The Meaning of Religious Place and Its Effect on Place Identity from the Perspective of Environmental Psychology: A Qualitative Analysis on the Visitor’s Books of Tokyo Mosque
Abstract
The interaction between space and people is so profound that it affects all the elements that a person defines as “self” and calls “mine.” Today, this interaction takes part in the field of environmental psychology. It involves two sides: (1) the psychological processes that people experience while constructing and transforming spaces, and (2) the influence of the space itself on a person's behavior and experiences. Place identity is an individual's emotional attachment and cognitive connection to a specific spatial area, in which beliefs, preferences, expectations, and values play a significant role. Consequently, the psychological effects of religious spaces on individuals create an area where place identity and religious identity are combined.
This article examines the psychological impact of the Tokyo Mosque and the Diyanet Turkish Cultural Center on visitors from an environmental psychology perspective. In this qualitative research, content analysis was applied to 423 visitor notes from Tokyo Mosque, recorded between 1998 and 2019. Observation notes were also included in the analysis process for triangulation. The validity and reliability of the research were ensured through appropriate strategies.
While the majority of visitors came from Türkiye and Japan, there were also visitors from countries such as America, Algeria, the Maldives, Australia, Germany, Austria, Ukraine, Switzerland, China, Sudan, El Salvador, Indonesia, Malaysia, India, Uzbekistan, Azerbaijan, Turkmenistan, Russia, and Northern Cyprus, representing almost every continent. The languages of the notes varied, including English, Japanese, Arabic, German, Chinese, Indonesian, Uyghur, Uzbek, Tatar, and Azerbaijani. In some cases, more than one language was used in a single note. The professions of visitors include presidents, ambassadors, ministers, mayors, and institution managers, as well as academicians, artists, writers, spiritual leaders, and engineers. Although the vast majority of visitors are Turkish and Muslim, the notes of non-Muslim visitors reveal that the mosque is an interesting and admirable place for everyone.
According to the content analysis, two main themes emerged: "emotions related to visiting the mosque" and "thoughts about the functions of the mosque". The sub-themes for each are shown in the figure below.
Figure 1. Themes Found in the Visitor Books of Tokyo Mosque
It was found that visitors expressed feeling very happy and peaceful in the mosque. They were pleased to meet new people there. The mosque's architecture and atmosphere inspired admiration among visitors. Turkish and Muslim visitors, in particular, expressed pride in the mosque and mentioned its contribution to promoting Türkiye. In conclusion, it was determined that a Turkish mosque built abroad has significant positive psychological, social, and cultural effects on visitors from various nations. It should be noted that the mosque's multifunctional structure and welcoming attitude also left a deep impression on all visitors. It was also found that, for Turks, the Tokyo Mosque provides a holistic place identity in which religious and national identities intertwine. So, it can be said that, especially in Muslim-minority countries, mosques hold different meanings for many people and have positive psychological effects. For many, place attachment to the mosque becomes part of their place identity.
Keywords
Çevre Psikolojisi Perspektifinden Dini Mekânın Taşıdığı Anlam ve Yer Kimliğine Etkisi: Tokyo Camii Ziyaretçi Defterleri Üzerine Nitel Bir Analiz
Abstract
Makalede dini bir mekân olan Tokyo Camii ve Diyanet Türk Kültür Merkezi’nin ziyaretçiler üzerindeki psikolojik etkileri, çevre psikolojisi perspektifiyle ele alınmıştır. Nitel olarak tasarlanan araştırmada, 1998-2019 yılları arasında kayıtlara geçmiş olan 423 adet ziyaretçi notuna içerik analizi uygulanmıştır. Oldukça farklı coğrafyalardan gelen ziyaretçilerin kaleme aldığı notların dilleri de çeşitlilik göstermiştir. Analiz sonuçlarına göre ziyaretçiler camide kendilerini oldukça mutlu ve huzurlu hissettiklerini ifade etmişlerdir. Camide yeni insanlarla tanışmaktan memnuniyet duymuşlardır. Caminin mimarisi ve atmosferi ziyaretçilerde hayranlık uyandırmıştır. Özellikle Türk ve Müslüman ziyaretçiler, cami ile gurur duyduklarını belitmiş, caminin Türkiye’nin tanıtımına sağladığı katkıdan bahsetmiştir. Sonuç olarak başka bir ülkede inşa edilmiş Türk camisinin büyük anlamlar taşıdığı ve ziyaretçileri üzerindeki psikolojik, sosyal ve kültürel açılardan olumlu etkileri olduğu ortaya konmuştur. Caminin çok fonksiyonlu yapısı ve herkesi kucaklayan tavrının da tüm ziyaretçiler üzerinde derin izler bıraktığı tespit edilmiştir. Ayrıca Türkler için de Tokyo Camii’nin dini kimlik ile milli kimliğin iç içe geçerek bütüncül bir yer kimliği oluşturduğu tespit edilmiştir.
Keywords
Ethical Statement
Makalemin bilimsel etik kurallarına uygun bir şekilde hazırlandığını ve yararlandığım eserlerin kaynaklar
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