Radka Svačinková - Turkish Muslims in Berlin

In my research, I would like to focus on Muslims of Turkish origin living in Berlin. In the methodological part of my research, I will determine and classify who may be referred to as a Muslim (of Turkish origin). I shall answer a methodological, rather tricky, question - how do we classify such a person? Can a Muslim be called someone who attends the mosque on Friday night and maintain his or her religious duties according to the Islamic tradition, or may we call a Muslim someone whose family is of Muslim background?

In the second part, the research will discuss both the ethnicity and religious beliefs of those whom we may refer to as Muslims, as the two aspects are connected. Therefore the second part of my research will be consisted of two partial areas. In the first subarea, I will analyze statistics and academic researches regarding ethnicity and religiosity of Turkish Muslims in Germany, particularly in Berlin, with a closer look at a process of integration, the theories of multiculturalism etc. and their execution in the reality with an aim to find out how (or if) the process of integration has an direct impact on religious and ethnic self-perception of Turkish Muslims. In the second subarea, I will conduct a field research by means of direct interviews in which I will analyze how (or if) Turkish Muslims maintain their religion and ethnic self-determination in a country with Christian and Germanic majority, provided the fact that Berlin is a multireligious and multicultural city. In my interviews, I will attempt to explore religious needs and possible satisfaction/dissatisfaction, measure of integration, communication evaluation with institutions and non-governmental organization that work with Turkish Muslims (both German and non-German citizens).
Based on the interviews and the analysis of scientific researches, I will consequently distinguish means of integration within the society, possible obstacles or advantages of such an act and other specifications of the Turkish Muslims’ self-perspective.