Inter-ethnic (In)tolerance between Turks and Kurds: Implications for Turkish Democratisation

2016/03/30 by Zeki Sarıgil, Ekrem Karakoç · 1 citation
Social Sciences · #Social and Intergroup Psychology #Religion and Society Interactions #Turkey's Politics and Society #Ethnic group #Turkish #Democratization #Nationalism #Religiosity #Political science #Ethnic nationalism #Demographic economics #Development economics #Democracy #Law #Politics #Economics

paper · doi:10.1080/13608746.2016.1164846

openalex publication_date 2016/03/30 · openalex created_date 2025/10/10 · openalex updated_date 2026/07/29

Abstract

Using public opinion survey data, this study investigates the determinants of inter-ethnic (in)tolerance among Turks and Kurds in Turkey. Our empirical analyses show that, compared with Turks, Kurds have a relatively higher level of tolerance towards the ethnic out-group. Our findings also suggest that different dynamics and factors mould Turks’ and Kurds’ tolerance towards ethnic out-group members. Religiosity, (ethno)nationalist orientations, inter-ethnic contact, threat perception and economic factors are the most consistent variables shaping Turks’ tolerance towards Kurds. In contrast, religion-related factors and inter-ethnic social contact do not have a statistically significant effect on Kurds’ tolerance towards Turks. (Ethno)nationalist orientations, however, appear to reduce Kurds’ tolerance.

Citations

• The Social Identity Theory of Intergroup Behavior
• The Meaning and Consequences of Perceived Discrimination in Disadvantaged and Privileged Social Groups
• "Prospective-Turks" or "Pseudo-Citizens:" Kurds in Turkey
• A meta-analytic test of intergroup contact theory.
• Enigmas of Intolerance: Fifty Years after Stouffer's Communism, Conformity, and Civil Liberties
• Superordinate identities and intergroup conflict: The ingroup projection model
• How does intergroup contact reduce prejudice? Meta‐analytic tests of three mediators

Cited by

• Anti-Turkish sentiment [wikipedia]

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