Claiming your place at night: Turkish dance parties in The Netherlands

This paper examines the proliferation and development of the Turkish clubbing scene in the cities of Amsterdam and Rotterdam. It points to how a new clubbing scene is created within the existing mainstream nightlife in order to overcome social and cultural constraints in accessibility and to meet the cultural preferences of the Dutch-Turkish consumers. Nowadays these Turkish parties are being incorporated in established and popular dance halls in the city centres. The question will be addressed as to whether Turkish party organisations and party-goers are engaged in politics of recognition by claiming their space in mainstream nightlife. Furthermore, the paper addresses how Turkish parties can offer a space for the expression of a collective cultural identity by analysing why and how Dutch-Turkish young people opt for the Turkish clubbing scene. The research findings discussed in this paper are taken from in-depth interviews with consumers and producers of Turkish parties in Amsterdam and Rotterdam, from Internet discussions, and from participant observation during several Turkish dance parties.