Swedish Politics and the Participation of Turkey-Origin Migrants

Sweden first received mass labor immigration from Turkey in the mid-1960s. Immigration continued in subsequent years but at a slower pace. Today nearly one hundred thousand immigrants from Turkey are living in Sweden. This article is based on fifteen in-depth interviews about political perception, participation, behaviors and inclination of immigrants from Turkey vis-à-vis Swedish immigration history and historical and contemporary dynamics of Swedish politics. While the political preferences of immigrants, who are socially and economically better adapted to Sweden, are diversified, interesting trends are also emerging about the ‘new wave of migration’. Relying on in-depth interviews, participant observation, and literature review this paper explores the phenomenon of being 'native in a foreign country.