Browsing by Subject "Islam and politics--Turkey."

Now showing 1 - 4 of 4

Open Access
Fethullah Gülen's views on Islam and democracy
(1997) Koyuncu, Berrin
This thesis analyzes the compatibility of Islam and democracy in Turkey in the fight of Fethullah GOien's views. In Turkey, the most signifıcant obstacfe in front of consolidation of democracy seems to be the irreconciliable attitudes of the radicals- both on the part of the lslamists and on the part of the secularists. lt can be claimed that if those radical parts are rasped, cansensus politics and social harmony will be inevitable. Fethullah GOien may play a key role at this point through his re-interpretation of Islam in the light of lstamic and communal traditions specific to Anatofia.
Open Access
The nature of the relationship between religious communities and civil society in Turkey : the case of the Fethullah Gulen community
(1998) Başkan, Filiz
This thesis addresses the question as to whether or not religious communities can be defined as part civil societal organization within the context of democratization efforts in Turkey. The Fethullah Gülen Community will be the case study of this thesis. Theoretical debate on civil society will be examined to provide an insight into the relations between religious communities and civil society and to clarify the basic definition of "civil society." The historical background of modern Turkey, that is, the Ottoman Empire will be analyzed with the objective of shedding light on the question of civil society debate in modern Turkey. The thesis will also present the historical context in which Bediuzzaman Said Nursi and Nurculuk emerged. The analysis of Said Nursi will provide important insights to understand the Fethullah Gülen Community, one branch of the Nurculuk. Finally, this thesis will dwell on the Fethullah Gülen Community in relation to the notion of civil society and conclude that it cannot be defined as part of civil society in the ideal sense of the term.
Open Access
Politics of re-building hegemony and the subject in post-1997 Turkey
(2011) Taş, Hakkı
This study aims to analyze the interrelation between hegemony and the subject within the case of the February 28 process, which refers to the military’s long-term project to reshape the Turkish social and political system which had brought the Islamist Refah Partisi (RP - Welfare Party) to the office after the 1995 general elections. It sets out to analyze through what mechanisms the military attempted to re-institute secularism and how the religious groups responded to this process. Taking the Gramscian approach to power at its theoretical background, this dissertation argues that studies on hegemony should go beyond the dichotomies such as domination versus resistance, or cooptation versus subversion. Instead, it offers multiple responses the subaltern subject may give. These “strategies of survival” include exit, submission, liminal resistance, and violence. Framing Turkey’s “postmodern coup” as a hegemonic project, this dissertation examines the coercive and consensual means employed by the military to refashion Turkey’s political, economic, and social texture. The responses of the religious subaltern are analyzed within the three case studies, which are the National Vision movement, the Islamic capital with special reference to the Islamic finance, and the Islamist music in the political, economic, and socio-cultural fields, respectively. The February 28 process became a milestone in Turkish politics that defined the political alignments in the subsequent decades. This dissertation argues that globalization and the adoption of Western norms have become a strategy of survival for the religious subaltern. While the post-Islamists adopted a pro-Western liberal approach, the secularists moved towards a more state-centered communitarian conception of politics.
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.