A phenomenological study on the relation between memory and ambiguity: Turkish identity in Turkey and Greece

Identity related problems deriving from the nation-states have not come to an and yet. One of the problems faced in the nation-states is the problem related to the memory as a result of national identity ideal. In this point, nation-states need to be considered in the context of modernity. Modernity itself refers to the usage of the reason in every field, as well as in the nation-states. In this stage, the more reason is called the more problems arise because the concept human refers more to text than reason. For, human that has the ability to create a text needs to be studied with the most text-related approach, namely, ambiguity. In this study, nation-states are aimed to be questioned within the framework of the ambiguity studies. Thus, ambiguity is synthesized with memory and constructivist approaches that leads to a comperative, qualitative/fenomenological study of the Turkish identity in Turkey and Greece. In the first section, theories on memory, nationality and ethnicity are introduced as well as the theoretical approach focusing on ambiguity, memory, and constructivism. Secondly, Turkey and Greece as nation-states were discussed. Finally, the methodology and the analysis of the findings were discussed. In the result of the study, it was revealed that Turks in Turkey mostly refer to political discourse that has created the nation-state to express the Turkish identity while in Greece, Western Thrace Turks refer to more natural factors and express the identity in a reactive way against the Greek nation-state.