Turkish National Research Articles

Nation, Religion, and the Racial Exception: Framing Difference in Turkey

Nationalism presents a multitude of ways to talk about characteristics of its mem-bers and to view how these characteristics are formed in a timeless past. Popula-tions identified as nations imagine themselves as sharing a collective identity and social solidarity. They form discourses offering ways of stipulating what defines nations in terms of collective characteristics, such as race, ethnicity, and religion. In many cases, these outright exclusive characteristics are subterranean, appearing in implicit forms and frequently combining with official claims regarding the civic and constitutional criteria for national membership. Turkish nationalism is no ex-ception. While historical and contemporary examples of exclusion abound in Tur-key's political history, they are countered with official claims of equal and open membership. Often, these exclusions appear to be based on religion, as rules of in-clusion present a preference for Muslims from Sunni backgrounds. Based on two case studies, this article argues that the relationship between nation and religion is mediated through the racial exception. When racial otherness is present, the over-laps between nation and religion may be negotiated, reinterpreted, or disregarded.

Insurance-based disparities in breast cancer treatment pathways in a universal healthcare system: a qualitative study

BackgroundThe influence of healthcare system factors on treatment pathways for breast cancer has been studied extensively in lower-middle-income countries (LMICs), but in upper-middle-income countries (UMICs), this area is understudied. This article focuses on the experiences of breast cancer patients in Türkiye, a UMIC with a universal healthcare system. It explores variations in treatment pathways based on the type of health insurance provider (private or state).MethodsThe study uses an exploratory qualitative method based on in-depth interviews with 12 breast cancer patients. The inclusion criteria were Turkish nationality, female gender, and having received treatment from a private hospital within one year of the interview. A purposeful sampling strategy was employed to recruit patients who had either social health insurance only or who had private health insurance in addition to their social health insurance. A two-stage thematic analysis of the interview data was conducted. First, we examined whether the type of insurance provider makes a difference in treatment pathways; we then identified healthcare system factors that explain these differences.ResultsThe study revealed two distinct pathways to treatment. These differ in terms of financial protection, service coverage, and patients’ sense of equity. Patients with private insurance reported easy access to timely and comprehensive treatment. Those without, however, had to navigate complicated routes to treatment; they generally had to resort to seeking treatment from more than one hospital. We found two healthcare system factors that explained the differences: a failure to fully enforce the mandates of the state’s social health insurance in the private hospital sector and growing reliance on private insurance to gain access to essential services.ConclusionsBased on data from the Turkish case, we conclude that healthcare system factors are indeed influential in shaping treatment pathways for breast cancer in UMICs with universal healthcare. These factors include a failure to fully enforce the mandates of the state’s social health insurance programme in the private hospital sector and a growing reliance on private insurance to gain access to essential services. We note that this contrasts dramatically with the situation in LMICs, where the main factors are low-quality care and shortages of medical staff, medicines, and technologies.

MUSTAFA KEMAL'S RENEWAL IDEAS

Mustafa Kemal is known as a reformer whose role was to save the nation and state of Turkey from thecatastrophe of total destruction due to European colonialism. However, Mustafa Kemal is also considered acontroversial figure because he changed the caliphate culture that became the character of the OttomanEmpire for hundreds of years into a secular state. Mustafa Kemal is known as the creator of modern Turkey andwas given the title as Ataturk which means father of Turkey. The type of research "library research", namely thestudy carried out for solving a problem by using library materials, whether in the form of books, theses, journals,or those related to the Mustafa Kemal's Renewal Idea. The current nationality of Turkish society is the reductionof the thoughts of a Turkish thinker who is considered the father of Turkish nationalism, namely Ziya Gokalp.Mustafa Kemal's Renewal Thought Principles began when he was assigned as a military attaché in 1913 inSofia. It was from here that he became acquainted with western civilization, especially its parliamentarysystem. The principles of Turkish renewal thought which later became its ideological style consisted of threeelements, namely nationalism, secularism and Westernism

Mukaddesatçılık: A Cold War Ideology of Muslim Turkish Ressentiment

AbstractThis paper introduces mukaddesatçılık as a Cold War ideological position that reconciles Turkish nationalism, religious conservatism, and Islamist revivalism. Mukaddesatçılık channels senses of disempowerment and alienation among people with Islamic and nationalistic sensibilities to a sense of ressentiment against the Turkish modernization process. The paper analyzes mukaddesatçılık's ideational and emotional components based on the writings of Necip Fazıl Kısakürek. In addition to being the name-father of the concept, Kısakürek was distinguished from other Islam-inspired conservative intellectuals by his appeal to popular mobilization around mukaddesatçı ideology through his eloquent and powerful speeches and poems. The paper argues that Kısakürek's mukaddesatçılık reconstructed Muslimness as the political identity of the popular masses, who are the supposed victims of the Turkish modernization process, to mobilize them against the so-called Western-minded modernizing elite. Mukaddesatçılık informs the current populist policies of Recep Tayyip Erdoğan's government that seek to maintain the divisive polarization between religious and secular identities.

An Island Getting Divided at the Cinema: Transformational Microhistory of Cinemagoing and Nationalism in Cyprus

ABSTRACT This study offers an alternative perspective for examining the rise of Turkish nationalism in the Eastern Mediterranean in relation to cinema culture within the political and historical contexts of Cyprus. The cinema business and its practices had their golden age in the 1950s through the distribution of Turkish films from Turkey and the increasing number of movie theatres in Turkish Cypriot neighbourhoods. This period was also crucial in terms of political developments on the island due to the drastic rise in ethnic and national divisions. Drawing on archival research and oral history; this article aims to examine how Turkish nationalism was provided with the ideal conditions to grow rapidly at Cypriot cinemas and how multi-communal cinemagoing experiences of the early 1950s had transformed into nationally divided Cypriot audiences during the last years of British colonial rule in Cyprus.

TRACES OF THE PROPHET PHENOMENON IN LEGENDS

Oral culture products have an important place in the field of folk literature of Turkish culture. In this context, legends from anonymous folk narratives are cultural traces of the nation's memory. Folk imagination reflects the feelings, thoughts, lifestyles, traditions and customs of the Turkish nation in this genre. Legends, in a sense, are types that are shaped around the beliefs and rituals of individuals. In this study, the factor that is effective in choosing the type of legend and mentioning the trace of the phenomenon of the prophet is that this genre contains religious features and is based on belief. It has been determined in the texts that the stories told by the prophets in the emergence of this belief are similar to the miracles performed by the saints. In addition, legends undertake this functionality as a cultural bridge in transferring values and concepts to future generations. For these reasons, it will be focused on how the stories of the prophets in the Qur'an and their miracles are reflected in the legendary texts. However, the forms of reflection will be explained in a certain order under sub-headings. Examples will be given from the chapters in the legend texts about the situations of the prophets. The texts were selected by sampling method from the legend studies carried out in Anatolian-Turkish geography. In the studied study, eight prophets are emphasized. In the conclusion part; A general evaluation of the sections mentioned in the previous headings will be made.

EXAMINATION OF HERO, VICTORY, INDEPENDENCE THEMED ACTIVITIES IN PRIMARY SCHOOL TEXTBOOKS WITH TEACHER'S OPINIONS

When the basic characteristics of the Turkish nation are mentioned, the first values that come to mind are heroism, victory and independence. It is very important that children, who are described as the future of societies, are raised with these values In this research, it is aimed to examine the activities with the theme of heroism, victory and independence in primary school textbooks with the views of teachers. Content analysis, one of the qualitative research methods, was used as a method. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 12 classroom teachers working in two different primary schools. Teachers who have worked for at least 5 years participated in the study. In the findings of the study, especially the primary school level of music books was found to be sufficient at different grade levels. Turkish books are generally considered partially sufficient. It has been reached by the opinions of the teachers participating in the study that life science books are sufficient at some grade levels but partially sufficient at other levels. Mathematics and science books were found to be insufficient in terms of gaining the values of victory, heroism and independence. The suggestions offered by the teachers in order to improve the achievements were evaluated and sub-themes of quantitative increase, addition to the curriculum, diversification of teaching methods and material development were reached. As a result of the research, suggestions for educators and researchers were presented.

Identity disputes in occupied Istanbul: was Istanbul to become a Turkish city or remain a Turkish city?

This article focuses on the Turkish public’s concerns regarding the future of Istanbul from when the Lausanne Conference began. On 30 October 1918, the Ottoman State, an ally of the defeated side in the First World War was itself defeated; the capital Istanbul was invaded in November 1918, and officially occupied on 16 March 1920. In October 1923, the occupation ended following the signing of the Treaty of Lausanne with the Turkish National Struggle that emerged in Anatolia. Yet the future of Istanbul had already been decided in the early stages of the Lausanne Conference. Although it was accepted that Istanbul would be returned to Turkish rule, certain decisions regarding the city caused concern among the Turkish public. Issues like the status of the Straits caused security concerns, and the opinion that the cosmopolitan structure of the city would continue because the Istanbul Rums were exempt from the population exchange was also one of the main concerns of the Turks. These concerns gave rise to questions including ‘Will Istanbul continue to be a Turkish city if it is returned to Turkish rule?’ In this article, the reasons for these questions raised by the public and proposals to solve these issues will be examined.

Violent infrastructure, nationalist stigmatisation and spatial erasure

This article studies the violent politics of stigmatisation and erasure of nationalist urban infrastructure. In general, urban infrastructure is a mechanism of state power. But, through the case of the imposing presence of Turkish nationalist infrastructure in the Kurdish city Diyarbakir, it demonstrates that when tied to an antagonistic nationalist political project, this infrastructure is often purposefully built to violently cleanse urban spaces of the national “other”. Be it a statue, a mural or a picture of a nationalist leader – this infrastructure is incapable of inflicting physical pain. Nonetheless, its violence is symbolic and meant to have a real effect on Diyarbakir’s Kurds’ ability and willingness to identify as Kurds. That said, violence does not entirely inform the spatial experience of those targeted by this nationalist infrastructure. The article demonstrates that Kurdish residents also found ways of remaining unaffected, even treating the infrastructure laden with Turkish nationalist iconography as a reminder of their own Kurdish identity. This article thus expands our understanding of what nationalist infrastructure does. It may be designed to be violent. However, it also reveals itself to be a site of contestation – equally inspiring the persistence of the counter-narrative of the national “other”.

Religious Necropolitical Propaganda in Educational Materials for Children

Even though Turkey’s ruling party’s (Justice and Development Party, the AKP) nation-building and desired citizen creation policies have been studied, its use of necropolitical narratives and propaganda in education has not been investigated. This paper addresses this gap by examining how the Turkish state ruled by the AKP has propagated its religious necropolitical narrative through the national curriculum and Directorate of Religious Affairs (Diyanet) in school textbooks, and magazines and comic books for children. The paper shows that these texts and comics try to indoctrinate children into a religious cult of martyrdom in different ways by encouraging them to view tragic death and getting killed for the nation as a positive event. This paper argues that these propaganda efforts are part of a religious necropolitical indoctrination campaign that seeks to create a new Islamist and jihadist generation of lifelong supporters of the AKP, which portrays itself in the educational texts as the embodiment of Islam, the Muslim Turkish nation and even the global Muslim community (ummah). This new religious generation is expected to believe that dying for the Islamist populist authoritarian regime is the greatest honour a person can bring upon themselves. This paper contributes to the necropolitics literature by showing that not only adults but also children have been targeted by authoritarian rulers’ necropolitical propaganda attempts to create desired citizens who are ready to die for the regime, believing this is a religious obligation. Further research is needed to assess if and to what extent this propaganda has an impact on children.

Dyplomacja religijna Republiki Turcji

The aim of this article is to analyse the religious dimension of Turkey’s foreign policy in the era of Justice and Development Party rule and the forms of its implementation. The article argues that the Republic of Turkey, in the era of AKP rule, is becoming one of the main state actors in international relations, which is beginning to use religion as an instrument of soft power in its foreign policy. At the same time, using “religious diplomacy” as a formal tool to strengthen the state’s image in the international arena. „Religious diplomacy” is the primary tool of Turkish soft power to strengthen the country’s international position after the Cold War. It aims to promote the Turkish model of Islam as a moderate type of Islam that can coexist with modernity and multiculturalism. It also promotes Turkish language and culture alongside religious curricula by linking Sunni Islam and Turkish nationalism.

The Search for a Common Alphabet in the Turkic Republics and Obstacles

The Turkish nation, with a current population exceeding 250 million, experienced significant political and geographical fragmentation in the 19th and 20th centuries, particularly in the East-West divide. Warfare, occupation, and cultural absorption all contributed to this fragmentation. Their alphabet changed several times over time, and their language encountered difficulties. As a result, their communication, and ties with one another degraded to the point that they appeared unable to effectively communicate, agree, or collaborate. The existing links between the Turkish World and Turkey were mostly severed during the Soviet era. However, with the fall of the Soviet Union and the subsequent declarations of independence by new Turkic Republics, these links were quickly restored. Today, Turkish states cooperate closely in various fields, engaging in significant joint projects, particularly through organizations like TIKA (Turkish Cooperation and Coordination Agency). One notable initiative is the quest for a "Common Alphabet," aiming to foster better communication and unity among Turkish-speaking communities

The greatest treasure bestowed by Atatürk on the Turkish Nation: The Republic

The moderator of the event, which was held at the Çarşı Campus Emirnebi 1 Conference Hall, was Üsküdar University VSHS Emergency and First Aid Program Head Asst. Prof. Ayşe Bağlı.

Galloping Flashbacks: The Representation of National Space in Turkish Action/Adventure Films of the 1960s–1970s

This study explores the representations of national space and its borders in twenty-four action/adventure films with historical settings. It concentrates on film series featuring comic-book heroes: Tarkan, Karaoğlan, Malkoçoğlu, Battal Gazi, and Kara Murat, all produced between 1965 and 1978. Although they have not been taken seriously as films, their prominent place in Turkish national memory, makes them effective tools for understanding varieties of Turkish nationalism in the Cold War period. This article demonstrates that political and ideological changes in the Turkey of the 1960s and 1970s were reflected, at times subtly, in the action/adventure films of the period. In particular, during the second half of the 1960s, Turkish action/adventure films transitioned to more radical and violent cinematic representations in the 1970s. Increased aggression in the depiction of Turkish action/adventure heroes was accompanied by a shrinking and more limited depiction of national space, reflecting the country’s more defensive zeitgeist.

Գորշ գայլերի ահաբեկչական գործունեությունը Թուրքիայում 1970-ական թթ. հանուն պանթյուրքիզմի, ընդդեմ կոմունիզմի

Գորշ գայլերի ահաբեկչական գործունեությունը Թուրքիայում 1970-ական թթ. հանուն պանթյուրքիզմի, ընդդեմ կոմունիզմի

School-Based Cognitive Behavioral Therapy Interventions for Internet and Gaming Addiction in Adolescents: A Systematic Review

Internet addiction has become an increasingly common problem, especially among children and adolescents. This problem has made school-based applications for internet addiction important. Different approaches are used in school-based interventions for the prevention and treatment of internet addiction. Cognitive behavioral therapy is one of the most preferred approaches. In this study, a systematic review of studies examining school-based cognitive behavioral therapy practices for internet and game addiction of adolescents in the literature was made. For this purpose, a comprehensive search was made in the databases of the Turkish National Thesis Center, Google Scholar, Science Direct, Springer, AKJournals and EBSCO. The studies reached as a result of the literature review were evaluated according to the PRISMA guide. The results obtained in this study are expected to guide future research and new school-based cognitive behavioral interventions.

E-Devlet: Service to the Turkish Citizen or a Tool in the Hand of a Centralized Government?

E-Devlet (officially E-Devlet Kapisi) is the Turkish equivalent of E-government. It is a digital environment that facilitates the relationship and the problem solving procedures between the Turkish citizens and their government. Citizens can subscribe with their identity number or TC kimlik numarasi using their mobile devices or computers in order to obtain diverse documents ranging from health care or student status verifications to real estate ownership certificates. Though the E-Devlet seems to be a magnificient invention for the ordinary people that lets them arrange these papers hasslefree, and this method is also widespread in the Western hemisphere, in the frame of a more and more centralized and authoritarian rule under the Muslim conservative AKP governments, it is feared to be a way of controlling the Turkish nationals. As the system is not only willing to serve the citizen but also tries to collect the maximum amount of data on them, the gathered information could be misused and turned against the taxpayers. This effort of congregating all personal facts and figures is likewise a challenge for those responsible of the technical background of the project as shown by a 2018 incident of breakdown when the site could not resist the Turks interested in their family trees published by the government on E-Devlet.

The general aspects of collective labour rights for workers in Turkey

After Turkey's political system was transformed to a multi-party democracy, legally interpreted collective labour rights were introduced to the system by legal instruments. The first Trade Unions Act was enacted in 1947. Depending on the articles related to collective labour rights, stated in 1961 Constitution, the Turkish National Assembly passed two particular legislation in 1963, numbered 274 and 275. These codes governed labour unions and collective bargaining, as well as grievance procedures such as strikes and lockouts. The 1982 Turkish Constitution established collective bargaining and strike action as fundamental rights as well as the prior Constitution. For nearly three decades, collective labour rights have regulated by two different legislation, numbered 2821 and 2822. In 2012, new legislation was proposed to regulate collective labour relations and meet the necessities of the social parties. The Law of Trade Unions and Collective Labour Agreements (law numbered 6356) is the current principal legislative tool for dealing with trade unions and collective labour agreements, as well as strike and lock-out. In Turkish system, the formation of trade unions and employers' associations is based on a voluntary and free basis and requires no previous approval from administrative bodies. Employers' organizations and trade unions both have legal personality. A double threshold approach for trade unions to conduct collective bargaining has been criticized by the ILO on several occasions. Strikes are infrequently utilized as an industrial action, despite the fact that they are protected by the Constitution and the Law numbered 6356.

'Üsküdar University Special Award' to National Volleyball Player İlkin Aydın

The beginning of Üsküdar University 2023-2024 Academic Year was held with a ceremony. At the ceremony, the 'Üsküdar University Special Award' was given to the Turkish National Volleyball Team.

İşitme Engelli Hentbolcularda Sürat, Çeviklik ve Linear Yön Değiştirme Hızı Arasındaki İlişki: Deneysel Araştırma

Objective: Handball is a type of sport, in which speed and agility are important, and it involves continuous explosive sprints, jumps, direction changes, giving passes, and body contact while doing these. This study aimed to analyze the relationship between body compositions, speed, agility performance, and speed of linear-direction change in handball players with hearing disabilities. Material and Methods: A total of 20 athletes who were members of the Turkish National Male Handball Team with hearing disabilities participated in the study. The participants' average age, height, and body weight were 27.00±1.40 years, 180.30±1.50 cm, and 82.50±2.03 kg, respectively. The body compositions of the athletes were evaluated with a BIA analyzer (Tanita BC-418, Tanita Corporation, Tokyo-Japonya). Linear change of direction (Change of Direction and Acceleration Test), agility (Pro-Agility Test) and 20 m sprint tests were evaluated with a Photocell-connected Smartspeed (Fusion Sport, Australia) mat device. The correlation coefficients of the variables and their statistical differences were calculated with the Pearson correlation test. Results: There was a positive correlation between body fat percentages and the speed of direction change (r=0.490, p<0.05). There is a positive correlation between speed and agility (r=0.674, p<0.01) and also between the speed of linear change of direction (r=0.692, p<0.05). Conclusion: In this study, a positive correlation was found between linear chance of direction and body fat percentage, speed, linear chance of direction and agility in hearing impaired athletes. Studies on change of direction, speed, agility and other physical fitness parameters are extremely limited. To improve the performance of athletes with hearing disabilities, it is also necessary to examine other physical components. We consider that the study will contribute to this field.