The Relationship between of Perceived Discrimination and Social Identity: A study on the Turkish and Kurdish Ethnic Groups

Abstract

The purpose of the present study is to compare Turks and Kurds in the context of ethnic identification, perceived individual ethnic discrimination against Kurds and perceived group discrimination against Kurds. The sample composed of 224 Turkish and 240 Kurdish participants were asked to answer Importance of Collective Identity Scale and perceived Discrimination Scale. Results were discussed within the framework of Social Identity Theory. According to results, Turkish and Kurdish ethnic groups differed in the context of ethnic identification and perceived discrimination subscales. Comparing to Turkish participants, Kurdish participants show a higher level of ethnic identification, perceived individual ethnic discrimination and perceived group discrimination against Kurds. Ethnic identification level predicted Turkish participants’ perceived individual ethnic discrimination against Kurds and perceived group discrimanation against Kurds in the negative direction. Despite that, ethnic identification level predicted in the positive direction for Kurdish participants. Additionally, being affected by conflict in East and Southeast Anatolia significantly predicted perceived individual ethnic discrimation and perceived group discrimation against Kurds in the positive direction for Kurdish participants.

Keywords

• Perceived discrimination
• social identity
• ethnic identification
• Turks and Kurds