Disaffiliating from Islam: Charting the Process of Identity Transformation

In recent years, Turkiye has witnessed debates surrounding the increase of atheist and deist identities, sparking a growing interest among scholars. However, current studies primarily focus on the reasons behind this change from Islam to atheism or deism, neglecting the process of change and individuals’ experiences. This study aims to bridge this gap in the literature by investigating with in-depth interviews the personal experiences of 10 individuals with a focus on identity change. The interviews were transcribed and coded using MAXQDA 2020. As a result of the thematic analysis of the data, four main themes emerged that explain the identity change process: “Being a former Muslim,” “experiencing conflict between Islam and self,” “becoming one's own person,” and “rethinking identities.” The results of this study contribute to the literature by enlightening the process of an individual's identity change and identity reformation and revealing the challenges faced by atheists whose identities often remain stigmatized and concealed.