In a public lecture at the School of Public Policy (SPP) on February 9, PhD candidate Seyhun Orcan Sakalli presented his research on the impact of coexistence of religious groups in modern Turkey. Sakalli compared localities where Armenians historically resided with those with little or no historical Armenian presence to determine this impact.
According to Sakalli, this field of research is important because “religion matters.” He explained, “Religion affects self-perception, beliefs, and values, all of which have an impact on how members of a given group react to policies.”
Sakalli presented several key findings from his research. He used regression analysis to demonstrate that Muslim residents with a greater historical Armenian presence are more religious, less educated, and poorer. The coexistence of Muslims and non-Muslims has led to greater polarization in the past. Muslims experienced a deeper attachment to their in-group identity, Islam, due to a perceived threat from Christians. “Coexistence can have a long-term effect on development,” Sakalli emphasized, “through its impact on local culture and its interactions with formal institutions and policies.”
Sakalli concluded his talk by urging policymakers to take informal institutions like culture and identity into account when designing social policies.