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Durham E-Theses TURKISH STUDENTS' SPIRITUALITY TODAY ALTINLI-MACIC, MERVE How to cite: ALTINLI-MACIC, MERVE (2017) TURKISH STUDENTS' SPIRITUALITY TODAY, Durham theses, Durham University. Available at Durham E-Theses Online: http://etheses.dur.ac.uk/12299/ Use policy The full-text may be used and/or reproduced, and given to third parties in any format or medium, without prior permission or charge, for personal research or study, educational, or not-for-prot purposes provided that: • a full bibliographic reference is made to the original source • a link is made to the metadata record in Durham E-Theses • the full-text is not changed in any way The full-text must not be sold in any format or medium without the formal permission of the copyright holders. Please consult the full Durham E-Theses policy for further details. Academic Support Oce, Durham University, University Oce, Old Elvet, Durham DH1 3HP e-mail: [email protected] Tel: +44 0191 334 6107 http://etheses.dur.ac.uk TURKISH STUDENTS’ SPIRITUALITY TODAY BY MERVE ALTINLI MACIĆ THESIS SUBMITTED FOR THE DEGREE OF DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY (PhD) DEPARTMENT OF THEOLOGY AND RELIGION DURHAM UNIVERSITY JANUARY 2017 Abstract TURKISH STUDENTS’ SPIRITUALITY TODAY Merve Altınlı Macić Spirituality is a universal phenomenon; however, its conceptualization can differ from one culture to another. The meaning of the concept has been changing since the last couple of decades. Even though it has been previously regarded as a religious concept in terms of institutional organized religion, its meaning has altered over time initially towards personal spirituality based on religion, and then, towards spirituality totally untethered from religion in which popular interest is growing. This shift in its meaning attracted the attention of researchers, and therefore, it has become a topic of concern in academia. Nevertheless, the majority of studies have mainly been conducted in western countries with largely Christian populations. On the other hand, the research in other parts of the world is relatively scarce. Turkey is a country that forms a bridge between the West and the East, and historically has a religious culture, with a Muslim majority population. It has begun embracing western values along with the process of secularisation since the beginning of the last century. This westernizing trend has become even more evident in the so-called global era. Therefore, the objective of this investigation is to explore the contemporary perceptions of spirituality in a Turkish context. Moreover, it aims to examine whether the popular perceptions of spirituality that emerged in the western world exist in Turkey. Accordingly, qualitative interviews have been conducted with undergraduate and postgraduate university students from the departments of Psychology and Theology in Turkey. Consequently, it is found that the understandings of the term among the participants are similar to contemporary definitions of spirituality in the West. Correspondingly, it is argued that the western European conceptualisations of the term might be applicable with some qualifications in the Turkish context since there is not a substantial difference between the perceptions of spirituality in the West and Turkey. 1 2 TABLE OF CONTENTS Abstract 1 Table of contents 3 List of tables 11 List of figures 11 Declaration 12 Statement of copyright 12 Acknowledgements 14 CHAPTER 1 INTRODUCTION 16 CHAPTER 2 FACTORS IN WESTERN SPIRITUALITY 2.1 Introduction 21 2.2 Religio and Spiritus 21 2.3 Secularisation in the West 29 2. 4 Spirituality untethered from religion 35 2.5 Major Themes in Contemporary Spirituality 44 2.5.1 Relatedness/connectedness 50 2.5.2 Transcendence 51 3 2.5.3 Meaning and purpose 53 2.5.4 Spiritual practices 53 CHAPTER 3 FACTORS IN TURKISH SPIRITUALITY 3.1 Introduction 55 3.2 Secularisation in Turkey 57 3.3 Religion in Turkey 66 3.4 The meaning of Religion in Turkish 69 3.5 Spirituality in Turkey 76 3.5.1 Historical Background of Spiritual Beliefs in Turkey 76 3.5.2 Religious Spirituality 77 3.5.3 Non-religious Spirituality 80 3.6 The Meaning of Spirituality in Turkish 83 3.6.1 Maneviyat 84 3.6.2 Ruhsallık 92 3.6.3 Tinsellik 94 3.6.4 Spiritüalite 95 CHAPTER 4 STATEMENT OF THE SIGNIFICANCE, PURPOSE, AND PROBLEM OF THE STUDY 4 4.1 Introduction 99 4.2 Significance of the study 99 4.3 Research questions 104 4.4 Insider outsider researcher 105 4.5 Emics and etics approach 107 CHAPTER 5 A QUALITATIVE STUDY OF HOW THE CONCEPT OF SPIRITUALITY IS UNDERSTOOD BY STUDENTS IN TURKEY 5.1 Introduction 109 5.2 Research design and strategy 109 5.3 Research method 111 5.4 Pre-pilot and pilot study 112 5.5 Interview Schedule 115 5.6 Participant selection 117 5.7 Data Collection 119 5.8 Data Processing and analysis 120 5.9 Ethical considerations 121 CHAPTER 6 FINDINGS 5 6.1 Introduction 124 6.2 Participants’ negative and positive life events 124 6.2.1 Coping with Negative Life Events 126 6.2.1.1 Coping with God 131 6.2.1.2 Social coping 133 6.2.1.3 Mental strength 133 6.2.1.4 Cognitive therapy 134 6.2.1.5 Other ways 134 6.2.2 Reaction to Positive Life Events 134 6.2.2.1 Grace from God 138 6.2.2.2 One’s own effort 139 6.3 Participants’ perceptions and descriptions of spirituality 139 6.3.1 The Meaning of Spirituality 143 6.3.1.1 Relationship with God, with others and environment, and connectedness within the self 143 6.3.1.2 Belief 146 6.3.1.3 Reading and understanding the Quran, the sayings of the prophets, philosophers, and saints 146 6.3.1.4 Meaning and Purpose 147 6.3.1.5 Worldview, Ideology, and Way of life 148 6.3.1.6 Values and Morality 148 6.3.1.7 Mood and feelings 149 6 6.3.1.8 Non-material 150 6.3.2 The Function of Spirituality 154 6.3.2.1 Expressions of Spirituality 154 6.3.2.2 Benefits of spirituality 156 6.3.3 The relationship between Spirituality and Religion 156 6.3.3.1 Spirituality is related to Religion 157 6.3.3.2 Spirituality untethered from religion 158 6.3.4 Change in Spirituality 160 6.3.4.1 Spirituality decreases over time 160 6.3.4.2 Spirituality increases over time 161 6.3.5 The meanings of ruhsallık, tinsellik and spiritüalite in Turkish 161 6.3.6 Implications of spirituality for understanding of person, time, and place 167 6.3.6.1 Spiritual person 167 6.3.6.2 Spiritual time 167 6.3.6.3 Spiritual place 168 6.3.7 List of the words 169 6.3.7.1 Morality 170 6.3.7.2 Awareness 170 6.3.7.3 Purpose of Life 171 6.3.7.4 Relationship with People 171 6.3.7.5 Love 171 7 6.3.7.6 Search 172 6.3.7.7 Contemplation 172 6.3.7.8 Submission 172 6.3.7.9 Sacred 172 6.3.7.10 Values 173 6.3.7.11 Relationship with Nature 173 6.3.7.12 Universe 173 6.3.7.13 Mysticism 173 6.3.7.14 Art 174 6.3.7.15 Nature 174 6.3.7.16 Music 174 6.3.7.17 Energy 174 6.3.7.18 Beauty 174 6.3.7.19 Mother Earth 175 6.3.7.20 Sheikh 175 6.3.7.21 Sports 175 6.3.7.22 Meditation, Fortune-telling, UFOs, Sorcery, Horoscope, Yoga, Reiki, Quantum, Reincarnation 175 6.4 Frequency of the usage of the word spirituality (maneviyat) 178 6.5 Feedback from the participants 179 8 CHAPTER 7 DISCUSSION OF FINDINGS THE CONCEPT OF SPIRITUALITY IN TURKEY TODAY 7.1 Introduction 181 7.2 Limitations of the study 181 7.3. Four words for spirituality in Turkish 184 7.4 The importance of spirituality in Turkey today 186 7.4.1 Frequency of the use of the word spirituality 186 7.4.2 Spirituality as a coping method and resource of good feelings and emotions 194 7.5 The nature of spirituality in Turkey today 198 7.5.1 Spirituality as a universal phenomenon 198 7.5.2 Spirituality as both a private and social phenomenon 200 7.5.3 Spirituality as a changing phenomenon 201 7.5.4 Spirituality as a non-material phenomenon 203 7.6 The relationship between spirituality and religion in Turkey today 204 7.6.1 Spirituality within religion 210 7.6.1.1 Belief 211 7.6.1.2 Relationship with God 214 7.6.1.3 Fulfilling religious duties 218 7.6.2 Spirituality untethered from religion 225 9 7.6.2.1 Belief, ideology, worldview, and way of life 227 7.6.2.2 Connectedness within the self, self-discovery, and personal journey 228 7.6.2.3 Mindfulness 230 7.6.2.4 Meaning and purpose in life 231 7.6.2.5 Mood, feelings, and emotions 233 7.6.2.6 Relationship with others 234 7.6.2.7 Values and morality 238 7.6.2.8 Relationship with nature and the world 239 7.6.2.9 Non-religious spiritual practices 240 CHAPTER 8 CONCLUSION 8.1 Introduction 244 8.2 Review of the study 244 8.3 Main findings of the study 248 8.3.1 The importance of spirituality in Turkey today 248 8.3.2 The nature of spirituality in Turkey today 249 8.3.3 The relationship between spirituality and religion in Turkey today 249 8.4 Contributions of the study 251 8.5 Implications and recommendations for further study 253 Appendices 255 Bibliography 260 10 LIST OF TABLES TABLE 1.