Mapping Turkish International Migration Studies: Old Questions, New Challenges

Prof Dr. Ahmet Icduygu, Migration Research Centre, Koc University, Istanbul, gives the first in a new series on Turkish Migration for COMPAS. Turkey has long been a major sending country of migrants and there are 3.7 million Turks and their descendants now living in the EU. However, Turkey has increasingly become a receiving and transit country for migrants. Its population is likely to grow from 75 to 90 million between now and 2050 but is already undergoing demographic transformation and has begun ageing. The Turkish economy is amongst the fastest growing in the OECD, and Turkey is becoming a strong regional power; it thus has potential to become a new gravity centre in the Mediterranean migration system. It is even suggested by some sources that Turkey should become a member of the Rising Powers group, also known as the BRICS countries (Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa). These and other issues will be explored by the newly founded Turkish Migration Studies group. This seminar will present state of the art of research and is the first of a new series.