"Why Did You Come to Germany?": On Complicity and Willful Ignorance Winter is strong in Germany, and I often complain about the cold and the lack of sun and light. In response, some people ask me, "If you are not happy with the cold, why did you come to Germany?"** Some ask this out of curiosity, while others additionally

Funny and Not So Funny Coincidences in My Life "Es wurden Arbeiter gerufen, doch es kamen Menschen an (Workers were called, but people arrived)" (Lyrics by Harry Boeseke, Martin Burkert, Muhtar Cem Karaca)

For more, you can read my full post: educatedkanak.liberta.vip/funny-and-not-so-funny-c...

#Immigration #Latour #GastArbeiter #GuestResearcher #BerlinKey

Original post on mastodon.social

**Funny and Not So Funny Coincidences in My Life**

*Sorry for double posting* — I moved to Berlin as a guest researcher, similar to how Gastarbeiter were first invited as temporary workers decades ago. During my time here, I discovered that Bruno Latour wrote about the “Berlin key” right at my […]

What “Kanak” Means and Why I Claim This Identity ###### _© Kanak Attak, source:https://www.kanak-attak.de/ka/images/logokl.gif_ _Kanak_ is a term that originally served as a derogatory label in Germany, aimed at immigrant workers—particularly those of Turkish origin—who arrived during the guest worker era. Over time, many communities have reclaimed the term as a symbol of cultural pride and resistance against social exclusion and racism (Zaimoğlu 2007; Özbek 2017). My immigration to Berlin is tied to political reasons rather than economic ones, unlike the guest workers’ case. Additionally, I was (somehow*) among the privileged in the country I come from (as a cis-man, upper middle-class, urban, ethnically Turkish individual), whereas the “Kanaks” (referring to those who migrated to or were born in Germany) were often looked down upon by people living in Turkey. I believe this creates a significant difference in terms of identity formation. Therefore, I think Turkish immigrants or those with a migration background have every right to tell me that I am not one of them and that I should write under a different label. Until that moment, however, I plan to keep it as it is—because despite these differences, many people in Germany still see me as a _Kanak_ based on my appearance, and I feel empowered to use this label. #Kanak #Migration #Germany #TurkishDiaspora #GuestWorker * * * * _“Somehow,” because being openly lefty often means giving up certain privileges, at least in the country I come from._ ​@douuuu@mastodon.social

Reclaiming Kanak — a short piece on what “Kanak” means and why I claim this identity.

text.tchncs.de/your-well-educated-kanak...

#Kanak #Migration #Germany #TurkishDiaspora #GuestWorker