National Identity and the Psychology of Asymmetry: Privileged and Disadvantaged Group Dynamics in Türkiye

This research investigates how ethnic group status shapes the content and salience of national identity in Türkiye, where citizenship has long been anchored in a singular ethnic narrative. Guided by social identity content theory, social identity theory, norm theory, and optimal distinctiveness theory, we conducted two studies examining how Turkish and Kurdish citizens navigate ethnic and national identity within asymmetrical group positions. Study I (N = 231) assessed multiple dimensions of ethnic and national identity alongside perceived discrimination. Kurdish participants reported significantly higher levels of ethnic identity importance and exploration, as well as greater perceived individual and collective discrimination. In contrast, Turkish participants scored higher on collective self-esteem. Notably, both groups prioritised civic solidarity over other facets of national identity content (e.g., patriotism, cultural identity), suggesting its potential as a shared foundation for belonging in a multiethnic context. Study II (N = 364) employed a symbolic national identity label task, contrasting the constitutionally defined term Türk (“Turkish”) with the more inclusive civic label Türkiyeli (“People from Türkiye”). While 84% of Turkish participants preferred the state-defined label, 68% of Kurdish participants chose the alternative, reflecting divergent symbolic affiliations and the salience of inclusive language for disadvantaged groups. These results highlight how a national identity rigidly tied to a dominant ethnic prototype may alienate disadvantaged citizens. Civic solidarity and symbolic inclusivity emerge as psychologically meaningful avenues for reimagining national identity in Türkiye’s current “Terror-Free Türkiye” discourse, offering a path toward participatory and pluralistic democratic cohesion.