Strong women, strong neighborhoods: Turkish migrants in Berlin

Strong women, strong neighborhoods: Turkish migrants in Berlin

Berlin, Deutschland - On May 23, 2025, the social scientist Ceren Kulk illuminated the role of Turkish-Muslim women in Berlin in an exciting article. In her dissertation, which she wrote at the Humboldt University in 2022, Kulk is examining the transnational everyday routines of these women, who often live in the Neukölln, Wedding and Kreuzberg districts, where there is a significant Turkish population. It illustrates that the feeling of belonging in these women goes far beyond national origin and religion. Berliner is perceived as an identity-creating size that is certainly in contact, convenience and access to social interaction, such as rbb24.de.

The women who interviewed Kulk often have contact with people outside of their own ethnic or religious groups, especially in social contexts such as parks and schools. Mosques, neighborhood cafes and women's groups play a crucial role in strengthening belonging and social networks. Difficulties such as marginalization and discrimination are central issues in their lives that they try to manage with individually developed strategies. The generation difference is particularly striking: While the first generation often played with return thoughts, the third generation clearly identifies with Berlin. A typical sentence that Kulk cited is: "I am a Berliner."

The challenges of integration

The integration of Turkish women in Germany is often difficult. Many live in parallel societies, and integration is often hindered by traditional social structures. An author who describes his experiences as a migrant from Turkey emphasizes that the migration of anatolia via Istanbul symbolizes the transition from collectivism to individualism. The foundation of the Turkish Republic in 1923 led to new rights for women, but the reality often remains behind the legal requirements. This is illustrated by the still widespread forced marriage practices and the lack of freedom of choice for educational and marriage questions, as in an article on bpb.de.

The EMN Germany Paper deals with the integration of migrants and shows that the challenges are versatile. Around 3.2 million women in Germany lived in Germany in 2021. The employment rate of these women was around 44 %, which shows significant differences compared to the 67 % of male colleagues. High recognition requirements for qualifications and lack of childcare options slow the participation of integration courses. Political participation is also restricted, which stands in the way of comprehensive integration, as the Federal Office for Migration and Refugees in their report on [bamf.de] (https://www.bamf.de/shahareddocs/anlagen/de/emn-ddeutschlandpaper/emn-dp-1-2023-integration- Migrantinnen.html).

The integration should not be focused solely on the overcoming of linguistic barriers. Rather, increased attention to educational and labor market integration as well as the creation of social participation opportunities is needed. Programs such as "strong in work" represent important measures to increase the employment of migrants. Overall, awareness of the challenges and the potential of migrant women in Germany must develop.