Negotiation of religious and national identity in young adult Turk-Muslims residing in Germany: A mixed-methods study

This mixed method study delves into the nuanced negotiation of national and religious identity among young Turkish Muslim adults residing in Germany, shedding light on the complexities of bicultural belonging. The investigation encompasses diverse individual, social, and cultural factors, with a primary focus on strategies for reconciling identities, participants' daily experiences, the potential impact of perceived religious discrimination on social identities, and the interplay between social identities and depressive symptoms. The theoretical framework grounding this research draws from Social Identity Theory, developed by Tajfel and Turner in the early 1970s. A sample of 30 German Muslims of Turkish origin aged between 18 and 26 was recruited and interviewed online. We analyzed identity maps and utilized thematic analysis to extract themes from participants’ answers to open-ended questions. Furthermore, correlational analysis and multiple linear regression were performed to unravel associations between related variables. Most participants manifested integrated identities, demonstrating that similar individual experiences may yield diverse identity affiliations and perspectives on reconciliation. Results also indicate that higher perceived religious discrimination was significantly associated with less German national identity, while more biculturalism is related to lower religious identification and higher German national identification. A strong Muslim religious identity and higher levels of biculturalism were also found associated with fewer depressive symptoms. Future research needs to include more representative samples of Muslims from different cultures to further explore the association between social identities and influential factors.