The intercultural engagement in Mardin: Religion, culture and identity

Abstract

Mardin is a city situated on the Turkish border with Syria and populated by diverse ethno-religious groups. Its complex history and groups are different from other cities of Turkey. Its cultural, social and linguistic plurality has fascinated academics and politicians who search for the examples of multiculturality in Turkey. This is related to the recent national and international developments that resulted in the re-discovery and valorisation of Mardin. This valorisation has been supported by plenty of activities that reflect the new publicity of the ‘multiculturalism’ of the city to the world. The Turkish State has not had a multicultural policy. However, Mardin’s structure has been a device to show the multiculturality of Turkey. This has created a dominant discourse on the cultural and historical aspects of Mardin. Considering recent developments, this doctoral dissertation analyses the intercultural engagement of diverse components in Mardin. In doing so, the research focuses on the interaction of four ethno-religious groups: Sunni Arabs, Sunni Kurds, Syriac Christians and Ezidis. It adopts the notion of engagement as connections between different cultural parts in a society. The notion refers to areas that are interlaced in social and cultural life, and it is used to indicate the relations of ethnic and cultural groups with others considering the links between local and national context as well as their interaction with transnational networks. The aim of this qualitative study – through participant observation, in-depth interviews and textual analysis of local and national archives – is to discuss the role religion plays in constructing and maintaining intercultural engagement in the case of Mardin...