Browsing by Subject "Conservatism--Turkey."

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Open Access
Kemalist modernism and the genesis of Turkish traditionalist conservatism
(1996) İrem, Celal Nazım
This study focuses on the political and philosophical significance of the dialogue between Kemalism and the nouveaux traditionalist conservative circle which emerged from within the modernist Republican elites. The circle was shaped at the crossroads of ismail HakkI Baltac1oglu's traditionalism, Peyami Safa's conservatism, Ahmet Agaoglu's personalism, Hilmi Ziya Olken's moralism and Mustafa Sekip Turn;'s Bergsonism. Throughout the study, Turkish traditionalist conservatism has been conceptualized as an historically unique philosophical and political movement. In this respect, the study deviated from the prevailing tendency to relate "conservatism" with the mode of socialization and/or political aspirations of the descending classes and/or groups in an all encompassing modernization process. Turkish traditionalist conservatism has provided an alternative understanding of modernism, which at the same time safeguarded and legitimized Kemalist institutions and structures. This understanding of modernism can be read through concepts formulated in the works of the circle concerned, for the explication of the Kemalist status quo. This body of literature was collected in the books of the intellectuals mentioned above and their writings on politics, philosophy, sociology, arts and literature, published in various journals, such as Kultiir Haftas1, Yeni Adam and insan. Apart from the fact that this group of intellectuals was priviliged as being a part of the Kemalist ruling cadre, the significance of Turkish traditionalist conservatism lies in the diffusion of its conceptual matrix to the legitimizing grounds for the political actors at various stages of Turkish political history. It is concluded that, by providing the conceptual matrix for legitimizing Kemalism with all its political, cultural and economic institutions within the process of nation-state building, this political and philosophical stand has marked the emergence of a state-centered conservative circle within the ranks of modernist-secular Republican intelligentsia.
Open Access
Transformation of the Turkish religious right with focus on the impact of state elites, globalization and Europeanization
(2012) Köni, Hakan
This dissertation is aims to analyze the change of Turkish religious right from National View parties to the Justice and Development Party in its goal and issue orientation in terms of the importance given to religion, and the influence of state elites, globalization and Europeanization in this process. This analysis will become possible with the help of a set of theoretical approaches offered to explain the causes and nature of party change particularly those of them examining the role of environmental changes in the change of party ideology or policy. Based on a detailed examination of the views and policies of relevant parties on issues of foreign policy and domestic politics, it is observed that Turkish religious right has evolved from a conservative religious movement with occasional radical tendencies to a moderate conservative one. The impact of state elites in this change is detected to be related with their secularist conception and applications which could be explained in short as opposition to the presence of religion in public life in substantial ways. Globalization and Europeanization, secondly, is explored to be associated with the process with the strong propensity and willingness they bring in to religious right towards the adoption and promotion of western political, economic and cultural norms, principles and institutions, and establishment of deeper and closer relations with the west. In foreign policy, the movement has shown a gradual shift from a substantially culturalist to a pragmatist and rational approach. While the National View parties followed a foreign policy program defending the necessity of establishing close ties with the Muslim world and minimizing relations with the West; the Justice and Development Party is with the idea of leading Turkey into a process of greater integration and cooperation with the west. The JDP has not turned its back to the Muslim world, but concerns for political, legal and social reforms have started to occupy a more important place in its Middle East agenda compared to traditional cultural concerns. In domestic politics, secondly, the most remarkable change is detected in transition from a succession of parties aiming to introduce Islamic norms and principles in public life to a party aiming to introduce rights and freedoms for its conservative electorate through the mechanisms provided by liberal democratic systems with clear detachment from the goal of introducing Islamic law and state.