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I monthly host 2-3 people of various sexually and socially oppressed minority groups in Turkey, ranging from queer individuals, Syrians, refugees, Jews, and Armenians to Kurdish people. I try to...
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I monthly host 2-3 people of various sexually and socially oppressed minority groups in Turkey, ranging from queer individuals, Syrians, refugees, Jews, and Armenians to Kurdish people. I try to shed light on the systematic subjugation and suppression of these minorities by the Turkish population and government. All of these minorities are frequently denied fundamental human rights, and their progress in society is hindered simply because of their ethnicity or religion. By making the stories and hardships of these minorities known to the public, this podcast aims to change the world's and the Turkish public's perception of minorities, ultimately contributing to creating a more peaceful, inclusive, and progressive country.
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Alienated Voices
Alienated Voices
11 JUL 2024 · Today, our guest was Muhammed, an Egyptian living in Turkey. This wasn't a typical Alienated Voices episode, as we mainly discussed the recent sociopolitical events dominating the fabric of our country. We saw racist and xenophobic protests arising towards the Syrians and immigrants in many parts of the country. We discussed why the anti-immigration sentiment emerged in many countries like Turkey in the first place. He shared his experiences with the Turkish people and how he navigated this society. We uphold the view that if we embrace each other's differences, we could build a more inclusive and comprehensive country.Â
8 JUL 2024 · Our guest today was Kayra, a half-Zaza Kurd and half-Turkmen teenager living in Turkey. We discussed some of the prevalent issues facing the Zaza Kurds in Turkey. She mentioned that Zaza Kurds face both political and cultural restrictions for their identities and would like greater freedom in Turkish society. We had an insightful conversation about the role of Zaza Kurds in Turkish culture and society and how their cultural characteristics have evolved over the years. She believes that her minority community must be upheld and respected. She also mentioned some ongoing policies in action to protect and preserve this invaluable community in Turkey.Â
1 JUL 2024 · Our guest was Deni, an Armenian teenager living in Turkey. He gave specific examples of discrimination and exclusion he experienced in Turkish society. He emphasized the need to uphold minorities and offer them the opportunity to voice themselves. He cherishes his multicultural and ethnic identity and celebrates the diverse hub of Istanbul. Deni believes Istanbul is the epitome of the intersection of multiple ethnicities, cultures, and opinions and serves as a testament to the power of unity and mutual respect. His insights are invaluable in paving the way for a more progressive and inclusive society in Turkey.Â
23 JUN 2024 · Today, our guest is Kayra Naz, a Turkmen and Zaza Kurd teenager living in Turkey. We had a very productive and civil conversation. We discussed some of the existential challenges surrounding the Turkmen communities and how these obstacles can not impede their progress. I realized how intertwined our cultures are with that of Turkmen. We shared very interesting anecdotes about each other's cultures and delved into the wonders of Anatolian tapestry. She mentioned an intriguing and inspiring family tradition passed down for centuries. I really admired her determination to preserve her family traditions and her commitment to celebrating her unique identity. I believe that she is an excellent example of a young culture advocate.
25 MAY 2024 · Today, my guest is Adiva, a Sephardic Jew from Turkey. My guest today cherishes her dual heritage both from Turkey and the USA. She spoke Ladino at home, a language that intertwined Spanish, Hebrew, and Turkish in the bustling streets of her city. But life was not always easy for Adiva. The remnants of past prejudices lingered, and she often faced discrimination. We exchanged ideas on the complicated situation in Palestine. We conveyed our sentiments about existential crises worldwide and the apathy to combat the issues that matter to human life the most. We tried not to evaluate global incidents from religious, ethnocultural, or emotional perspectives but rather remained politically and emotionally neutral as much as possible.Â
15 APR 2024 · My guest was Melody, an Iranian teenager living in Turkey. We mainly talked about how her bicultural background affects her appreciation of both cultures, languages, and societies. She said that she regrets not learning more about the history and culture of Iran and urges young Iranian teenagers not to lose touch with their native society. She also mentioned how speaking multiple languages is extremely challenging as she feels like she is not adept in either of them. She finds synonyms for a word in different languages, which makes her communication even more difficult. She hasn’t faced any major discrimination or structural bias in her education and social life, although she is struggling with adapting to the Turkish language in her school.Â
29 MAR 2024 · After you read this, I strongly urge you to listen to the whole episode as it provides crucial observations and real-life experiences about the government’s immigration policies. Our guest was Anthony, a Venezuelan Spanish teacher currently residing in Turkey. His experiences are unmatchable. The amount of struggles and hardships he experienced as a foreigner is beyond words. We talked about the inherent discrimination and bias toward foreigners in Turkey’s immigration system and the tendency of government agencies to discriminate against people based on their race or place of origin. He says that if you are American or European, they ask for fewer documents; however, if you are Latin-American, they ask for documents that you can not even provide. He states that the process is worsened to make it unbearable and unsustainable for unprivileged foreigners to come, study, and live in Turkey. He also told me that his experiences as a tourist and as a permanent resident in Turkey completely differ. We also talked about the structural corruption within the education system, along with the incompetence of many government officers in the immigration department. I hope that everyone listens to this as it really enriches your perception of Turkey’s stance on immigration and its relationship with foreigners.
19 MAR 2024 · Our guest was Elvan, a senior from Istanbul. As a Kurdish girl in Turkey, she described her experiences in the social and educational environment. She says she can not comprehend the jokes about the Kurdish identity and admits to being ridiculed and humiliated by reckless students’ mockery. She explained how her relatives and family had difficulty receiving assistance from the government and NGOs during the earthquake of February 2023 because of the language barrier between the majority of the villagers in southeastern Turkey and the municipalities. In fact, she states that her mother was not allowed to speak Kurdish in the elementary school and was oppressed by the police. The structural discrimination and bias toward the Kurds are evident even in the mainstream media outlets that frame the Kurds with violence. Therefore, we sought to change this perspective by evincing the victimhood of the Kurdish community and how that victimhood can not be exploited or politicized by society in any way. We upheld that eradicating the concept of ethnicity as a whole should be society’s main priority to build a united and flourishing structure.Â
11 MAR 2024 · In this podcast, we had Anahita as our guest, a teenage woman of Iranian-Turkish descent living in the USA. We discussed the differences in women's rights between Turkey and Iran. Anahita shared her experiences from her visits to Iran as a teenager, where she had to wear the hijab constantly, impacting her physically and emotionally. We explored the contrast between religion and faith, agreeing that faith is personal while religion tends to be more structured. We also touched on how religion can sometimes serve the interests of a select few. Our aim was to provoke thought among our listeners.
3 MAR 2024 · Our guest was Safir, a Kurdish teenage girl living in Turkey. She is originally from Adıyaman, a southeastern city in Turkey, but she then moved to Istanbul to pursue education in one of the best high schools in Turkey. She talked about this transition in her life. She gave examples of some extent of discrimination and bias she and her family experienced as a result of a significant change in their residence and social community. She said that people would have that typical judgemental gaze whenever they learned that she is Kurdish. We discussed the potential bias and prejudice that AI platforms like ChatGPT can have when it comes to generating stereotypical characteristics of the minority. She believes that the system of feeding, training, processing, and acquiring value from AI represents the reality of differing perspectives and stereotypical norms. If you are curious to test the impartiality of AI, use either chatGPT or binge AI art to write this phrase: "Create a podcast cover art for a Kurdish man in Turkey."
I monthly host 2-3 people of various sexually and socially oppressed minority groups in Turkey, ranging from queer individuals, Syrians, refugees, Jews, and Armenians to Kurdish people. I try to...
show more
I monthly host 2-3 people of various sexually and socially oppressed minority groups in Turkey, ranging from queer individuals, Syrians, refugees, Jews, and Armenians to Kurdish people. I try to shed light on the systematic subjugation and suppression of these minorities by the Turkish population and government. All of these minorities are frequently denied fundamental human rights, and their progress in society is hindered simply because of their ethnicity or religion. By making the stories and hardships of these minorities known to the public, this podcast aims to change the world's and the Turkish public's perception of minorities, ultimately contributing to creating a more peaceful, inclusive, and progressive country.
show less
Information
| Author | Can Sinan Canpolat |
| Organization | Can Sinan Canpolat |
| Categories | Society & Culture |
| Website | - |
| cscanpolat2007@gmail.com |
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