The article looks at how the comprehension of "Other" in Europe develops through history and analyzes its effects on the formation of the European identity. As European identity is connected to the existence of the "Other", this "Other" becomes a constituent element of Europe, which is especially visible in the European attitude towards the "Turk". After the Ottoman intruders invaded the West and defeated its inhabitants, the Western Christians developed a sentiment for unity and community that soon became the seed from which sprung the tree of hostility toward the Muslims. This hostility towards the Muslims was later projected on now symbolical figure of the "Turk, with religion becoming the main factor of its representation as the European 'Other'". The article presents some of the examples of "persecution of the 'Turk' from Europe" in the contemporary history and outlines the modern European perception of Turkey with a special emphasis on Said's critique of Samuel Huntington and his famous "clash of civilizations" which nonetheless strongly influences the discourse between Europe and Turkey. The article also draws attention to the specificities of Turkish Islam and the secularities in Turkey to finally present the different responses to both of them.
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