The article of our Sociology PhD candidate Nesibe Demir entitled “Compromise, Conflict and Bargaining: The Politics of Living a ‘Nonreligious’ Life in Türkiye” which draws on the findings of a TÜBİTAK 1001 project employing qualitative methods across seven provinces, has been published in the Üsküdar University Journal of Social Sciences. In this article, Demir critically engages with conceptual debates and studies on “nonreligion,” which have predominantly emerged in the U.S. and Western contexts. She examines how leading a “non-religious” life in Türkiye, where Islamic values and practices are deeply embedded in the culture, is not merely a matter of individual belief but is also closely tied to processes of belonging and socialization.
The research highlights that, as most participants come from conservative and religious family structures, experiences of “necessary compromise” and “affective compromise” are common. Despite such challenges, the article underscores that the principle of respect emerges as the central motivation enabling coexistence amid deep differences.
We congratulate our student and wish her continued success.
The full article can be accessed via the Üsküdar University Journal of Social Sciences. https://dergipark.org.tr/tr/pub/uskudarsbd/issue/93585/1605483
