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Public Segregation The Islamic influence in Turkey has pervaded even an activity as mundane as waiting for a bus. Traditionally, Islam discourages public interaction between men and women. So at this bus stop, men stand on one side of the stop and women on the other. This segregation by gender is new for Turkey, whose government has encouraged equality and open interaction. It is further evidence of a move toward an Islamic society.


American Influence Turkey’s profound clash of cultures is seen in the juxtaposition of religious garb with Western fast- food commercialism at a bus stop. In Islamic culture, the darkness of the headdress (or hijab) signals the strength of the wearer’s religious passion. In 1934, Ataturk banned religious headscarves, veils, and turbans altogether. Wearing the black covering in public shows an explicit departure from Ataturk’s vision of a modernized Turkey.


Modern Religion There are times in Turkey when modernity collides with antiquity. Here is a photograph of a young man using a Koran recitation device: Islamic tradition holds that it is best to read the Koran in its original Arabic, rather than in a translation. This device was created to allow Turkish people to read and pray using the Koran in Arabic — as most Turkish people cannot read or speak the language.


Forced Customs Stores in the Fatih area are catering to an Islamic surge among the Turkish people. Demand is growing for Turkish women to dress in accordance to religious custom — surprising considering that religious constituencies are more common in rural areas than in Istanbul. Of course, pockets of religious communities can be found in any country. But it is much more telling when the mannequins, billboards, and advertisements consistently appeal to this type of ideology.


AUGUST 2012 | NEWSMAX 57


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