Alarmism and State-Society Interplay in the Turkish National Identity: The Case of Belen, Hatay

Abstract

The narratives of a collective ethno-historical past form the institutional basis for modern nations and function as a powerful operational component. The mechanisms of these narratives validate the authenticity of a nation's traditions and generate meaning, norms, and values on a larger scale. Adherence to a shared past is a fundamental requirement of being a group, as adopting non-cultural patterns of thought and behavior is ultimately considered a sign of alienation and moral degradation from one's group. For this reason, pre-modern ethnic history and shared memories have become the cornerstone of modern nations. Defining people's efforts to preserve their cultural values and to isolate the degenerate elements (i.e., sharply distinguishing local and foreign) as solely a sign of fear offers an incomplete perspective. Therefore, when the national subjects these days experience a high level of political tension, their Şensitivity to their identity and the privileges given to it increases, and they emphasize social harmony as a flexible justification. The vigilance of Turkish nationalism in daily life and social practices has led to the naturalization of national identity narratives, and this has facilitated the cyclical construction of links with historical references.