Crossing boundaries: transnational social fields of Turkish forced migrants from Bulgaria to Türkiye (1989)

The concept of transnationalism, which started to be used in migration literature with globalization, is the main starting point of this study. The shift towards a transnational focus in migration studies started in the early 1990s and has sparked intense discussions among migration researchers. So, transnational migration; defined as the international process that connects countries with the social relations and daily practices of immigrants. Thus, the aim of this thesis is to understand the changing dynamics of the immigration. Terms like “transnationalism” and its related concepts -transnational, transmigrant, and transnationality- have become points of contention as scholars explore and expand various aspects of the literature. This concept arises from the understanding that individuals' feelings of belonging extend beyond merely possessing a passport from a nation-state or living within its geographical confines. Furthermore, the diverse affiliations that minorities and migrants maintain suggest the existence of multiple relational frameworks with various nation-states. I have developed my research on these key issues by highlighting the participation channel to the society of newcomers in the context of economic, socio-cultural, political and paying sufficient attention to the historical context. With the withdrawal of the Ottoman Empire from the Balkans, many groups from the Turkish ethnic class remained within the Balkan borders. One of these groups is Turks of Bulgaria. Turks of Bulgaria fled to Türkiye to escape a campaign of forced assimilation of Bulgarian government in 1989 summer. Today, adhering to transnationalism, Turks of Bulgaria have formed a certain life in their transnational social fields which are connected to Bulgaria in Türkiye. The study aims to examine this lifestyle from an economic, socio-cultural and political perspective. Within this framework, the situation of the Turkish forced migrants from Bulgaria to Türkiye presents a valuable perspective on transnationality, and this study seeks to explore the extent to which the Turks of Bulgaria engage in transnational social fields which can be seen in their economic, sociocultural and political practices and identify the elements of transnationality. To achieve this, it presents a theoretical framework on transnationalism and transnationality, alongside an analysis of field research conducted in Bursa (Türkiye), aiming to elucidate the practices which they engaged in their transnational social fields in Türkiye. The findings reveal that the Turks of Bulgaria in Bursa actively sustain transnational social fields through ongoing connections to Bulgaria. Economically, this is reflected in remittances, small business investments, and collective initiatives directed toward their places of origin. Socioculturally, regular visits to Bulgaria, engagement in diaspora associations, participation in commemorative events, and communication through digital platforms illustrate a continuous sense of belonging to both countries. Politically, their involvement in Bulgarian elections, support for Turkish minority parties, and use of dual citizenship rights highlight their political transnationalism. These practices are not only rooted in nostalgia and identity preservation but also reinforce a sense of “in-betweenness” that characterizes transnational belonging. In sum, this study shows that the case of the Turks of Bulgaria offers a compelling example of how transnational practices shape migrant identities and challenge traditional notions of migration as a one-way process of assimilation. It contributes to migration studies by illustrating how migrants actively construct and maintain complex transnational lives across borders.