Community In Turkey Research Articles

The Project of Circassian Return to the Caucasus in the Agenda of Circassian Organisations in Russia and the Diaspora

This study examines the evolution of the Circassian ethno-national movement, one of the most prominent in Russia, and its connection to the Adyghe diaspora communities in Turkey, Syria, Jordan, Israel, Western Europe, and the United States. In the 1990s, Circassian nationalists proposed the creation of a unified Circassia, either as part of Russia or as an independent state. However, these radical proposals were largely rejected by moderate Adyghe. In response, Circassian activists sought a unifying project for the Adyghe both within Russia and across the diaspora, leading to the promotion of repatriation to the North Caucasus. This agenda, which had long been central to the Circassian movement, gained new importance following the failure to establish a united Circassia and the onset of the Syrian crisis, which forced many Circassians to flee. The study analyzes how Circassian organizations in Russia and abroad have utilized the repatriation initiative to address their challenges, highlighting a shift in the movement. Among Russian Adyghe, radicalism is declining, with growing interest in constructive dialogue with the state in exchange for support in managed resettlement. In contrast, Turkish Circassian organizations do not advocate for repatriation, as it could undermine the Circassian movement in Turkey.

Effect of Team Sports on Social Integration in Immigrant Communities in Turkey

Purpose: The aim of the study was to analyze the effect of team sports on social integration in immigrant communities in Turkey. Methodology: This study adopted a desk methodology. A desk study research design is commonly known as secondary data collection. This is basically collecting data from existing resources preferably because of its low cost advantage as compared to a field research. Our current study looked into already published studies and reports as the data was easily accessed through online journals and libraries. Findings: Participation in team sports significantly enhances social integration in immigrant communities in Turkey by fostering connections with both fellow immigrants and local residents. These activities facilitate cultural exchange and adaptation, helping immigrants integrate while sharing their traditions. Team sports also improve psychological well-being by reducing isolation and providing a sense of belonging. They strengthen internal community ties and boost civic participation, leading to greater inclusion in broader social and political processes. Unique Contribution to Theory, Practice and Policy: Activity theory, self-determination theory (SDT) & socioemotional selectivity theory (SST) may be used to anchor future studies on effect of team sports on social integration in immigrant communities in Turkey. Community organizations and sports clubs should design and implement team sports programs tailored to the needs of immigrant communities. Policymakers should develop and support policies that encourage the integration of team sports into community-building initiatives for immigrant populations.

Can the Scope of Secularization Theory Be Expanded Beyond the Modern‐Christian‐West? Exploring the Alevi Experience in Turkey

AbstractThis study asserts that the secularization theory has the potential to offer insights into the processes of social change experienced by faith groups outside the modern West. The study focuses on the transformation undergone by Alevi groups in Turkey, who are now experiencing a more modern way of life compared to their past. In this qualitative study, data collection was conducted through semistructured interviews during field studies in the cities of Çorum (Turk Alevis) and Tunceli/Dersim (Zaza/Kurd Alevis). Based on the interview findings, the study concludes that the new Alevi generation leads a more modern and at the same time more secular daily life compared to their parents. Therefore, the main assertion of this research is that the classical secularization theory has the potential to provide valuable insights not only for modern societies where Christianity is dominant but also for understanding the transformations occurring within Alevi communities in Turkey.

AB-Türkiye İlişkileri Bağlamında Ermenilerin Kimlik İnşasına Yeniden Bakış

This article critically analyses the reconstruction of the Armenian identity in the context of reforms in Turkey's European Union (EU) accession process. Within the scope of the research, in order to understand the cultural, ethnic and religious identity construction processes of the Armenian community in Istanbul, the existing academic literature on Armenians in Turkey has been analysed in detail, and field research based on observation and in-depth interviews has been conducted. In line with the historical background ranging from the Ottoman millet system to the Republic's policies of creating a homogenous nation, from the democratisation movement to the EU accession process, the construction process of Armenian identity has been analysed in three stages in the light of the relevant theoretical debates. Firstly, the historical development of different legal statuses evolving from non-Muslims to minorities is analysed; secondly, the reform process brought about by the EU membership process is examined. While analysing this process, the basic dynamics that contributed to the formation of Armenian identity were first identified. Secondly the prominent changes in the legal, political, social and cultural fields that accelerated the reconstruction of the Armenian community's identity by the EU reform process were tried to be identified. Finally, the social dilemmas experienced in the aftermath of the reforms are analysed and the ongoing identity struggle of the Armenian community is outlined. While the EU membership process allows the Armenian community in Turkey to express their identities more openly and freely, social insecurity and dilemmas prevent this process from being fully realised. The study analyses the theoretical approaches to identity construction and the political, economic, social and cultural transformations experienced by the Armenian community in Turkey and offers suggestions on the processes of identity struggle. In particular, it is emphasised that overcoming social insecurities and dilemmas is critical for the sustainable survival of Armenian identity. In this context, it is concluded that more inclusive and supportive policies should be developed in order to preserve the Armenian identity and increase its social acceptance. Key Words: Identity, European Union, Türkiye, Armenian identity, minority

Attitudes among physicians towards transgender and gender diverse people in Turkey: Relationship with religiousness, political view and conservatism.

According to several recent studies, physicians in various medical branches have some differences in attitudes towards transgender and gender-diverse (TGD) persons based on religious or political beliefs. Our study aims to uncover the attitudes of the general physician community in Turkey, which has a youthful profile, regarding TGD individuals. The attitudes towards transgender individuals scale (ATTI) and the general conservatism scale, along with a form that asks about socio-demographic factors, political beliefs, and level of religion, were administered online to physicians. The ATTI score of physicians (mean=77.8) is favourable and did not vary among branches. Being female, being close to TGD, having left-wing views, low conservatism and low religious belief scores were associated with positive attitudes towards TGD individuals. The physician profile's moderate religious belief and left-wing views can be interpreted as a country-specific dynamic and did not prevent the approach from being positive. Despite physicians' positive attitude towards TGD individuals on a professional level, there is resistance to contacting them in their daily lives. The possibility of the partial contribution of socially desirable response behaviour to positive scores should not be ignored.

ETHNOCULTURAL IDENTITY IN THE ABSENCE OF ETHNOLINGUISTIC VITALITY: A STUDY OF HEMSHIN HERITAGE COMMUNITIES IN TURKEY'S EASTERN BLACK SEA REGIO

ETHNOCULTURAL IDENTITY IN THE ABSENCE OF ETHNOLINGUISTIC VITALITY: A STUDY OF HEMSHIN HERITAGE COMMUNITIES IN TURKEY'S EASTERN BLACK SEA REGIO

Digitalizing sexual citizenship: LGBTI+ resistance at digital spaces in pandemic times

ABSTRACT Drawing on a digital ethnography of Istanbul Pride events in 2020 and in-depth interviews with LGBTI+ activists from Turkey, this study examines the transformations in the sites and practices of resistance during the COVID-19 pandemic. For the LGBTI+ community in Turkey, whose rights are already threatened by right-wing populist hegemony in politics, the pandemic brought further challenges and limitations to their public assemblies. While digital technologies afforded new sites for resistance, these spaces are not free from surveillance and inaccessibility, making their potential fragilities important to discuss. In this article, sexual citizenship is a central concept to analyse the resistance practices of the LGBTI+ community. By focusing on the affects and narratives of Pride participants, the article explores new opportunities and threats for the practices of LGBTI+ resistance caused by digitalisation. The analysis suggests that the assemblage of locations, technologies, and bodies primarily initiate novel forms of resistance. The LGBTI+ experiences show technological affordances make located experiences travel to a transnational digital, enabling affective interactions from afar, and that activists navigate their (in)visibilities via digital technologies to transform their resistance practices.

The Effects of Market Chains on the Purchasing and Consumption Approach of Forest Villagers in Turkey: A Case Study of Forest Villages in Yozgat Rural Area

Bu çalışmada; Türkiye’de market zincirlerinin gelişimi ve ürün markalaşmasının kırsal toplumların satın alma ve tüketim anlayışı üzerine etkilerinin araştırılması amaçlanmıştır. Çalışma Yozgat İli kırsal yöresinde bulunan köylerde yürütülmüştür. Köylülerin yaşadıkları alanlar ve geçim kaynaklarını, köylülerin ürettikleri ürünleri ne şekilde, nereye ve nasıl pazarladıklarını, köylülerin yaşadıkları konumlara göre alışveriş yapma şekillerini ve alışkanlıklarının araştırılmasına yönelik anket formu geliştirilmiştir. Anket formu toplam 46 adet sorudan oluşmuş ve 200 kişi üzerinde uygulanmıştır. Toplanan veriler SPSS 20 paket programı kullanılarak değerlendirilmiştir. Ankete katılan köylülerin hemen hemen hepsi üretmiş oldukları ürünleri zincir marketlere satamazken köylülerin %34’ü üretmiş oldukları ürünleri yöresel marketlere pazarlayarak satabilmektedirler. Köylülerin en çok yöresel marketlere pazarladığı ürünler sırasıyla peynir, köy yumurtası, süt ve tereyağıdır. Anket çalışmasına katılan köylülerden her iki kişiden birisi yöresel marketlerde, zincir marketlere göre fiyatların daha pahalı olduğunu, yöresel marketlerde istediği her ürünü bulamadıklarını ve zincir marketlerde ise yöresel marketlere göre ürün kalitesinin daha kaliteli olmadığını belirtmişlerdir. Anket çalışmasına katılan köylülerin yarısından fazlası zincir marketlerden her türlü ihtiyacını karşılayabildiklerini, zincir marketlerin olması yöresel marketlerin de ürünlerin yüksek fiyata satmasına engel olduğunu, zincir marketlerin olması yörenizde iş imkânı sağladığını, zincir marketler doğal ürün üretimi için köy ve kasabalardaki üreticiler ile iş birliği yapmasının gerektiğini, zincir marketler sayesinde mevsim dışı sebze ve meyveyi satın alıp tüketilebildiğini, yöresel marketlerde daha çok doğal ürün bulunabildiğini ve zincir marketlerden alınan elektronik ürünlerin garanti belgesinin olduğunu söylemektedirler.

Eğitim Yönetiminde Yönetimin Merkeziyetçi Yapısı Bağlamında Eğitim Politikalarının İncelenmesi

With the birth and development of nation-states in recent centuries, education has started to be considered as a policy issue and the creation and implementation of national education policies have gained importance. Education has always taken its place on the social and political agenda in our country, and the socio-economic role of education has always been important. While education is considered as an important tool of development on the one hand, on the other hand, it is hoped that education will help solve all the problems that occur in social life. It has always been a subject that should be focused on, especially since it is one of the important tools of the state in the modernization process in line with the goal of shaping society and giving it new forms. In this context, care has been taken to ensure that education is carried out by the state. Our country has a highly centralized supervision structure in education. Education-related policies are generally created and implemented by states and governments with a centralized approach. This situation causes the management process to slow down, the decisions taken at the center to deviate from the target at the implementation stage and incorrect applications. Despite all the controversies and criticisms, the centralized structure of the system continues to be partially. Although managers of educational institutions do not have a direct impact on learning, managers can facilitate the functioning of educational processes, improve learning products and outputs, and enable improvements to be made. In this context, education managers play an important role in providing the necessary support to improve the quality of teaching, in identifying efficient and effective solutions both in the teaching processes and in the nature of school and education, such as human resources and school climate, through the effective use of resources. However, the selection criteria that will allow educational leaders with managerial characteristics to become managers within the educational community in Turkey have not been fully established. With the amendments made to the regulation on the appointment and relocation of school and institution administrators of the Ministry of Education, the written exam requirement and other changes that will be considered objective have been canceled, and arrangements have been made to allow school administrators to be elected with different approaches. With the changes made in the recent period, it has been aimed to increase the quality of education by introducing a written exam requirement for education management again. Key Words: Education Management, Centralized Management, Schooling, Education Policies

Representation of Minority Women in Turkish Streaming Media: The Case Study of Kulüp

The discussion on representation, from individual perspective to societal one, has experienced a huge jump in media and cultural studies recently. Throughout this process, the meaning of "representation" has reconstructed, and it is considered not only as an individual issue but also with its relation to the society or a specific group. This study aims to illustrate representations of women who come from minority ethnic and religious communities in Turkey. In this study, the representations of Sephardic Jewish women and Rum women in Turkish media are analyzed through a TV series broadcasted on Netflix. The case study of Netflix’s Kulüp (The Club) is chosen for this study to be qualitatively examined by focusing on the conceptualization of representation of minority women. Theoretically, the episodes of the series are analyzed within the framework of feminist critical theory by the help of critical discourse analysis.

Understanding cycling neo-tribes: a non-western context

ABSTRACT This study employed ethnographical methodology to delineate issues related to cycling communities in a non-western context through the theoretical lens of neo-tribe. In-depth interviews and participatory observations were conducted in two cycling communities in Turkey, an emerging pro-cycling country. As a result of thematic analysis, the characteristics of the studied communities are explained under the following themes: states of emotional being, symbols and rituals, ethic codes, identities, and lifestyle. The findings revealed that the studied communities have tribal characteristics similar to the Western cycling cases, such as friendship, belonging, and collective enthusiasm. Meanwhile, differences of the communities from the Western cases were identified, such as more intense emotionality and stronger need for physical security and safe space. Implications for businesses and professionals that promote cycling for leisure, recreation and tourism purposes in Turkey were drawn based on the findings.

Sectarianism as racism: the collective punishment of Alevi communities in Turkey

Drawing on the case of state-sanctioned violence and discrimination against Alevis, a historically stigmatised and persecuted ethnosectarian community in Turkey, this article shows that sectarian identities can also be raced. The case of Alevis in Turkey not only indicates how sectarianism can function as a form of racism but also offers an example of the connection between the production of race and the politics of death. Approaching racism as a punitive mechanism and form of collective punishment that punishes racialised communities at different levels and that constantly reminds them of the possibility of what Gilmore terms ‘premature death’, the article offers a new and nuanced understanding of the multiple modalities of racism in Turkey. Rather than viewing racism in Turkey as merely an imitative form of European racism, this article shows that racism in Turkey is also informed by the country’s own imperial past. Turkey provides fertile ground for examining both western and non-western forms of racism and the intersections between the two.

Sanaldan Doğaya Açılan Kapı: Kampçılık Sanal Toplulukları Üzerine Netnografik Bir Çalışma

Since camping is a concept that shares common features with extraordinary emotional experiences such as social interaction, self-renewal and relaxation in relation to nature, it is a very popular recreational activity today. The aim of this study is to examine the behaviors, attitudes and camping experiences of individuals who are members of camping virtual communities in Turkey. For this purpose, netnography method was used in the study. Netnography is a special approach that allows ethnographic research on the Internet. During the data collection process, the most actively used forum and Facebook pages related to camping were examined. According to the findings of this study, five main categories as "search for knowledge", "technical information", "recommendations", "dangers" and "camp diaries" and seven subcategories as "beginners", "campsite rush", "getting into a sleeping bag", "cold related issues", "fighting insects", “experience" and "pleasure" are reported. In line with the emerging categories, it is seen that individuals who are members of camping virtual communities share information and experience with each other on many camp-related issues, as well as make recommendations.

The need for health system strengthening in the wake of natural disasters: Lessons from the 2023 Türkiye–Syria earthquake

AbstractThe 2023 Türkiye–Syria earthquake was reported as the largest earthquake of Mw7.8, resulting in over 50,783 and 7259 deaths in Turkey and Syria, respectively. It has also damaged numerous residential buildings and other essential infrastructures, thus rendering more than 850,000 children and 356,000 pregnant women homeless, forcing them into displacement and its dire consequences, such as inadequate temporary shelters, a lack of access to safe drinking water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH), necessary for disease prevention, health promotion and maintenance. The disaster has disproportionately affected the Syrian refugee community in Turkey as it has fuelled disparities and discrimination, exacerbating the response to the disaster and forcing refugees to return to Syria due to dire living conditions. Minimizing the effects of the disaster on the communities is therefore essential. There is a need to strengthen health system resilience and emergency response to natural disasters to reduce and prevent the aftermath. Disaster preparedness plans should include regulations that ensure that local buildings and infrastructure are disaster‐resistant. Furthermore, it is vital to highlight the importance of funding and appropriate resource allocation for disaster risk reduction. These include improving plans and logistics for recovery efforts, adequate preparation of temporary shelters and evacuation centres and allocating necessities such as food and water. Investment in proper search and rescue response, a special workforce for response and the rebuilding of important infrastructure are crucial. Finally, response to disasters must be inclusive and prioritize vulnerable populations, such as children, the aged women and refugees.

Armenian (Yerevan Eastern Armenian and Beirut Western Armenian)

Armenian (or , /hɑjeˈɾen/, ISO 639-1 hy) comprises an independent branch of the Indo-European language family.1 Its earliest attested ancestor is Classical Armenian in the fifth century CE (see Godel 1975; Thomson 1989; DeLisi 2015; Macak 2016). Modern Armenian is classified into two dialect families: Eastern Armenian (ISO 639-3 hye) and Western Armenian (ISO 639-3 hyw). Eastern Armenian is spoken in modern-day Armenia, and large speaker communities also exist in Georgia, Russia and Iran (shown in Figure 1). Western Armenian was historically spoken in the Ottoman Empire, but now includes varieties spoken throughout the Armenian diaspora in the Middle East, Europe, and the Americas (Donabédian 2018). There are substantial Western Armenian speaker communities in Turkey (Istanbul), Lebanon (Beirut), Syria (Aleppo, Damascus), California (Fresno, Los Angeles County), France (Marseilles), Australia (Sydney) and Argentina (Buenos Aires). There are also recent diaspora communities of Eastern Armenian speakers in California (Karapetian 2014), as well as communities of Western Armenian speakers in Armenia who escaped the Armenian genocide during World War I, who repatriated after World War II, or who fled the ongoing Syrian civil war. UNESCO lists Western Armenian as an endangered language in Turkey, and there are significant language promotion efforts in many diaspora communities that are intended to combat declining use by speaker generations born in the Americas and Europe (Al-Bataineh 2015; Chahinian & Bakalian 2016).

Multicultural Education in Indonesian Diaspora Families (Study Case: Gelin Community)

This writing discusses multicultural education in Indonesian diaspora families in Türkiye. It aims to reveal the application of multicultural education in the Gelin community in Turkey as an attempt to present the identity as Indonesian and measure the understanding of Nationalism and tolerance in the families of the Gelincommunity in Turkey. This writing method uses qualitative research methods with sources Indonesian gelinwho are married to Turks and living in Turkey. The ups and downs of the application of multicultural education are passed in mixed marriages, gelins in Turkey have their own pattern regarding the application of multicultural educaion which they teach to their children. Although there are no official rules for the use of multicultural education, multicultural education is a way to help children from mixed marriages find their identities without being forced to side with two different nationalities.

Between Mezhep and Minority: Twelver Shiʿism in the Turkish Public Sphere

AbstractDespite the growth in scholarship on diverse religious communities in Turkey, little attention has been paid to Twelver Shiʿi Muslims. Since the founding of the Republic, the Turkish state's foundational secularist agenda has attempted to control and promote a single hegemonic form of Islam, and Shiʿa have faced continuous issues practicing their faith in public as a result. While the liberalization of the past three decades has allowed Shiʿism to enter the public sphere, the community has had to continue navigating limitations on their expression of religious difference. Based on fieldwork in Eastern Anatolia, this article deepens understandings of Islam in Turkey by showing how Shiʿa have negotiated their position vis-à-vis both secularist and Sunni-majority actors and policies across various religious and political currents. Rejecting categorization as either mezhep (sect) or minority, Shiʿa have demanded independence from state religious control while also asserting their allegiance to the Republic and nation as Turkish Muslims.

Finding the ultimate pipe: Israel's covert activity to protect the rights of the Jewish community in Turkey (1960–1961)

How can a state advocate on behalf of a diaspora community whose minority rights are threatened in a foreign country without appearing as intervening in this country's domestic affairs, thereby jeopardizing their bilateral relations? This is precisely the dilemma that Israel faced in 1960 when the Turkish government decided to close the national Jewish institutions in Turkey at a time when Israeli-Turkish relations were becoming increasingly amicable. On the one hand, Israel wanted to act, but on the other, it did not want to jeopardize its relations with Turkey, a country very sensitive to issues of national sovereignty and minorities. Wanting to intervene but fearing an adverse reaction from Ankara, Israeli diplomats decided to secretly mobilize B'nai B'rith, a Jewish-American organization. Based on primary sources from Israeli and B'nai B'rith archives, we analyze the Israeli decision to intervene, its mode of implementation, and the challenges faced by Israeli officials concerning their interactions with the Jewish actors in Turkey and the United States. We present a form of multilateral diaspora engagement taking place in multiple geographies in which one Jewish diaspora—the Jewish-American organization B'nai B'rith—was mobilized by the Israeli Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) to perform unofficial diplomacy in the aid of another Jewish diaspora—the Jewish community in Turkey—for the purpose of reopening the latter's communal institutions. Looking at the motivations for engagement and the balances of power shaping it, we offer a new look on the dynamics of claiming and agency between states and diasporas.

Phenological and Morphological Response of Chickpea (Cicer arietinum L.) Rhizobia and Azotobacter Inoculation

Excessive use of nitrogen has become a threat to human health and the environment due to high concentrations of nitrate and nitrite accumulating in surface and ground waters. Biological dinitrogen fixation (N2) is a very important natural process in world agriculture. Rhizobia is a common name for a certain Gram-negative group of Alphaproteobacteria and Betaproteobacteria that can form nodules on the root and fix nitrogen in symbiosis with legumes as their host plants. Azotobacter spp. is a free-living microorganism that has the ability to fix atmospheric nitrogen into the soil. Field trials were carried out of Eskişehir Osmangazi University Field Crops Department experiment areas during the production season of 2017 and 2019. The study was evaluated the effects on morphological and phenologocial characters of two N doses (0 and 25 kg ha-1 N), four bacteria inoculations (control, Rhizobia, Azotobacter, Rhizobia + Azotobacter) on chickpea cultivars (Azkan, Akca, Cakir, Isik). Experiment arranged in split split plot experimental design with three replications. Nitrogen application positively affected number of days to emergence, number of branches, branch diameter and grain yield. Phenological and morphological properties affected by climate conditions. The high temperature caused the number of days to emergence, number of days to flowering and number of days to maturity to be earlier in the second year. Plant height, first pod height and grain yield were higher first year than second year due to high precipitation. While the response of the cultivars was different in terms of phenological properties, Azkan cultivar gave the best results in terms of morphological properties. Rhizobia + Azotobacter inoculation gave the best results in terms of phenological and morphological characteristics except for number of days to maturity. Rhizobia + Azotobacter inoculation can lead to additional income generation of the farming community in Turkey. The use of biofertilizers may reduce the application of chemical fertilizers and we get healthy, pollution-free production for a better future for our increasing populations.

Keeping Syrian refugees in Turkey is not a good idea: a new concept of ‘reluctant local integration’

Whilst the state of precarity negatively impacts Syrian refugees in Turkey, an increasing number of scholars suggest that Syrians are integrating well in that country due to cultural similarities and relatively ‘liberal’ refugee policies. This paper asks why this discrepancy occurs between studies that depict a positive picture of integration and the reality on the ground that approximately 40% of Syrians in Turkey want to go to a country other than Syria and Turkey. The article explains this contradiction by introducing a new-grounded theory of ‘reluctant local integration’. Based on a sequential research design that is composed of a thematic analysis of original fieldwork with 106 participants in the city of Gaziantep and a follow-up theory-guided process tracing in wider Turkey between 2015 and 2021, the article identifies original links between three intertwined themes that lead to reluctant local integration. These are not only a by-product of temporary protection, and unevenly distributed precarity in the economic milieu, but also a result of similar types of ideological, ethnic and religious sectarianism that is deeply rooted in both refugee and host communities in Turkey.