Mersin university research on social distance between Kurds and Turks
Mersin university research on social distance between Kurds and Turks
The research of Mersin University made to scale the ‘social distance’ between Turks and Kurds had interesting findings. The survey involved two thousand subjects for four times in 12 years, the participators were asked same questions. In the first survey made in 1998, 12.8 percent of Kurds said ‘I marry a Turk’. This rate decreased to 0 in the last survey. The rate of Turks saying ‘I marry a Kurd’ with 26.9 percent in the first survey, went down to 1.3 percent in 2010.
Mersin University Faculty of Science and Letters Psychology Branch started a scientific research to scale the social distance between Turks and Kurds in the city, where over 400 Kurdish people live.
THE PERCEPTION OF KURDS AND TURKS
According to the research, total two thousand subjects were determined from densely Kurdish populated Akdeniz and Toroslar Districts and from densely Turk populated Yeniþehir and Mezitli Districts. First survey was conducted in 1998. The same survey was remade on the same subjects in 2002, 2007 and 2010 to see if the social distance between Turks and Kurds living in Mersin showed an alteration or not.
At the research, Kurds were asked which social relation they wanted to build and Turks with Kurds. Both subject groups were offered 7 same alternatives. The four surveys made in 12 years had impressive results.
The rate of Kurds saying ‚I marry a Turk‘was 12.8 percent in the first survey in 1998, this rate fell to 6.3 percent in 2002, to 0.4 in in 2007 and to 0 this year. And the rate of Turks saying ‘I marry a Kurd’ in the first survey in 1998 was 26.9.And this rate went down to 14.9 in 2002, 7 percent in 2007 and 1.3 percent this year.
I CAN BE BUSINESS FRIEND
The rate of Kurds marking ‘I can be business friend with Turks at the same work’ option in the first survey was 13 percent. This rate rose to 16 percent in the second survey, to 15.8 percent in the third survey and to 17.6to 17.6 in the last survey.
And the rate of Turks saying ‘I can be business friend with Kurds’ was only 1.1. However, this number rose to 8.7 percent in the second survey, to 15.2 in the third survey and to 22.7 in the last survey.
I CAN BE THE CITIZEN OF THE SAME COUNTRY
In the survey in 1998, only 2 percent of Kurds said ‘I can be the citizen of the same country with Turks’. This rate went up to 6.5 percent in 2002, to 8.4 in 2007 and to 9.5 this year.
In 1998, only 0.2 percent of Turks said ‘I can be the citizen of the same country with Kurds’. This rate went up to 0.8 in 2002, to 14.6 in 2007 and to 17.2 this year.
Translation: Berna Ozgencil
Mersin University Faculty of Science and Letters Psychology Branch started a scientific research to scale the social distance between Turks and Kurds in the city, where over 400 Kurdish people live.
THE PERCEPTION OF KURDS AND TURKS
According to the research, total two thousand subjects were determined from densely Kurdish populated Akdeniz and Toroslar Districts and from densely Turk populated Yeniþehir and Mezitli Districts. First survey was conducted in 1998. The same survey was remade on the same subjects in 2002, 2007 and 2010 to see if the social distance between Turks and Kurds living in Mersin showed an alteration or not.
At the research, Kurds were asked which social relation they wanted to build and Turks with Kurds. Both subject groups were offered 7 same alternatives. The four surveys made in 12 years had impressive results.
The rate of Kurds saying ‚I marry a Turk‘was 12.8 percent in the first survey in 1998, this rate fell to 6.3 percent in 2002, to 0.4 in in 2007 and to 0 this year. And the rate of Turks saying ‘I marry a Kurd’ in the first survey in 1998 was 26.9.And this rate went down to 14.9 in 2002, 7 percent in 2007 and 1.3 percent this year.
I CAN BE BUSINESS FRIEND
The rate of Kurds marking ‘I can be business friend with Turks at the same work’ option in the first survey was 13 percent. This rate rose to 16 percent in the second survey, to 15.8 percent in the third survey and to 17.6to 17.6 in the last survey.
And the rate of Turks saying ‘I can be business friend with Kurds’ was only 1.1. However, this number rose to 8.7 percent in the second survey, to 15.2 in the third survey and to 22.7 in the last survey.
I CAN BE THE CITIZEN OF THE SAME COUNTRY
In the survey in 1998, only 2 percent of Kurds said ‘I can be the citizen of the same country with Turks’. This rate went up to 6.5 percent in 2002, to 8.4 in 2007 and to 9.5 this year.
In 1998, only 0.2 percent of Turks said ‘I can be the citizen of the same country with Kurds’. This rate went up to 0.8 in 2002, to 14.6 in 2007 and to 17.2 this year.
Translation: Berna Ozgencil
