CERC Public Seminar: 'Turkish Immigrants as Citizens: the European perspective'

Thursday 9 Oct, 1:00-2:00pm
at Room 323, Level 3, 234 Queensberry Street, The University of Melbourne

presented by

Ms. Sandra Pratt

(Deputy Head of Unit on Immigration and Asylum in the European Commission's Directorate-General Justice, Freedom and Security)

Download audio mp3 (approx 13MB)

Abstract

Since 1999 the EU has been developing a common immigration and asylum policy. The presentation will briefly review the main features of this policy and describe the different concepts of citizenship which are under discussion in Europe and the role they play in the integration process. Against this background the paper will give a short overview of the history of Turkish immigration to Europe and examine the characteristics of Turkish immigrant communities. It will then look at current policy initiatives designed to respond to the growing importance of Islam and the growth of Muslim communities in the EU and the potential role of Turkish immigrant communities in developing new responses to manage religious and cultural diversity in European society today.

Biography

Sarah Pratt began working at the European Commission in 1988 on the development of programmes in higher education (ERASMUS). She was then part of a team which set up the EURES system, a European job and information service designed to facilitate the mobility of workers within the EU. In 1998-99 Ms Pratt managed the Commission's programme for the integration of refugees and in October 1999 joined the new Directorate General for Justice and Home Affairs (renamed Justice, Freedom and Security in November 2004). Working in its Immigration and Asylum unit, she was responsible for the conception of the common EU immigration policy with particular respect to legal migration and integration. Between 2000 and 2003 she co-ordinated the work of the unit’s immigration team covering both policy development and the preparation of EU directives in the field of legal and illegal migration. Ms Pratt was appointed Deputy Head of Unit in October 2003 and is now responsible for the development of the common immigration and asylum policies and coordination with international organisations and NGO's.