Politics
Turkish youth in UK face subtle, ‘everyday’ Islamophobia: Study
A field study focusing on Turkish youth in the United Kingdom has found that Islamophobia extends beyond overt hostility, taking root in subtle, routine interactions that are often difficult to detect but leave lasting psychological effects.
The research, conducted by Dr. Muhammed Babacan, an assistant professor in the sociology of religion, highlights how discrimination is reproduced not only through explicit acts such as hate speech or physical attacks, but also through what he describes as “everyday Islamophobia.”
Speaking about his findings, Babacan said the phenomenon operates on both “macro” and “micro” levels. At the macro level, he pointed to political discourse and media narratives in Western societies that frame Islam in negative terms, often for political or economic purposes. These narratives, he said, help normalize prejudice and shape public attitudes.
“This situation fuels the micro level,” Babacan said. “The racist mindset, influenced by this macro level, produces racism in daily life.”
According to the study, these broader discourses translate into lived experiences in schools, workplaces, public institutions and on the street. While overt incidents of discrimination remain a concern, Babacan emphasized that many participants described more subtle forms of bias that are harder to identify and prove.
The research contributes to ongoing debates about how Islamophobia should be defined, arguing that it should be understood as a form of racism. Babacan noted that racism has evolved in the modern era, shifting away from biological or genetic markers toward cultural differences.
“In the past, racism was based on physical traits,” he said. “Today, it is shaped by culture, by clothing, religious symbols, lifestyle and perceived compatibility with Western values.”
This shift, often described as “cultural racism,” has become more prominent in the decades following large-scale migration movements after World War II. Generalizations about Muslims, Babacan said, are among the clearest examples of this trend.
The study also found that the effects of Islamophobia are not evenly distributed. Certain groups face more intense forms of discrimination, particularly those whose religious identity is more visible. Babacan highlighted the concept of intersectionality, noting that conservative Muslim women often experience compounded discrimination due to both gender and religious identity.
“The combination of multiple identities increases the severity of discrimination,” he said.
Central to the study is the concept of “everyday Islamophobia,” which Babacan described as a subtle, often hidden form of bias embedded in routine interactions. Unlike overt acts of racism, these experiences are frequently ambiguous, allowing perpetrators or institutions to offer alternative explanations.
In interviews with Turkish youth, participants described situations in which they felt singled out despite a lack of clear evidence. One example involved airport security procedures, where individuals wearing headscarves reported being disproportionately searched or questioned compared to others traveling under similar conditions.
Such incidents, Babacan said, may appear isolated, but their repetition creates a strong perception of unequal treatment.
“Because these experiences are not explicit, they are difficult to prove,” he said. “But over time, they leave a psychological impact and reinforce a sense of exclusion.”
Even seemingly innocuous questions can contribute to this dynamic. Participants reported being repeatedly asked about their origins, even if they were born and raised in the United Kingdom. In some cases, these interactions escalated into overtly prejudiced remarks once their Turkish or Muslim background was revealed.
“The question ‘Where are you from?’ may seem innocent,” Babacan said. “But how and why it is asked can turn it into a form of discrimination.”
The study found that visible markers of religious identity, such as headscarves, play a significant role in shaping how individuals are perceived and treated. These symbols often influence behavior toward individuals in subtle but consistent ways.
Another key finding is how Turkish youth respond to these experiences. Unlike some other Muslim communities, the study suggests that Turks in the United Kingdom tend to adopt identity strategies that emphasize ethnicity rather than religion.
Babacan said many participants viewed Islamophobia as a stigmatized identity associated primarily with other Muslim groups. As a result, they sought to distance themselves from that perception by highlighting ethnic differences.
“Turks living in the U.K. are inclined to construct a different identity outside of this,” he said. “They position themselves separately and emphasize difference.”
This strategy often involves what Babacan described as an emphasis on “whiteness,” invisibility and distinction. By presenting themselves as less visibly Muslim or culturally distinct from other groups, some Turkish youth attempt to avoid discrimination.
The study also introduces the concept of “hypothetical whiteness,” in which individuals perceive themselves as less likely to be targeted due to their relative invisibility within the broader social landscape.
Babacan noted that this dynamic is shaped in part by the structure of minority communities in the United Kingdom. South Asians, who represent a larger and more visible Muslim population, are more frequently the focus of public and media attention related to Islamophobia.
“The fact that South Asians are often the primary target has created a space for young Turks to say, ‘We are different,’” he said.
However, this strategy does not eliminate discrimination entirely. Instead, it reflects an adaptive response to a social environment in which bias is both pervasive and often difficult to confront directly.
The study underscores the need to examine Islamophobia beyond its most visible forms, drawing attention to the everyday interactions that shape the lived experiences of minority communities.
By highlighting these subtle dynamics, Babacan said, the research aims to broaden understanding of how discrimination operates and to encourage more comprehensive approaches to addressing it.
“Islamophobia is not only about extreme cases,” he said. “It is also about the ordinary moments that accumulate over time and shape people’s sense of belonging.”
Türkiye late Thursday rejected a European Parliament resolution on Cyprus, calling it “null and void” and accusing the EU of taking a biased approach to the decades-long dispute.
In a statement, the Turkish Foreign Ministry said the resolution contained “baseless and preposterous allegations against the heroic Turkish Armed Forces.”
“The resolution adopted by the European Parliament, which contains baseless and preposterous allegations against the heroic Turkish Armed Forces, is null and void,” the ministry said.
The ministry also expressed full support for a statement issued by the Foreign Ministry of the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) in response to the resolution.
Describing the text as “replete with despicable slanders,” the ministry said it represented “the latest example of the biased and distorted approach adopted by the EU and the European Parliament in particular, under the influence of certain circles, with respect to the Cyprus issue.”
The ministry also voiced concern over the EU’s increasingly one-sided stance on Cyprus.
“It is concerning that EU institutions are increasingly approaching the Cyprus issue in a manner that departs from historical realities and impartiality,” the statement said.
The island has been mired in a decades-long dispute between Greek and Turkish Cypriots, despite a series of diplomatic efforts by the U.N. to achieve a comprehensive settlement.
Ethnic attacks starting in the early 1960s forced Turkish Cypriots to withdraw into enclaves for their safety. In 1974, a Greek Cypriot coup aimed at Greece’s annexation led to Türkiye’s military intervention as a guarantor power to protect Turkish Cypriots from persecution and violence.
As a result, the TRNC was founded in 1983. The country is fully recognized only by Türkiye, which does not recognize the Greek Cypriot administration in the south.
The island has seen an on-and-off peace process, but negotiations have been stalled since 2017.
Türkiye’s main opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP) is expected to discuss further organizational changes at a key executive board meeting on Friday, amid continuing tensions following a court ruling that reinstated former Chairperson Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu.
According to Turkish media reports citing party sources, nearly 10 provincial party chairs could be dismissed during the meeting as the leadership moves to consolidate control over the organization.
The reports also claimed that CHP parliamentary group chair Özgür Özel could be removed from his post.
The leadership has repeatedly stressed that it will not tolerate what it describes as a dual power structure or disciplinary violations within the party following the court’s “absolute nullity” ruling, which returned Kılıçdaroğlu to the party leadership.
Since the ruling, the CHP has dismissed 36 provincial chairs, while 11 others have reportedly been referred to the party’s disciplinary board over statements and actions directed at the new leadership.
Media reports said provincial organizations in Trabzon, Afyonkarahisar and Rize are among those expected to face leadership changes at the latest meeting.
The reports also said appointments could soon be made to fill a number of provincial chairmanships that have remained vacant following previous dismissals.
Party officials are also expected to begin restructuring district organizations after changes at the provincial level are completed. According to the reports, newly appointed provincial chairs will oversee appointments at the district level, while local officials accused of undermining the party leadership could face disciplinary proceedings.
The Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) on Friday strongly condemned a resolution adopted by the European Parliament criticizing Türkiye’s 1974 Peace Operation in Cyprus, accusing the assembly of distorting historical facts and acting in line with Greek Cypriot narratives.
In a written statement, the TRNC Foreign Ministry rejected the resolution, saying it misrepresented Türkiye’s 1974 military operation while unfairly targeting both Türkiye and the Turkish Cypriot people.
The ministry argued that Türkiye launched the operation on July 20, 1974, under its rights and obligations as a guarantor power stemming from the 1960 Treaty of Guarantee, following a coup carried out on July 15, 1974, by supporters of union with Greece. It said the operation not only ensured the safety of Turkish Cypriots but also prevented mass killings on the island.
The statement criticized the European Parliament for ignoring atrocities committed against Turkish Cypriots while making “baseless accusations” against the Turkish Armed Forces (TSK).
According to the ministry, the resolution would serve only to reinforce what it called Greek Cypriot propaganda aimed at misleading the international community.
The ministry also noted that female lawmakers from the TRNC Parliament had sent letters to the relevant European Parliament committee before the vote, disputing claims contained in the draft resolution and seeking to present what they described as the realities on the island. Despite those efforts, the resolution was adopted, which the ministry said demonstrated that European Union institutions had lost their impartiality on the Cyprus issue and were acting as advocates for the Greek Cypriot side.
The ministry said decisions that disregard the will of the Turkish Cypriot people, ignore their inherent rights and deliberately distort realities on the island are “null and void” from the TRNC’s perspective and carry no legitimacy.
It also called on the European Parliament to abandon one-sided approaches, refrain from using the Cyprus issue as a political tool, and respect both the current realities and historical facts on the island.
Türkiye’s ruling Justice and Development Party (AK Party) remained the country’s most popular political party in a June opinion poll conducted by research company GENAR, maintaining a nearly 8 percentage-point lead over the main opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP).
According to a report by Sabah newspaper, the survey, conducted with 2,200 respondents across all 81 provinces, asked voters which party they would support if a parliamentary election were held this Sunday.
According to the poll, the AK Party received 36.2% support, while the CHP stood at 28.3%.
The Peoples’ Equality and Democracy Party (DEM Party) ranked third with 9.2%, followed by the Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) at 8.1%, and the Good Party (IP) at 7.1%.
The New Welfare Party (YRP) received 3.8%, while the Key Party (AP) and Victory Party (ZP) recorded 2.5% and 2.1%, respectively. The Workers’ Party of Türkiye (TIP) received 1.3%, with other parties collectively accounting for 1.4%.
GENAR said the results suggest that the current balance among Türkiye’s major political parties has remained largely unchanged despite recent political developments.
“The June survey shows the AK Party leading with 36.2%, while the CHP remains at 28.3%,” the polling company said in its assessment.
According to GENAR, the findings indicate that the country’s political landscape has not experienced a major realignment and that the hierarchy among the leading parties remains broadly intact.
The company also said the main opposition CHP’s recent internal political turmoil has not yet been fully reflected in voter preferences.
Türkiye’s main opposition has been plunged into a deepening leadership crisis after a court annulled the party’s 2023 congress, setting off a power struggle between reinstated former Chair Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu and ex-Chair Özgür Özel amid clashes at party headquarters and growing uncertainty over who will ultimately lead the opposition.
Attention is now shifting to how and how quickly the CHP can resolve the dispute, with rival camps sharply divided over the timing and format of an eventual congress that could decide the leadership question.
A pistol with the name of the recipient engraved on its barrel and a leather-bound book were among the gifts handed to each head of state and government who attended the NATO summit in Ankara this week, media outlets reported.
A photo shared by the office of Lithuanian President Gitanas Nauseda confirmed the reports. It shows Gümüşay (Silver Moon), Türkiye’s first locally made revolver, included in an elegant wooden box, next to a paper box containing apparently live bullets.
A German government spokesperson told Deutsche Presse-Agentur (dpa) on Wednesday that Merz’s revolver had been handed over to the German Embassy so that it could be properly imported and then inventoried in the collection of official gifts. British Prime Minister Keir Starmer earlier told reporters about the gifts on his flight home from the summit, according to reports by The Guardian and the Press Association news agency. Starmer said Erdoğan had given all leaders at the summit a similar present, with each weapon engraved with the recipient’s name. Despite a note from Erdoğan waiving export controls, Starmer left his revolver in Türkiye to be decommissioned, as importing it would have breached the U.K.’s strict gun laws, the reports said.
Media outlets reported that Erdoğan also gifted a book entitled “The Politics of Courage: Erdoğan and the Rise of Türkiye,” published by a foundation bearing his name, to leaders. The book recounts Türkiye’s contemporary political history, landmark decisions, challenges, reforms and long-term ambitions through the lens of President Erdoğan’s political life, according to a statement by the Presidency’s Directorate of Communications.
President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan held a series of bilateral meetings with Balkan leaders on Thursday on the sidelines of the NATO summit in Ankara, focusing on defense cooperation, regional stability, trade and Europe’s security architecture.
Erdoğan met Albanian Prime Minister Edi Rama, Slovak President Peter Pellegrini and Montenegrin Prime Minister Milojko Spajic during the second day of the 36th NATO Heads of State and Government Summit, hosted by Türkiye.
According to the Directorate of Communications, Erdoğan and Rama discussed bilateral ties and regional issues as NATO leaders gathered in the Turkish capital for alliance talks. The meeting at the Presidential Complex was attended by Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan, National Defense Minister Yaşar Güler, National Intelligence Organization (MIT) Director Ibrahim Kalın, AK Party spokesperson Ömer Çelik, Communications Director Burhanettin Duran and senior presidential adviser Akif Çağatay Kılıç.
The Ankara gathering marks the second NATO summit hosted by Türkiye after the alliance’s 2004 summit in Istanbul. The meeting has also served as a platform for bilateral talks between allied and partner countries on political, security and economic cooperation.
During his meeting with Slovak President Peter Pellegrini, Erdoğan said strengthening NATO’s European pillar remains important and stressed that European Union defense initiatives should complement the alliance, according to the directorate.
The two leaders also discussed expanding cooperation in trade, investment, energy and transportation. Erdoğan reaffirmed Türkiye’s efforts to support diplomatic solutions to the wars in Ukraine and Iran, while emphasizing Ankara’s continued push to help end the humanitarian crisis in Gaza and promote regional stability.
In talks with Spajic, Erdoğan said Türkiye was committed to further deepening bilateral cooperation, particularly in trade, investment, tourism, the defense industry and security.
Erdoğan also welcomed the role of the Balkan Peace Platform, launched under Türkiye’s initiative, describing it as an important mechanism for addressing issues including border security, energy and transportation across the region. He said he expected the platform to contribute to lasting peace, stability and prosperity in the Balkans.
Türkiye, which joined NATO in 1952, used the Ankara summit to reinforce its role within the alliance while advancing bilateral ties with regional partners through a series of high-level diplomatic engagements.
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