Diyasporik kimlik olusumu: İstanbul?daki Arnavut göçmenler üzerine bir inceleme

This thesis aims to investigate the process of diasporic identity formation with a case study on a particularly under-studied immigrant group in Turkey, the `Albanians? from the former Yugoslavia. Drawing on the theoretical literatures on diasporas, transnationalism and social movements in examining Albanian immigrant community, this thesis scrutinizes the way immigrant groups form and transform their identities and the role played by the political developments in homeland and host countries as well as immigrant associations in the diasporic identity formation. Through analyzing responses to 70 surveys and 10 in-depth interviews conducted with Albanian immigrants in Zeytinburnu district of Istanbul, this thesis advances three major arguments. The first argument is that diasporic identity is socially constructed in response to political developments in the home and host countries, it is not an essential social form emerged out of boundary-crossing. Secondly, contemporary diasporas constitute a form of transnational community with a simultaneous sense of belonging to both home and host countries. This simultaneity in loyalty does not invalidate their diasporic consciousness and orientation towards home country. Lastly, this thesis argues that a social movement approach to diaspora illuminates diasporic identity formation, through analyzing the role of both changing political structures and agency of immigrant groups in this process.Key Words: diaspora, transnationalism, social movements, identity formation, Albanian diaspora, former Yugoslavia, immigrant associations.