Citizenship perceptions and migrant experiences of Turkish immigrants in Hungary

This research analyzes the sense of belonging, citizenship perceptions and migrant experiences of Turkish migrants in Hungary. Turks who comprise a Muslim immigrant group in Hungary which is a host country of anti-immigrant and anti-Muslim political rhetoric under the leadership of the Prime Minister Viktor Orbán. This is a case study which focuses on Hungary and its setting between the illiberal populist regime and liberal values of the European Union. This study explores the potential impact of the illiberal populist regime on the perceptions and experiences of these immigrants. In depth interviews were conducted with twenty Turkish immigrants who live in Hungary in order to understand their perceptions and experiences in terms of belonging, citizenship and migration. The empirical findings of the research demonstrate that i) citizenship perceptions of Turks are shaped by their nationalist sentiments towards Turkish citizenship, ii) Turks are a particular group separate from other Muslim immigrant groups in Hungary, iii) Orbán's anti-immigrant and anti-Muslim political rhetoric does not have a negative impact on the experiences of Turkish immigrants in Hungary.