Conceptualising transnational politicisation in international affairs: the Turkish diaspora in Germany and the politicisation of German–Turkish relations

Abstract This article contributes to IR scholarship on the domestic politicisation of international affairs, focusing on transnational actors and mechanisms through which international issues can become politicised domestically. It conceptualises transnational politicisation as cross-boundary processes that draw international issues into the realm of domestic political choice and contestation. The analysis zooms in on diaspora groups as an exemplary case of such transnational politicisation, given their unique position in the transnational space. We argue that diasporas play a powerful role in the transnational politicisation of bilateral issues between homeland and hostland within host country domestic politics, either as politicising agents or conduits of politicisation attempts by home or host country political actors. Transnational processes of politicisation can generate intergovernmental friction, reducing the scope for bilateral cooperation, if they lead to widespread domestic politicisation in the host countries, raising identity-related and sovereignty concerns. The article presents two heuristic case studies on the Turkish diaspora in Germany, focusing on the 2016 ‘Armenia resolution’ of the German Bundestag and the 2017/2018 cycle of German and Turkish elections. The case studies detail the diaspora actors involved, explicate the transnational mechanisms through which bilateral issues become politicised in German domestic politics, and discuss consequences for German-Turkish relations.