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A Forgotten Chapter of Migrant Democracy: TISBO's Pioneering Political Participation Project for Older Turkish Migrants, 1994

Year: 2026
Type: preprint
Abstract: This article examines the pioneering political participation initiatives undertaken by the Turkish Islamic Elderly Union (Turks-Islamitische Ouderen Bond, TISBO) in the Netherlands in 1994. At a time when older migrants were frequently discussed in relation to welfare provision, social dependency and care needs, TISBO promoted a forward-looking approach that recognised older Turkish migrants as active participants in democratic and civic life. Employing a qualitative historical case-study design, the research draws on original organisational correspondence, meeting programmes, prepared political speeches, provincial government documents and contemporary administrative records. Particular attention is devoted to political information programmes organised in cooperation with provincial authorities in North Holland and South Holland in January 1994. The archival evidence documents TISBO's efforts to bring older Turkish migrants into direct contact with elected representatives and political parties, explain the Dutch political and electoral system, provide Turkish-language information and encourage participation in public affairs. The involvement of representatives from different political parties demonstrates the pluralistic orientation of these initiatives, while cooperation with provincial institutions illustrates the organisation's capacity to establish connections between migrant communities and formal democratic structures. The study distinguishes documented organisational activities from intended outcomes and avoids assuming measurable changes in electoral participation without supporting evidence. It argues that TISBO's initiatives represented an early migrant-led approach to civic inclusion that extended beyond conventional welfare-oriented perspectives on older migrants. The findings contribute to the historical understanding of migrant ageing, political participation and civil society representation in the Netherlands.
DOI: 10.31235/osf.io/b9naq
Author: Cemal YILMAZ
Language: English
Open Access status: green
OpenAlex ID: W7225833170
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