Diaspora As Development Actors

244 Pages·2017·2.07 MB·English

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Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects CUNY Graduate Center
2-2014
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Meryem Senay Ataselim
Graduate Center, City University of New York
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DIASPORA AS DEVELOPMENT ACTORS:
A SOURCE OF HUMAN AND SOCIAL CAPITAL FOR
LOCAL DEVELOPMENT IN TURKEY

by

MERYEM ŞENAY ATASELİM

A dissertation submitted to the Graduate Faculty in Political Science in partial fulfillment
of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy, The City University of New
York

2014
© 2014
MERYEM ŞENAY ATASELİM
All Rights Reserved

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This manuscript has been read and accepted for the
Graduate Faculty in Political Science in satisfaction of the
dissertation requirement for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy.

Professor Irving Leonard Markovitz

Date Chair of Examining Committee

Professor Joe Rollins

Date Executive Officer

Professor Kathleen McCarthy

Professor John Mollenkopf
Supervisory Committee

THE CITY UNIVERSITY OF NEW YORK
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Abstract

DIASPORA AS DEVELOPMENT ACTORS: A SOURCE OF HUMAN AND SOCIAL
CAPITAL FOR LOCAL DEVELOPMENT IN TURKEY

By MERYEM ŞENAY ATASELİM

Adviser: Professor Irving Leonard Markovitz
This dissertation provides an analysis of Turkish-American diaspora philanthropy
– done through social and human capital transfers – and its role in impacting local
development in Turkey. The study offers the consideration of a new kind of diaspora
philanthropy, namely innovative philanthropy, which channels ideas, skills and
experiences that have the potential to impact social change in local communities through
social and human capital transfers.
The dissertation presents and analyzes two cases that have been supported by the
Turkish-American diaspora. Each case study is based on interviews with donors profiled
through the cases, Turkish-Americans, leaders of the initiatives in Turkey, staff, local
government representatives, and other interested parties; an analysis of the initiatives’
websites, their founding documents, and a review of media clippings on the projects.
These analyses were also supported by interviews with the members of the Turkish-
American diaspora to study and understand the identity of Turkish-Americans and the
ways they engage with the homeland philanthropically. The two case studies portrayed in
this study show that even though diaspora philanthropy towards Turkey is still relatively
new and small in financial terms, there are members of the diaspora who make a
difference in their local communities beyond what any other international actor can
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develop. Study highlights the impact of these diaspora members, whose philanthropic
contributions are a combination of motivation, and persistence; and uses the term
“diaspora champions” to define them. These diaspora champions connect back home not
just by sending money but sharing the experiences and skills they gained in the United
States and tapping into their personalized networks. The study depicts the social process
of these philanthropic transfers to show that diaspora philanthropy is really ‘constituted’
not ‘transferred’ in the sense that what happens during the process really can help us
understand the nature and the impact of it (Iskander, 2008).
Today diaspora groups and individuals are being recognized as major actors who
can use their influence and financial resources to contribute to local development in their
homelands. However, their roles remain vague. This study provides a picture of diaspora
philanthropy and civic activism and its dynamics. The passion, persistence and
innovation of the diasporas portrayed in this study enable local communities to open up
to new initiatives. These champions mobilized their personal networks, worked very
closely with leaders of their local communities, and eventually built trust to implement
new ideas that can help with local development. They not only transferred the skills and
experiences they gained in the hostland but also created and fostered networks within
local communities in Turkey to share their skills and contacts. This formed new circles
among local leaders who became the ambassadors of the projects initiated by the diaspora
and mobilized support for these civic initiatives. This kind of social impact was the
impetus needed to initiate these local civil initiatives in Turkey.
Accordingly, the dissertation first studies diaspora philanthropy with a particular
emphasis on the roles of social and human capital transfers from the diaspora. As
understanding the social process means understanding the motivations of Turkish-
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Americans and the ways in which diaspora communities engage with diaspora
philanthropy, the study also explores the reasons Turkish-Americans give back. The
study finds that diaspora champions have been instrumental in 1) the emergence of local
civic leaders; 2) the launch and initiation of local social initiatives; and 3) the expansion
of these social initiatives beyond local regions. Accordingly, this research suggests that
philanthropy done by diaspora champions through social and human capital has an
important role to play in creating a new paradigm for local development, as it offers some
powerful insights.
Furthermore, the dissertation studies legal and political frameworks in Turkey to net
out the effects of diaspora philanthropy from other factors. Local development through
diaspora philanthropy is in itself a valid goal. However, it may become a futile exercise
unless there is greater awareness about the complexities in countries such as Turkey.
Accordingly, this dissertation analyses the changing legal and political frameworks in
Turkey impacting local development. There is a tendency among the international donor
community to present civil society as a broadly unified concept with the ability to
promote development. Yet, civil society as a concept has competing definitions as to its
nature and the roles it is expected to perform. Such criticisms, however, do not
automatically mean that the concept of civil society has no utility. Since development is
very much associated with local development in the international development arena, this
dissertation questions the role civil society performs and takes into account the
opportunities made available by local legal and political settings. All these do not amount
to passing over the very significant debates that have occurred around the definition and
conceptualization of civil society, its ‘exportability’ to non-Western contexts and its
linkage to questions of democracy. These debates inform this study and are crucial in
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setting out the terms and framework of the empirical inquiry, particularly because
different understandings of civil society shape the very dynamics of the activism this
dissertation examines. However, the study is primarily concerned with presenting
empirical findings regarding the impact of diaspora on mobilizing civil initiatives without
specifically linking to its asserted normative value and its perceived inevitable linkage to
democratic development. The study finds that civil initiatives have a potential to improve
local development through diaspora philanthropy’s involvement if the political, social
and economic environment is open to it. Recently, the Turkish government has changed
its policies regarding local development and has been more open to the involvement of
the local actors in the development of the local and more importantly, has been
promoting it. That changing environment enabled diaspora champions to initiate projects
that had an impact on local development as they were able to mobilize local leaders to
lead civil initiatives.
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PREFACE
I am aware that being honest about one’s beliefs, values and biases affect the
research process (Lather, 1990). This research was to test if and how diaspora
philanthropy makes a positive impact in the homeland. And, this is a disclaimer that I
have been involved in diaspora philanthropy more than eight years both as a researcher
and a professional.
My involvement started when I was selected as an International fellow at the
Center on Philanthropy and Civil Society to do research on the implications of diaspora
philanthropy. I was interested in the giving motivations of Turkish-Americans and hoped
to create a guideline for organizations that were interested in mobilizing diaspora funds.
During the course of my work, I interviewed Haldun Tashman, who later along with 4
others established Turkish Philanthropy Funds. As my research interests were very much
in alignment with what Haldun Tashman and the other founders had in mind, I became a
part of the initial group who worked on establishing the organization. Then, I was offered
to be the Chief Operating Officer. My interest on diaspora philanthropy took a new turn
as I started to work professionally.
One of the case studies in this dissertation portrays Haldun Tashman who is the
chairman of Turkish Philanthropy Funds, where currently I am the Chief Operating
Officer. Even though I am professionally connected to Haldun Tashman, during the
course of this dissertation’s work, our relationship has not been any different than with
my relationship with the other interviewees. He didn’t have any detailed information
about my dissertation or my core argument nor he did make any comments.
My involvement in the financial transaction of Haldun Tashman’s gift to Bolu
Bağışçılar Vakfi as the Chief Operating Officer of the organization that did the physical
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transfer did not affect my objectivity in analyzing the impact. My connection to Bolu
Bağışçılar Vakfı even made my field research easier since I either knew the related
parties or knew someone who could connect me to them. In some cases the individuals I
interviewed did not know Haldun Tashman personally. In some cases, I was aware that I
was perceived as the connection to Haldun Tashman and in those cases, I tried to steer
the conversation away from Haldun Tashman and concentrate on understanding the
process in general.

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