Integration practices of Turkish families in the UK: a comparative biographical study of first and second wave migrant families

The integration of migrant families has become an increasingly critical topic in migration studies. The study examines the integration patterns of Turkish immigrant families from two different waves of immigration to the UK with different social, economic and cultural backgrounds. Two main aims are emphasised: First, to examine how migrants' competences in the pre-migration process shape their integration experiences; second, to analyse how immigration status shapes integration patterns. Using the aspiration-capability framework and the biographical model, this study analyses data from three different field research conducted in 2014-2015, 2019-2020 and September-December 2023. The findings reveal that the aspirations and capabilities of migrant families influence their settlement in the UK, their relationship with the diaspora, their propensity to be employed in Turkish ethnic economy, and their social network preferences and choices, and are therefore directly related to integration practices. Migrants in the second group, who have relatively higher levels of human capital, were found to have higher levels of social and cultural integration than first wave migrants. However, in terms of structural integration indicators, the limits set by the immigration status are often challenging for migrants, pushing even highly educated migrants out of the labour market and making them dependent on informal work within the Turkish ethnic economy. As the requirements of migrantion status evolve, integration practices also diverge.