Age: 27, Gender: Female, Nationality: Turkish, Main language: Turkish, Language of interview: English, lives in Germany -- Interviewer: When you hear the word cult, what comes to your mind? Interviewee: Turkish Religious cults. Interviewer: Amazing thank you. Briefly would you mind telling me why you associate them with a cult? Interviewee: I have memories as a kid/teen where these religious groups would run tutoring centers, preparing students for the university exams but also inviting them to Quran readings and kinda radicalizing them, they would organize special camps, give scholarship etc. These would happen on sight but also kinda behind the doors and there was also several groups with different leaders. Very cult-ish, but also they were literally called cult in Turkish, which is the word tarikat. Now they cover a significant base of Erdoğan voters and also work and organize in different governmental bodies. Interviewer: great thank you so much. do you remember some specific names? Interviewee: Nakşibendi (one of the cults) , menzil (also one of the cults, like a subcult of nakşibendi), Süleymancilar( also subcult of nakşibendi), saidi nursi (cult leader of nursi cult) --- Interview Notes: gathered on instagram after posting a story asking for people to share their thoughts on the word "cult." The interview was conducted via direct message, on Thursday, August 13th 2026. Personal information have been anonymized.