.
A few months ago, the King Baudouin Foundation (http://www.kbs-frb.be) decided to conduct a qualitative and quantitative research that would enable to gain a better understanding of these communities, with a view to making an innovative contribution to the debates open in both Belgium and Europe on tye sensitive questions raised by significant Turkish immigration.
A possible line of investigation presented itself when the Foundation learned of the Euro-Turks study that had been conducted in France and Germany. The Foundation decided to assign a similar study on Belgian-Turks to the Center for Migration Research of the Bilgy University of Istanbul.
The results of the study are fascinating and surprising. On the one hand because the research dealt with such a range of issues, such as the relationships that Belgian-Turks have with Turkey and Europe, with Belgium, its citizens and instutitions, with questions of identity and integration, where Islam – at both personal and public levels – plays an essential role. On the other hand, because the study highlights the contrasting experience of those within the Turkish communities in Belgium.

Author
Ayhan Kaya and Ferhat Kentel
Practical details
Availability: available from 31/01/2008
Technical data: Report ; 2007 ; 100 pages ; 210 x 297 ; free
Order number: 1729 ; ISBN 978-90-5130-587-6

for further information:
http://www.kbs-frb.be/publication.aspx?id=223940&LangType=1033