Jews of Turkey have been applying for restitution of citizenship from Spain and Portugal through processes formalized in 2015. Using twenty-nine interviews, this study analyzes applicant motivations and finds that cultural connections play a minor role in applicant decisions. Unlike Sephardic Jews in other contexts, the citizenship application process did not lead to self-questioning of identity. The more important motivators were Jewish fears about the future of Turkey, the practical benefits of easy travel on an EU passport, and the desire for global mobility that allows neoliberal subjects to chase prosperity wherever it may go. While Jewish fears are mostly in the background, the other two motivations were more pressing. This study places these motivations in the context of changing conceptions of citizenship in Europe and the global inequality of citizenship, crystallized in a hierarchy of passports. It finds that after acquiring Iberian citizenship, Jews from Turkey relate to their new citizenships exclusively in practical ways.
Künye
Kitabın Adı: |
«A Privilege That Cannot Be Bought» Jews of Turkey and Citizenship Restitutions from Portugal and Spain |
Yazan: |
|
Dizi Adı: |
History: 473 |
Yayın Yılı: |
2023 |
Sayfa: |
97 |
Ebat: |
13,5 x 21 cm. |
Kağıt: |
Enzo 70 gr. |
Kapak: |
Cevdet Mehmet Kösemen |
Cilt/Kapak: |
250 gr. Mat, Amerikan Bristol, 4 renk |
ISBN/Barkod: |
9786258472561 |
İÇİNDEKİLER
Abbreviations ................................................................................. 7
Acknowledgements ..................................................................... 9
I. Introduction ............................................................................ 11
II. Literature Review .............................................................. 17
Why do States Offer Citizenship Restitution? ................................... 24
Why Do Individuals Pursue Citizenship Restitution
When Offered? ..................................................................................... 27
Sephardic Restitution ......................................................................... 29
III. Methodology ........................................................................ 33
IV. The Restitution Process from the
Applicant’s Perspective ....................................................... 37
The Prehistory of Spanish Citizenship Restitution .......................... 38
Proving Identity ................................................................................. 43
The Slowdown, the Laws, and the Emergence of the
Portuguese Option ............................................................................... 46
V. Applicant Motivations: Cultural or Strategic 53
A Cultural Connection? ...................................................................... 53
Strategic Motivations: Travel, Jewishness, Mobility ........................ 59
Fears Relating to Jewish Identity ........................................................... 60
Ease of Travel ........................................................................................ 66
Desire for Global Mobility and Neoliberal Subjecthood ....................... 68
VI. Living Iberian Lives? ......................................................... 73
VII. Conclusion ............................................................................ 81
Bibliography ................................................................................. 87
INDEX ................................................................................................... 95
