Turkey’s population doubled over the past half century to 74 million. Despite replacement-level fertility, Turkey is expected to surpass Germany to become the second-most populous country in Europe (after Russia) by 2020. With almost 4 million Turkish citizens abroad, mostly in Europe, there are fears of more migration from Turkey. Turks continue to migrate, but often to non-Western European destinations, including Russia and the Middle East. Turkey is now a net immigration country. However, fears of more Turkish migration may have contributed to the complex negotiations involved in Turkey joining the EU.

This conference examines current and potential future Turkish migration in Europe over the next half century. We welcome contributions on the international mobility of Turks, with a focus on potential future migration patterns and processes in relation to the past migration experiences. This interdisciplinary conference aims to bring together academics, researchers, policy makers, media specialists, and civic organisations to discuss the experiences of immigrants, host societies, challenges and the future projections of Turkish populations in Europe.

The conference is organised by the Regent’s Centre for Transnational Studies (RCTS), London Centre for Social Studies (LCSS), and the Turkish Migration Studies Group at COMPAS, University or Oxford (TurkMIS)