A sociological analyses on the phenomenon of martyrdom

The concept of martyrdom is used in many different events, in different contexts and with various characterizations today. Martyrdom, which is essentially a religious term, has become a concept that is frequently used in political and ideological confrontations as well as religious ones. In this study, the process of the martyrdom phenomenon spreading to this wide area of use will be analyzed. The main purpose of the study is to demonstrate that the phenomenon of martyrdom is not specific even to a certain time and a certain religious or cultural tradition, but is a trans-religious and transcultural human phenomenon. For this purpose, the emergence of martyrdom in the monotheistic tradition and its theological and socio-cultural construction are examined. Then, the idea of noble death in Greco-Roman culture is analyzed. In this way, the root branches of the new meanings that martyrdom has gained in the process of nation-statization today are pointed out. The study adopts a descriptive method based on the qualitative research paradigm. The data sources of the study consist of primary and secondary sources on martyrdom and cultural materials such as sacred texts, hymns, songs, epics and stories. The relevant texts were analyzed and interpreted in the context of historical breaking events related to martyrdom. Based on the data it was concluded that the phenomenon of martyrdom has important roles and functions in the establishment of a society, overcoming times of crisis, and ensuring its unity and integrity. In addition, it was understood that the phenomenon of martyrdom is a structural element of social movements. In addition to being a religious concept, martyrdom has been intertwined with the political in different contexts throughout history.