On Becoming 'too Belgian': analyzing confomity pressure in two Turkish communities in Belgium

This study analyses the role ethnic communities play in shaping processes of cultural negotiation and change. Through a qualitative case study of Belgian-born children of Turkish immigrants in two different Belgian regions, we shed light on how ethnic communities shape processes of cultural change through anti-assimilatory group pressure, and how this is linked to the social structure of the minority group. Our study shows that many Turkish Belgians experience a pressure not to ‘Belgify’ but to conform to what are considered to be the core values of their Turkish community. Our comparative approach that compares two different regions – Cotton City and the Coal Region – demonstrates the importance of the social structure of the community in explaining the impact of anti-assimilatory group pressure on processes of cultural change. We identify cultural homogeneity of the ethnic group and a high degree of social closure as the two main differences between Cotton City and Coal Region that can help to explain the different pace of cultural change within their Turkish populations. Our study highlights that – given the appropriate socio-structural context – anti-assimilatory group pressure has the power to consolidate norms and values through social mechanisms such as social control, gossiping and internal sanctioning.

Jaar van publicatie:2013