People from Emirdağ living in Belgium in the 60th year of migration: Cultural identity transformations

In this study, the adaptation of Emirdağ immigrants living in Belgium in the 60th year of the labor agreement signed between Turkey and Belgium in 1964 to the society they live in, their perceptions of their homeland, holiday preferences, changes in their cultural identities and investment preferences were examined by taking into account the differences between generations. This qualitative study used the phenomenological model. In-depth interviews were conducted face-to-face with 29 participants and with 3 participants via video calls who were determined through purposeful sampling and reached through the snowball technique. All field interviews were completed in 2024, the 60th anniversary of the labor agreement, and the data was compiled and published in 2025. The interviews were conducted in home environments in Eskişehir and Emirdağ. The analysis and evaluation of the data obtained throughout the research were made by the researcher. The findings show that as a result of the increase in integration into Belgian society with the third generation, some changes have occurred in many parts of social, political and economic life. On the other hand, it is observed that cultural, national and religious values are preserved. However, it has been revealed that the extent of this integration has not reached the level of assimilation, and the Emirdağ people have a conservative attitude towards their culture and lifestyle. This research is important in terms of examining the Belgian Turks, whose literature is limited compared to other European countries, by making a generational comparison. Keywords: Generation, Adaptation, Homeland, Cultural Identity, Investment