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This paper presents the findings of a comparative qualitative study of Turks who migrated to Istanbul from elsewhere in the country, and Turks who immigrated to Berlin. The main objective of the study is to describe and explain the segregation process affecting Turks in both cities. As the paper focuses on the process of segregation, the article follows the three basic stages along which the history of Turkish (im)migration to Germany and Istanbul has proceeded: the labour migrant stage, the family reunification stage and the settlement stage. Voices of (im)migrants are presented throughout the paper by reflecting their perceptions, values, experiences and dilemmas. The paper argues that internal differences within immigrant groups deserve more attention in order to better understand why some of them, despite being able to afford it, do not move out of concentration areas for better housing opportunities. In this context, the paper focuses on the internal cultural differentiation of Turkish migrants in Istanbul and Turkish immigrants in Berlin, with particular reference to their highly divergent religious understandings. We argue that conservatism—especially when it takes its roots from Islamism—has played an important role in shaping the residential preferences and choices of individuals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Information about several papers discussed at a symposium entitled "The Economy of Urban Diversity," held January 13-15, 2011 in Essen, Germany and sponsored by the working group “Economy” of the interdisciplinary research group “Global Young Faculty,” is presented. Topics discussed included cosmopolitanism in Istanbul, Turkey, state-sponsored gentrification in Istanbul since the 1980s, and migrant business in the Ruhr area of Germany. Speakers included Yunus Ulusoy and Edhem Eldem.

The article reports on the conference "Landscapes of Urban Modernity: Istanbul and the Ruhr 2010," which was held at Istanbul Bilgi University in Istanbul, Turkey, from December 15-18, 2010, on the occasion of Istanbul and the Ruhr region in Germany, having been designated as joint "European Cultural Capital" for 2010. Papers presented compared the social, economic, and cultural histories of the two urban conglomerations from the 19th to the early 21st century.