Ramadan is politics (2)
A headmaster who decides that the teachers’ canteen will not serve food during Ramadan. Children who don’t fast during Ramadan being bullied at school by children who do. Official functions where no drinks are served. During Ramadan Turkey becomes visibly more religious. Especially when things like this happen in schools, government or municipality buildings or other state or state-related institutions, it causes heated discussions in which secularists point out that these things show that Turkey is gradually becoming a religious state. People’s perspective on Ramadan changes because of these discussions. For many people it is still a traditional and religious month that they look forward to, but for others Ramadan is turning into a political issue. Some people even decide not to fast because they feel that if they do, they will be seen to support the Islamization of society. They don’t want to be part of the group that reflects the growing influence of religion in Turkish life.Ramadan is politics (1): http://www.journalistinturkey.com/blogs/ramadan-is-politics_12/
Hello Frederike,
I`m quite surprized with your blog. My little cousins do not have any problem with eating at school. But again I will check with them. Can you show and source supporting that?
Hi Chatay,
Of course, most children who do not fast have no problem with eating at school. It’s not wide spread, these things are incidents, for example in conservative towns or neighbourhoods. Sorry if I gave the impression this is a common thing in Turkey, it is not!