WESTERN THRACE MUSLIM-TURKISH MINORITY'S BINDING RELATIONS WITH TURKEY BASED ON TRIADIC NEXUS PERSPECTIVE

Abstract

This study analyzes the common discourse we were left here which is frequently expressed in the interviews made with Muslim-Turkish minority's prominents, political representatives, and in local broadcast organs, through utilizing trust teories and Brubaker's triadic nexus between the minorities- home states and kin states, showing the expression has been multiplied by generations. Why does this community which has been represented in Greek politics at local and national level since 1920 and citizens of an EU member state since 1981, maintain this discourse? This community, whose ethnic identity has been denied, its minority rights have been violated by Greece under the reciprocity rule, and fails to construct a trust relationship with the home state, perceives the Treaty of Lausanne and the kin-state Turkey as guarantor elements for the protection of their rights. This study claims that in terms of politial behavior, minority groups are in contact with both the Greek and Turkish governments. However, the continuation of strong bonds with Turkey originates due to their late organizational skills, the lack of a political and spiritual leader uniting them, weak abilities in their commands of language and several problems in education.