The mystery of return to Bulgaria: Analyzing self-identity construction of bulgarian Turkish immigrant women through their everyday life experiences on the two sides of the border

---

Tezin Türü: Yüksek Lisans

Tezin Yürütüldüğü Kurum: Orta Doğu Teknik Üniversitesi, Fen Edebiyat Fakültesi, Sosyoloji Bölümü, Türkiye

Tezin Onay Tarihi: 2017

Öğrenci: GİZEM KILIÇLI

Danışman: BESİM CAN ZIRH

Özet:

This research is based on the fieldwork that was conducted in Kardzhali district, Bulgaria with nineteen Bulgarian Turkish immigrant women, who emigrated from Bulgaria to Turkey and, then, returned to Bulgaria in various times. The aim of this study is to analyze the effects of Bulgarian Turkish immigrant women’s experiences on the two sides of the border that spread three different periods on their decision of return to Bulgaria, and on their self-identity construction. The importance of this research lies in that it problematizes some settled assumptions about “the” culture, “the” woman, and “voluntary” migration. This research also reveals the flexibility of terms such as homeland and ethnic kinship.