Diaspora Diplomacy as a Promising Subset of Turkish Public Diplomacy

In the current era of migration, migrants forming large groups in the countries of origin have made it possible to intensify the relations between their country of origin and their new homeland. Political, economic, and cultural relations drive rapprochement between the sending and destination countries. In addition to the efforts of the transnational communities, which are usually employed as synonyms for “diaspora”, it is perceived that the countries concerned also make efforts to serve mutual understanding and peace through track-2 diplomacy methods. In this framework, the extent to which “diaspora diplomacy” can be successful is discussed by considering the theoretical infrastructure of the field, which has not yet been very clear in the context of international relations and current practices. Türkiye’s recognition of the value of diaspora diplomacy within its public diplomacy ecosystem is relatively new. In the context of its migration policies, Türkiye has started to evaluate its approach, which is based on ensuring that Turkish migrants do not assimilate, through institutional and legislative initiatives in recent years. Given the complexity and depth of the issue, a comprehensive approach to understanding the current state of diaspora diplomacy within the Turkish public diplomacy ecosystem, the challenges it faces, and the future course it should follow is not just necessary but urgent. This chapter attempts to contribute to understanding the value of Turkish “diaspora diplomacy” as a public diplomacy tool.