Halil Gür
Encyclopedia
Halil Gür is a Dutch
author of Turkish
extraction, and is important as one of the first Turkish immigrants to write about the Netherlands. His short stories focus mainly on the problems of migrant experiences, particularly in the context of the Dutch gastarbeider
program. Gür declares himself to a Marxist analysis of these problems, and his writings have a propagandistic element. They have been criticised for exaggeratedly sentimental portrayals of ethnic minorities as hapless victims, but have also received acclaim for drawing attention to social problems hitherto neglected. At a time when Dutch society was widely regarded as one of the most liberal and tolerant in Europe, Gür sought to expose racism and discrimination.
Netherlands
The Netherlands is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, located mainly in North-West Europe and with several islands in the Caribbean. Mainland Netherlands borders the North Sea to the north and west, Belgium to the south, and Germany to the east, and shares maritime borders...
author of Turkish
Turkey
Turkey , known officially as the Republic of Turkey , is a Eurasian country located in Western Asia and in East Thrace in Southeastern Europe...
extraction, and is important as one of the first Turkish immigrants to write about the Netherlands. His short stories focus mainly on the problems of migrant experiences, particularly in the context of the Dutch gastarbeider
Gastarbeiter
Gastarbeiter is German for "guest worker." It refers to migrant workers who had moved to West Germany mainly in the 1960s and 70s, seeking work as part of a formal guest worker programme...
program. Gür declares himself to a Marxist analysis of these problems, and his writings have a propagandistic element. They have been criticised for exaggeratedly sentimental portrayals of ethnic minorities as hapless victims, but have also received acclaim for drawing attention to social problems hitherto neglected. At a time when Dutch society was widely regarded as one of the most liberal and tolerant in Europe, Gür sought to expose racism and discrimination.