Inside Outsiders: Comparing State Policies Towards Citizens of Palestinian and Kurdish Descent in Israel and Turkey

Abstract

viii Dr. Nimrod Goren for discussing my project and making valuable suggestions. I also appreciate the help of Kıvanç Özcan for providing valuable access to my interviewees in Turkey. Ceyda and İzak Adato made me feel at home during my stays in Israel. I am grateful to them for their warm hospitality and sincere friendship.This long and challenging Ph.D. journey would not be much joyful without the friendship and camaraderie of some people. I owe much in particular to

Recognition Paradox: Minority Language Recognition, Political Trust, and Ethnic Demands

“…Most scholars working on language policies emphasize the impact of these policies on minority individuals' attitudes towards the national institutions. Yet, policy makers in conflictual settings, like Turkey, are especially concerned about the effects of these policies on minority individuals' ethnic attitudes, and they deny or deliver these rights on the grounds that these rights will institutionalize the ethnic divide in the country (Grigoriadis & Elitsoy, 2021;King & Samii, 2018;Mylonas, 2013). Does the increasing use of the minority language in state services increase the role of ethnicity in politics?…”

“…Yet, the MLR is also a highly contested issue, especially in countries with a history of ethnic conflict. While many scholars argue the MLR creates positive effects on inter-group relations and helps building trust in state institutions (Liu & Medeiros, 2020;Reny, 2009), many others, and probably the majority of policy makers in nation-states, assume that recognizing ethnic differences via the MLR will only encourage further ethnic demands and strengthen ethnic divisions in the country (Grigoriadis & Elitsoy, 2021;King & Samii, 2018;Mylonas, 2013). Does the recognition of the minority language improve minority individuals' trust in national political institutions?…”