Together or Separate in the Neighbourhood?: Contacts Between Natives and Turks in Amsterdam

The integration of non-Western migrants and especially Muslims is an issue of hot public debate in the Netherlands. This debate has been largely dominated by stereotypical images of Muslims and natives, which only serve to reinforce ‘we-they’ configurations. However, one gets a rather different view if one looks at the daily encounters between natives and Turks in an ethnically mixed neighbourhood in Amsterdam. The interactions between natives and Turks have thus been examined to gain insight into the dynamics of the interethnic contacts. This study reveals that contact between native born and Turks, and mutual judgements are manifold. In particular, the examination of the everyday interaction between Turks and natives can enrich the debate on Turks (Muslims) and integration.