Kimberly carbajo culture pp presentation_turkey

Kimberly Carbajo

Intercultural Communication CST 229

Professor Stefnoski

A Cultural Journey to

(1)

General Info

Estimated population since 2012- 74.5 million

Area - 300,948 sq. miles Capitol – Ankara, Population: 3,517,182 Largest city - Istanbul, Population:

11,174,257 Average age of population - 28.5 Average Life expectancy: Men 72,

women 77 United Nations member since 1945

•Turkey or Türkei, is a Eurasian country situated near the Balkan peninsula and stretches into West Asia.• It is known for being the gateway between eastern and western civilization

Turkey Is bordered by 8 countries (Bulgaria, Greece, Georgia, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Iran, Iraq and Syria)

National Anthem & Flag

•Symbol of independence from the Ottoman empire.•The red background is associated with the struggle and blood of the Turkish people•The star and moon stand for sacrifice and independence• Adopted March 12 1921

• Commemorates the National War of Independence

İstiklâl Marşı ( Independence March)

Attitudes & Values

• Avoid conflict• Easygoing• Strong sense of loyalty and honor• High respect for rank and authority• Strong sense of nationalism • Value hard work, very driven culture• patriarchal culture with many of it’s values and

attitudes influenced by dominant Muslim and Islamic beliefs.

• Decisions are usually made by the eldest in the family

• Strong collectivist culture in business• Religion is very important and intersects with

almost all aspects of life.

Greetings and Gestures

Communication Style

• Unlike in Western cultures physical touching is more commonly male/male and female/female in public.

• Individuals of the same gender tend to sit closer together than with members of the opposite sex.

• A common gesture for shopkeepers when they receive their first transaction of the day is to scrape the edge of the money on their chin, a gesture which means "May God bless and multiply this.”

• A handshake that is too firm can be considered impolite or being “fresh” with the opposite sex.

• A polite refusal can be indicated by putting ones palm to the chest

• If one does not like someone or something it can be easily indicated by shaking one’s collar

• Indirect communication style

• Do not always say what they mean

• Very expressive, use lot’s of hand motion and gestures to convey message

Family & Lifestyle

• Family is the most important social unit in Turkish Culture

• Honor and loyalty are very important

• Children are expected to be obedient

• Premarital dating prohibited by Islamic law in both rural and urban areas of the country

• Men usually expected to marry after required service in military• Average age of marriage men 22, women 20• Increase in education has led to a higher age in marriage• Family takes on task of finding a suitable wife for the man• Both individuals have a say in the final decision • In some rural areas there is still the custom of paying a dowry to

the brides • While the Muslim faith condones polygamy the practice was

outlawed by Turkish parliament in 1926• Problems with honor killings on the rise• Estimated 1091 honor killings/ related acts of violence took

place in Turkey between 2000-2005

Religion

•Overwhelming 99% of the population identifies as Muslim

•secular republic - do not promote a single religion

•The Turkish constitution provides freedom of religion and conscience

•The strong prevalence of Islamic Law does however find it’s way into many aspects of life and government policy

•The majority of the Turkish population identifies as Sunni Muslim, the remainder of the population is comprised of Christian (Greek orthodox) and Jews (Sephardi)

•The capitol of Anatolia was once the main site for Christianity in Turkey

Inside view of St. Paul's church an Orthodox Greek

church in Mersin Province, Turkey.

Educational System

• Ranks 110th worldwide• Adult literacy rate 88 %• Education in 2 parts• Formal education • Mass education • Formal education – includes preschool,

elementary and secondary education• Mass Education – includes national education

centers, apprentice training centers, open universities, and county colleges.

• Mandatory education for all Turkish children ages 6-14

Social & Economic Levels

• Major differences between rural and urban regions

• Most wealth is concentrated in the country‘s major cities of Istanbul, Ankara, Izmir

• Rural areas are mostly home to farmers who work the land and survive from a combination of exports and tourism

• Big cities are more metropolitan and have adopted slightly more western behaviors due to a higher concentration of young people and Universities

Economy•Gross Domestic Product (GDP) – 786 Billion •18th largest economy in the world•Average annual income – 26,577•Turkey’s Main exports include: Clothing, textiles, fruit and vegetables, iron, steel, cars, fuels and oils

•New Turkish Lira•Replaced Original Turkish Lira in 2005• 1 U.S dollar = 2.10 Turkish Lira

Monetary Unit

• Average annual growth rate 5%

• Ranked 30th out of 43 countries in the European region

• Unemployment – 9.2 %• Average household

disposable income is less than 23,938 USD$

• Average worker work’s• 1,855 hours a year• Overworked population

Transportation Health & Sanitation

• 98 Airports• Average of 67 motor

vehicles per 100 people

• Transportation is best within urban areas

• Some rural areas still lack paved roads

• Hastanesi (Hospital)• Health standards improving• Most doctors in Turkey speech

English• Visitors encouraged to buy

travelers insurance• Prescription drugs in the US are

usually found over the counter • Private hospitals in the cities• Conditions worse in rural areas • Struggle with maintaining clean

water supply and abdicate sewage disposal in rural areas

Traveling to Turkey

Safety Precautions

• The Kurdistan People's Congress or Kurdistan Workers' Party is an active terrorist organization that mainly targets the Turkish government

• Revolutionary People’s Liberation Party – Attack US embassy in Ankara on Feb 1st using a suicide bomber, one person was killed

• Turkiye Halk Kurtulus Partisi (Turkish people’s liberation party - Terrorist attack May 11th 2013 involving 2 car bombs which killed 50 people and wounded another 100

• Religious violence against missionaries promoting non-Islamic religions

• US travelers are urged to be extremely vigilant

• Women should dress conservatively

• Women should also not go out alone at night without being accompanied by a male they know/ trust

• Avoid certain political topics such as corruption and the Armenian genocide which Turkish individuals have strong feelings on.

• Couples shod avoid excess touching in rural areas of the country

Terrorism Threats

Landscape & Climate

Turkey is divided into seven geographical regions:•Black Sea region,•The Marmara region•The Aegean region•The Mediterranean region•Central Anatolia •and the East and Southeast Anatolia regions

• Turkey’s location gives it direct control to the entrance of the Black Sea

• Turkey's largest rivers, the Kýzýlýrmak, Yeþilýrmak and Sakarya, both flow into the Black Sea making it the ideal route for trade.

Turkey is a country that is steeped with historyThe Anatolian peninsula is one of the oldest inhabited regions worldwide

For thousands of years Turkey has been home to various empires including the Sumerians, Hittites, Byzantines and Ottomans.

•The coastal regions enjoy mild climates year-round•Turkey’s inland region experiences hot summers and cold winters with limited amounts of rainfall.

Language

Turkish language:•Over 63 million native speakers•Altaic language family•Predominantly spoken in Turkey, but large speaking populations can be found in Germany, Bulgaria, Macedonia, Greece, and some parts of Eastern Europe, and Central Asia.

Listen to Turkish commercial

Major Languages:•Turkish •English•KurdishTurkish is the official language but a large majority of people speak English in major cities like Istanbul and Anatolia

National Holidays• May 19 Atatürk'ü Anma Gençlik ve Spor Bayramı

(Commemoration of Atatürk, Youth and Sports Day) – Commemorates the beginning of the national liberation movement in 1919

• August 30 Zafer Bayramı (Victory day) – Celebrates the victory of final battle of Dumlupınar which brought an end to the Turkish Independence War in 1922

• October 29 Cumhuriyet Bayramı (Republic Day) - Celebrates the establishment of the new Turkish republic in 1923.

Religious Holidays• Şeker Bayramı (Ramadan Feast) – Muslim religious

holiday that lasts for three days after a month of fasting• Kurban Bayramı (Sacrafice Feast) – Muslim religious

holiday for 4 days during the Haji period of the year (pilgrimage to mecca)

• Neither Christmas, Thanksgiving or Halloween are celebrated in Turkey

• Instead of Valentines day, Turkey has Lovers day a mostly commercial holiday celebrated in big cities.

GovernmentMustafa Kemal

Atatürk

• Born in former Ottoman Empire

• Involved with Young Turks

• Led Turkish war of independence

• Elected first president

• Democratic• Grand National

Assembly elected by popular vote

• Parliamentary system • Nation is governed by

elected council and Prime Minister

• Entered European Union membership negotiations in 2005

Symbol for the Grand national

Assembly of Turkey

Political Unrest

• Government censoring of Social media sites

Points of interest

TROY•The ancient city of Troy is located in Çanakkale province in modern day Turkey•The ancient city was founded over 5000 years ago, and is on UNESCO’s world heritage list

Pamukkale•Unesco world heritage site•Famous hot springs•Unique milky white water made from limestone and calcium stone deposits.

Hagia Sophia• Means “Holy wisdom” in Latin•Former Greek orthodox church•1453 Constantinople captured by the ottoman Turks•Converted into a mosque under Sultan Mehmed the II•Is a religious and cultural museum today which houses both relics from it’s Christian and Islamic past.

Food & Eating Habits•Turkish Cuisine is largely based of the heritage left over from the Ottoman Empire• A fusion of Asian, Middle Eastern and Balkan palates•The food varies slightly in every region•The Black sea region has a main diet of corn and anchovies•The southeast region is famous for it’s kebabs (skewered grilled meat)•The diet in the Mediterranean region is rich in herbs, vegetables and fish•Central Turkey’s cuisine is heavily influenced by the use of grains and pasta.

Etiquette

Video slideshow of common Turkish meals in Istanbul

• Western style of dining with utensils

• Do not sit until invited• Host sits at the head

of the table• Guest of honor sits at

his right• Customary to say

"Afiyet olsun" (May what you eat bring well-being) before meals

• And "Elinize saglik“ (Bless your hand) as a compliment to the host after a meal

Art & Music•Form of active meditation•Origins in the 12th century•Customary dance preformed in the Sema worship ceremony•Characterized by elaborate spinning in repetitive circles•Aim is to focus on God and let go of all egos and personal desires.

Sufi Dancing (Whirling

Dervishes)

Turkish Folk Music• Stylistic influences date

back to the Ottoman Empire

• Use of Turkish Saz or Bağlama, a seven stringed instrument that resembles a guitar

• Use of Kaval, a wind type instrument traditionally used by shepherds that resembles a flute

Turkish Mosaic lamps• 16th century “Golden

Age” of Turkish glass making

• Crafted using mosaic glass working techniques from the byzantine era

• Traditionally made by hand

• Exported from Istanbul today

Turkish History: Guest Workers

• Program lasted between 1961-1973

• 2.5 million applied

• Only 750,000 actually accepted

• Today over 2.5 million people with Turkish background live in Turkey

•Guest workers or “Gastarbeiter”•Invited from Turkey to enter the German workforce after shortage of labor crisis during the end of WW2•Brought in from central and eastern Turkey by train to West Germany•Worked as unskilled laborers and in manufacturing positions•Helped rebuild the German economy after the war

St. Nicholas Recep Tayyip Erdogan

Famous Turkish CitizensMesut Özil

• Born in Patara, present-day Turkey

• Famous Christian Bishop who helped the needy

• Believed to be the man behind modern day Santa Claus

• Became Prime Minister of Turkey in 2003

• Formerly the mayor of Istanbul

• Popular for vision of Turkey-Arab interdependence

• Famous Soccer player

• Turkish ancestry

• Plays for the German national football team• Holds both German

& Turkish Dual citizenship

Works Cited Sources:

"Education System in Turkey." Study in Turkey. DIŞ EKONOMİK İLİŞKİLER KURULU / FOREIGN ECONOMIC RELATIONS BOARD, n.d. Web. 06 July 2014. <http://studyinturkey.org.tr/index.php/en/about-turkey/42-education-system-in-turkey>.

"Geography: Republic of Turkey ." Infoplease. Infoplease, n.d. Web. 2 July 2014. <http://www.infoplease.com/country/turkey.html>.

"Mustafa Kemal Ataturk." Bio. A&E Television Networks, 2014. Web. 06 July 2014.

"Statistics."Go Turkey Official Tourism Portal of Turkey. N.p., n.d. Web. 2 July 2014. <http://www.goturkey.com/en/pages/read/statistics>.

"Statistics: Turkey." Turkey. UNICEF, 31 Dec. 2013. Web. 06 July 2014. <http://www.unicef.org/infobycountry/Turkey_statistics.html>.

"Turkey country profile." BBC News. N.p., 18 Mar. 2014. Web. 26 June 2014. <http://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-17988453>.

"Turkey Facts."National Geographic, n.d. Web. 27 June 2014. <http://travel.nationalgeographic.com/travel/countries/turkey-facts/>.

"Turkey For You - Turkey Travel Guide." Origin of Turkish Flag. N.p., n.d. Web. 3 July 2014. <http://www.turkeyforyou.com/turkey_turkish_flag_origin>.

"Turkey in Brief." Learn About Turkey. N.p., n.d. Web. 27 June 2014. <http://www.ele.uri.edu/faculty/sendag/brief.htm>.

"Turkey." OECD Better Life Index. OECD.org, n.d. Web. 05 July 2014. <http://www.oecdbetterlifeindex.org/countries/turkey/>.

Christie-Miller, Alexander. "Turkey Grapples with Spike in 'honor' Killings." The Christian Science Monitor. The Christian Science Monitor, 14 Apr. 2011. Web. 06 July 2014. <http://www.csmonitor.com/World/2011/0414/Turkey-grapples-with-spike-in-honor-killings>.

Works Cited 2Jarus, Owen. "Hagia Sophia: Facts, History & Architecture." LiveScience. TechMedia Network, 1 Mar. 2013. Web. 2 July 2014.

<http://www.livescience.com/27574-hagia-sophia.html>.

MCPHERSON, CHARLOTTE. "Tips on Communication Styles in Turkish." Today's Zaman, n.d. Web. 05 July 2014. <http://www.todayszaman.com/columnists/charlotte-mcpherson_303295-tips-on-communication-styles-in-turkish.html>.

Prevezanos, Klaudia. "Turkish Guest Workers Transformed German Society | Germany | DW.DE | 30.10.2011." DW.DE. Deutsche Welle, 30 Oct. 2011. Web. 06 July 2014. <http://www.dw.de/turkish-guest-workers-transformed-german-society/a-15489210>.

Sayin, Natalie. "Dating Customs and Traditions in Turkey – Love and Weddings." Turkey Travel Centre. N.p., n.d. Web. 6 July 2014. <http://www.turkeytravelcentre.com/blog/dating-customs-traditions-turkey-love-weddings/>.

Scott, Alev. "Turkey's YouTube and Twitter bans show a government in serious trouble." theguardian.com. Guardian News and Media, 28 Mar. 2014. Web. 3 July 2014. <http://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2014/mar/28/turkey-youtube-twitter-ban-government-trouble>.