Routes to Roots: Second-Generation Turks from Germany ‘Return’ to Turkey

Based on 26 in-depth interviews with German-born second-generation adults of Turkish parentage who have relocated to the Istanbul region, this paper consists of three parts corresponding to three questions regarding: (i) their memories of growing up in Germany, (ii) the circumstances and motivations surrounding their ‘return’ and (iii) their experiences of life in Turkey since return. We draw on the conceptual notion of ‘third space’ to propose that the second-generation returnees occupy a fourth socio-cultural space that is distinct from German society, Turkish society and the Turkish immigrant community in Germany.