Bilimname

Abstract

This study addresses the fundamental problem of the discrimination perceptions of Turkish-origin people living in Switzerland and France and their relationship with religion. To examine this problem, the sample was selected from France, which is stated to have prominent discriminatory attitudes among Western European countries, and Switzerland, which is said to have a more democratic social structure, to make a comparison. In this context, the effects of the religious affiliation and origin identities of the people in question on their perceptions of discrimination are investigated. A comparison is made between the perceptions of immigrants living in the two countries.
In this context, research and observation activities were carried out in Switzerland for 1 year with the support of TÜBİTAK. Since the study aimed to reach richer content by conducting in-depth interviews, qualitative research methods and phenomenological research design were used. To get richer data content aligned with the research objectives, maximum diversity sampling, snowball/chain sampling strategies, and sub-strategies of the purposeful sampling method were used.
Semi-structured interview forms were used to collect data in the study. In this context, interviews were conducted with selected individuals in line with the sampling strategies determined in the study. Interviews were continued until the necessary data richness was considered to be provided. The interviewees were informed that they would be recorded with a voice recorder and that their identities would not be disclosed in any way. They were requested to review the interview form before the interview. Anonymous names were given to the interviewees to protect confidentiality. In this context, interviews were conducted with 55 individuals from different social strata, 30 of whom were from France (17 men, 13 women) and 25 from Switzerland (17 men, 8 women). The obtained data was coded using the MAXQDA 24 package program, and content analysis was performed. As a result, it was understood that almost all of the interviewees had a perception of discrimination. The perceptions in question are discussed regarding business life, neighbor and friendship relations, education, and media.
As the interviewees put it, a distinct experience of discrimination can be evident, especially regarding living and working conditions and wages. At this point, in addition to the problems of finding a house and a job due to being a foreigner, a disadvantageous situation can also arise in terms of working conditions and wages in the jobs found.
In terms of relationships, while better dialogue is established with some neighbors, the opposite may be true with others. At this point, it is impossible to talk about uniformity among neighbors of French or Swiss origin or different people living there. According to the interviewees, people with lower income levels may exhibit prejudiced attitudes towards foreigners for various reasons, such as jealousy and anger.
There is an intense sense of discrimination among the participants regarding education. They state that they are directed to jobs where they can work as less qualified personnel because they are foreigners. It is understood that even though they are at a much higher level of success, their teachers see them as unsuccessful and that it is inappropriate for them to receive higher education. In addition, it is stated that local students with lower academic success than them are approached more constructively and are encouraged to continue their education in different areas of higher education. A significant number of the interviewees reveal that their Muslim identity is effective in their encountering reactions such as exclusion and separation.