THE TURKISH DIASPORA IN THE UNITED STATES AND ITS ROLE IN PROMOTING TURKISH-AMERICAN RELATIONS

Abstract

Although the Turkish-American population in the United States isrelatively smaIl compared to other immigrant group s, theyare becomingincreasingly influential in promoting Turkish interests in their new country.According to the 1990 census, the Turkish population in the US numbersabout 100.000, but the real figure is well above official statistics. Turks nowconstitute a part of al most all major American cities. Despite growingTurkish visibility in American society, however, the Turkish-Americanpopulation remains largely unknown and undocumented. Questions abouttheir socio-economic status, their integration in American society, theirrelations with other groups, their organizations, the interest they have inTurkish-American affairs, and, most importantly, the role they play inpromoting Turkish culture and Turkish interests in the United States havenot yet been examined. The purpose of this paper is thus to provide historicalbackground on Turkish immigration to the US; examine reccnt trcnds in thegrowing Turkish populaLIon by using socio-economic and dcmographicstatistics; provide contextual information about their relaLIons with otherminorities and local communities; and finally, offcr some conclusions andsuggestions conceming how the Turkish diaspora in the US can be mobilizedin order to improve Turkish-American relations and to bctter promoteTurkish interests in the United States.