Representations of ‘Other’ Immigrants in the Agendas of Politicians of Immigrant Background: A Content Analysis on the Case of the Netherlands

Öz

A growing literature in Western Europe investigates the role of immigrant minority politicians in representing voters with whom they share similar backgrounds. However, not much has been said on the possible contributions of those minority representatives in framing other sorts of immigrants. This research examines how Members of the Parliament (MPs) of immigrant minority origin frame asylum related and other kinds of immigration in their parliamentary work. This is a significant research question as it sheds light upon immigration related policy perspectives constructed by those who themselves have immigrant backgrounds. To answer this question, the researcher conducted a content analysis on parliamentary questions posted by MPs with migratory backgrounds. The paper particularly focuses on differences between representatives with migratory backgrounds by considering party ideology, gender and ethnic identity starting from early 2000’s. The qualitative nature of the research allows space to reveal unforeseen (intersections of) explanatory factors. The Dutch case has been particularly selected for its tradition of group representation under the notion of multiculturalism.

Anahtar Kelimeler

• Political representation
• immigrant minority
• (asylum related) immigrant
• content analysis
• the Netherlands

Göçmen Kökenli Politikacıların 'Diğer' Göçmenleri Temsilleri: Hollanda Örneği Üzerine bir İçerik Analizi

Öz

Batı Avrupa özelinde göçmen kökenli milletvekillerinin kendileri ile benzer geçmişlere sahip seçmenleri temsil etmek noktasındaki rollerini araştıran çalışmalar giderek gelişen bir literatür oluşturmaktadır. Bununla birlikte, göçmen kökenli parlamenterlerin gerek iltica gerekse diğer sebeplerle yaşadıkları ülkelerden farklı ülkelere yönelen yeni göçmenleri hangi çerçeve içinde ele aldıkları henüz üzerinde çok fazla tartışılmamış bir sorun alanı olarak karşımızda durmaktadır. Kendileri göçmen kökenlere sahip milletvekillerinin yeni göçmenleri nasıl bir çerçevede ele aldıkları son derece önemli bir sorudur. Zira, bu sorunun cevaplanması göçmenliği tecrübe etmiş olan kişilerin göç ile ilgili siyasi perspektiflerine ışık tutacaktır. Bu çalışmada, göçmen kökenli milletvekillerinin yeni gelen göçmenlere dair siyasi tercihlerini araştırmak üzere parlamentoya sundukları soru önergeleri üzerinde bir içerik analizi gerçekleştirilmektedir. Makalede parti ideolojisi, cinsiyet ve etnik kimlik faktörlerinin göçmen kökenli milletvekillerinin ortaya koydukları siyasi tercihler üzerindeki etkileri incelenmektedir. Araştırmanın niteliksel doğası, alanın öngörülemeyen (kesişme noktaları) açıklayıcı faktörleri ortaya çıkarmasına izin vermektedir. Hollanda örneği, çok-kültürlülük kavramı altında grup temsil geleneği nedeniyle özellikle seçilmiştir.

Anahtar Kelimeler

• siyasal temsil
• göçmen kökenli azınlıklar
• (iltica ile ilgili) göçmen
• içerik analizi
• Hollanda

Kaynakça

1. Aydemir, N. & Vliegenthart, R. (2016). Minority Representatives in the Netherlands: Supporting, Silencing or Suppressing?.Parliamentary Affairs, 69 (1), 73-92.
2. Benhabib, S. (2002). The Claims of Culture, Princeton University Press, Princeton, NJ.
3. Berg, B. L. (2004). Qualitative Research Methods for the Social Sciences, Pearson, Boston.
4. Bird, K. (2005). The Political Representation of Visible Minorities in Electoral Democracies: A Comparison of France, Denmark, and Canada. Nationalism and Ethnic Politics, 11 (4), 425-65.
5. Bloemraad, I. (2013). Accessing the Corridors of Power: Puzzles and Pathways to Understanding Minority Representation. West European Politics, 36 (3), 652- 70.
6. Castles, F.G. & Mair, P. (1984). Left-Right Political Scales: Some ‘Expert’ Judgments. European Journal of Political Research 12 (1), 73-88.
7. Celis, K. (2013). Gender and Ethnicity: Intersectionality and the Politics of Group Representation in the Low Countries. Representation, 49 (4), 487-499.
8. Celis, K. & Mügge, L. (2018). Whose Equality? Measuring Group Representation. Politics, 32 (2), 197–213.

9. Ceyhan, S. (2018). Why Not Ask the Representatives? Parliamentary Candidates’ Attitudes Towards Immigrant Representation in Germany. Representation, 54 (2), 103-127.
10. Durose, C. et al. (2012). Acceptable Difference: Diversity, Representation and Pathways to UK Politics. Parliamentary Affairs, 66 (2), 246-267.
11. Entman, R. M. (1993). Framing: Toward Clarification of a Fractured Paradigm. Journal of Communication, 43 (4), 51-58.
12. Garret, A. (2017). An Easy Concession or Meaningful Representation? Minority Women in French Politics, French politics, 15, 166-186.
13. Geisser, V. & Kelfaoui, S. (1998). Tabous et Enjeux Autour de L’ethnicité Maghrébine Dans le Système Politique Francais. Revue Europeéenne des Migrations Internationales, 14 (2), 19–32.
14. Hsieh, H. F. & Shannon, S. E. (2005). Three Approaches to Qualitative Content Analysis. Qualitative Health Research, 15 (9), 1277-88.
15. Ireland, P. (2004) Becoming European: Immigration, Integration, and the Welfare State, University of Pittsburgh Press, Pittsburgh, PA.
16. Kymlicka, W. (1995). Multicultural Citizenship: A Liberal Theory of Minority Rights. Clarendon Press, Oxford.
17. Kroon, A. C., Kluknavská, A., Vliegenthart, R. & Boomgaarden, H. G. (2016). Victims or Perpetrators? Explaining Media Framing of Roma across Europe. European Journal of Communication, 31 (4), 375–392.
18. Mansbridge, J. (1999). Should Blacks Represent Blacks and Women Represent Women? A Contingent Yes. Journal of Politics, 61 (3), 628-57.
19. Masocha, S. (2015). The Construction of the Other in Social Work Discourses of Asylum Seekers. Journal of Social Work, 15 (6), 569–585.
20. Michon, L. & Vermeulen, F., (2013). Explaining Different Trajectories in Immigrant Political Integration: Moroccans and Turks in Amsterdam. West European Politics, 36 (3), 597–614.
21. Mügge, L. M. (2018). Intersectionality, Recruitment and Selection: Ethnic Minority Candidates in Dutch Parties. Parliamentary Affairs, 69 (3), 512-530.
22. Mügge, L. M. & Erzeel, S. (2016). Double Jeopardy or Multiple Advantage? Intersectionality and Political Representation. Parliamentary Affairs, 69 (3), 499–511.
23. Murray, R. (2016). The Political Representation of Ethnic Minority Women in France. Parliamentary Affairs, 69 (3), 586-602.
24. Philips, A. (1995). The Politics of Presence, Clarendon Press, Oxford.
25. Pitkin, H. (1967). The Concept of Representation, University of California Press, California.
26. Rowe, E. & O’Brien, E. (2014). ‘Genuine’ Refugees or Illegitimate ‘Boat People’: Political Constructions of Asylum Seekers and Refugees in the Malaysia Deal Debate. Australian Journal of Social Issues, 49 (2), 171–193.
27. Saalfeld, T. (2011). Parliamentary Questions as Instruments of Substantive Representation: Visible Minorities in the UK House of Commons, 2005– 10. The Journal of Legislative Studies, 17 (3), 271-89.
28. Saalfeld, T. & Bischof, D. (2013). Minority-Ethnic MPs and the Substantive Representation of Minority Interests in the House of Commons, 2005–2011. Parliamentary Affairs, 66 (2), 305–28.
29. Saalfeld, T. & Kyriakipoıllou, K. (2011). Minority MPs in the British House of Commons. Bird, K., Saalfeld, T. & Wüst, A.M. (Eds.), The Political Representation of Immigrants and Minorities: Voters, Parties and Parliaments in Liberal Democracies. Routledge, Oxon and New York, 207-29.
30. Saggar, S. & Geddes. A. (2000). Negative and Positive Racialisation: Re-examining Ethnic Minority Political Representation in the UK. Journal of Ethnic and Migration Studies, 26 (1), 25-44.
31. Saggar, S. (2013). Bending without Breaking the Mould: Race and Political Representation in the United Kingdom. Patterns of Prejudice, 47 (1), 69-93.
32. Saward, M. (2006). The Representative Claim. Contemporary Political Theory, 5 (3), 297-318.
33. Schonwalder, K. (2013). Immigrant Representation in Germany’s Regional States: The Puzzle of Uneven Dynamics. West European Politics, 36 (3), 634-51.
34. Severs, E. (2010). Representation as Claims-Making. Quid Responsiveness? Representation, 46 (4), 413-14.
35. Thrasher, M. et al. (2013). BAME Candidates in Local Elections in Britain. Parliamentary Affairs, 66 (2), 286–304.
36. Togeby, L. (2008). The Political Representation of Ethnic Minorities: Denmark as a Deviant Case. Party Politics, 14 (3), 325-43.
37. Van Gorp, B. (2005). Where is the Frame? Victims and Intruders in the Belgian Press Coverage of the Asylum Issue. European Journal of Communication, 20 (4), 484–507.
38. Van Proojien, J.W. & Krouwel, A.P.M. (2017). Extreme Political Beliefs Predict Dogmatic Intolerance. Social Psychological and Personality Science 8 (3), 292–300.
39. Vrooman, J. C. & Hoff, S. J. M. (2013). The Disadvantaged among the Dutch: A Survey Approach to the Multidimensional Measurement of Social Exclusion. Social Indicators Research, 113 (3), 1261–1287.
40. Wüst, Andreas M. (2014). A Lasting Impact? On the Legislative Activities of Immigrant-origin Parliamentarians in Germany. The Journal of Legislative Studies, 20 (4), 495–515.