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Dismantling Turkey: The Will of the People?

2010; Taylor & Francis; Volume: 11; Issue: 1 Linguagem: Inglês

10.1080/14683841003747021

1743-9663

Nur Bi̇lge Criss,

Turkey's Politics and Society

Abstract The Islamization of Turkey has been an ongoing process since the 1970s and was exacerbated by the 1980 military coup. The Turkish‐Islamic synthesis had been conceived as an antidote against communism and became a salient policy. The atmosphere became increasingly convenient for Islamists to participate in politics as well as in socioeconomic forums. The ruling AKP defines itself as conservative democratic. Tariqats have been educating young cadres to fulfill the Islamization mission. Prime Minister Erdoğan monopolizes foreign relations, which result in diplomatic scandals and cause people to ask whether Turkey is changing direction. Counterbalancing forces remain confrontational. Paradigm shifts in practicing politics are sorely needed. Notes 1. In 1970, Erbakan formed the National Order Party (NOP), closed by the Constitutional Court in 1971. In 1973, the party was revived as the National Salvation Party (NSP), closed by the Constitutional Court in 1981. Erbakan reestablished it as the Welfare Party (WP) in 1983. As it became clear that this party would be closed by 1998, he formed the Virtue Party in 1997, which lasted until 1999. The last revival of the chain of parties is the Felicity Party (FP), since 2001. See Metin Heper and Nur Bilge Criss, Historical Dictionary of Turkey, 3rd ed. (Lanham, MD: Scarecrow Press, 2009), alphabetical entries. 2. Tariqats are popular religious orders. To reach a mystic union with God, the tariqat requires all members to follow a proscribed behavior as determined by the leader. 3. Quoted by İştar Gözaydın, "Religion, Politics, and the Politics of Religion in Turkey," in Dietrich Jung and Catharina Raudvere (eds.), Religion, Politics and Turkey's EU Accession (New York: Palgrave Macmillan, 2008), pp. 160–176, p. 173. 4. Fuat Keyman, "Yeni Siyaset Gerekliliği" [The Necessity for a New Approach in Politics] Radikal İki (July 12, 2009), p. 5, newspaper supplement. 5. Adalet ve Kalkınma Partisi Hükümet Programı [AKP Government Program], announced in parliament on March 18, 2008, 59th government, by Prime Minister Erdoğan, http://www.akparti.org.tr (accessed April 27, 2009). 6. This is in reference to Erdoğan's response to riots in France in 2005, which were instigated by North African Muslim émigrés. Accordingly, the cause of riots was the ban on headscarves in state schools. Nur Bilge Criss, "Turkish Foreign and Security Policy with the AKP Government," in Antonio Marquina and Mustafa Aydın (eds.), Turkish Foreign and Security Policy, Its Environs in Eurasia and the Middle East (Madrid: Universidad Compulsente de Madrid, 2006), pp. 23–46, pp. 24–25. 7. Nur Bilge Criss, "Mercenaries of Ideology; Turkey's Terrorism War," in Barry Rubin (ed.), Terrorism and Politics (New York: St. Martin's Press, 1991), pp. 123–150. 8. Uğur Mumcu, Tarikat, Siyaset, Ticaret, 27th ed. [Tariqats, Politics, Trade] (Ankara: um‐ag Vakfı Yayınları, 2008). 9. Mustafa Peköz, İslami Cumhuriyete Doğru, Türkiye'de Siyasal İslamın Dünü, Bugünü ve Yarını [Towards an Islamic Republic, the Past, Present and Future of Political Islam in Turkey] (Istanbul: Kalkedon Yayınları, 2009), pp. 119–127; Özlem Tür and Zana Çıtak, "AKP ve Kadın: Teşkilatlanma, Muhafazakârlık ve Türban," [AKP and Women: Organizations, Conservatism and Turban] in İlhan Uzgel and Bülent Duru (eds.), AKP Kitabı, Bir Dönüşümün Bilançosu [AKP's Story: An Account of Transformation] (Ankara: Phoenix Yayınevi, 2009), pp. 614–629. 10. Altan Öymen, "Demokrasiyle Gelen 'sivil darbe'ciler," [Civilian Coup Makers that Come wıth Democracy] Radikal (Newspaper) (February 24, 2009), p. 13. 11. Yalçın Bayer, "Yeni üniversitelerde tarikat‐cemaat savaşı," [War between Tariqats and Congregation in the Newly Established Universities] Hürriyet (July 29, 2008), available at http://arama.hurriyet.com.tr/arsivnews (accessed May 8, 2009). 12. Nuray Mert, "Rejim'in Koruyucusu Kim?" [Who is the Protector of the Regime?] Radikal (July 2, 2009), p. 10. 13. Jonathan Lacey, "The Gülen Movement in Ireland: Civil Society Engagements of a Turkish Religio‐cultural Movement," Turkish Studies, Vol.10, No. 2 (June 2009), pp. 295–315. 14. Elisabeth Özdalga, İslamcılığın Türkiye Seyri, Sosyolojik Bir Perspektif [Islamism in Turkey, A Sociological Perspective] (Istanbul: İletişim Yayınları, 2006), p. 235. 15. Hikmet Çetinkaya, Fethullah Gülen'in 40 Yıllık Serüveni [Fethullah Gülen's 40 Year‐Long Adventure] (Istanbul: Güniz Yayıncılık, 2004); Nevzat Bölügiray, AKP Değişiyor mu? [Is AKP Changing?] (Istanbul: Tekin Yayınevi, 2004); Hikmet Çetinkaya, Fethullah Gülen, ABD ve AKP [Fethullah Gülen, the USA and AKP] (Istanbul: Güniz Yayıncılık, 2007). 16. Rachel Sharon‐Krespin, "Fethullah Gülen's Grand Ambition, Turkey's Islamist Danger," The Middle East Quarterly (Winter 2009), pp. 55–66; 61. Available at http://www.meforum.org/2045 (accessed April 28, 2009). 17. Ibid. 18. Ibid. 19. "Gulen Movement: Turkey's Third Power," Jane's Islamic Affairs Analyst (jiaa.janes.com) (February 2009), pp. 11–14. 20. "Turkish Top Court Approves Sect Leader's Controversial Acquittal," Hürriyet (English) (June 24, 2008), http://arama.hurriyet.com.tr/arsivenews (accessed May 8, 2009). 21. Guy Rodgers, "Fethullah Gulen: Infiltrating the U.S. Through Our Charter Schools?" http://www.actforamerica.org/index.php, (accessed April 28, 2009). Also includes US Gulen Movement Organizational Chart. Quote inserted for clarification. 22. Sharon‐Krespin, "Fethullah Gülen's Grand Ambition, Turkey's Islamist Danger," p.66. 23. Ahmet Arslan, İbn‐i Haldun [Ibn al‐Khaldun] (Istanbul: Bilgi Üniversitesi Yayınları, 2009). 24. Personal interviews with female physicians in Ankara who wished to remain anonymous, April 2009. 25. N. Maruani, "Reformist Iranian‐French Writer Chahdortt Djavann: The Hijab, a Political Weapon and Form of Sexual Abuse, Should be Outlawed," MEMRI (Middle East Media Research Institute), Iran/Reform Project No. 533/July 7, 2009, p. 2 (July 7, 2009). 26. Tarhan Erdem, "Sorunumuz Andıç mı?" (Is the Only Problem a Secret Document?) Radikal (June 15, 2009), p. 10. 27. David Ghanim, "Turkish Democracy and Political Islam," Middle East Policy (Spring 2009), p. 7–8. 28. İhsan Yılmaz, "Muslim Democrats in Turkey and Egypt: Participatory Politics as a Catalyst," Insight Turkey, Vol. 11, No. 2 (2009), pp. 93–112. 29. Bassam Tibi, "Islamists Approach Europe, Turkey's Islamist Danger," Middle East Quarterly, (Winter 2009), pp. 47–54; 51, http://www.meforum.org/2047 (accessed May 5, 2009). 30. See Criss, "Turkish Foreign and Security Policy with the AKP Government." 31. "Financial Times: Erdoğan Rasmussen'i küçük düşürdü," [Financial Times: Erdoğan Embarrassed Rasmussen], Hürriyet (November 18, 2005), http://www.hurriyet.com.tr/goster/haber (accessed July 8, 2009). 32. Hikmet Çetinkaya, "Darfur Kasabı Türkiye'de," [The Butcher of Darfur is in Turkey] Cumhuriyet, (August 20, 2008); Soner Çağaptay, "Türkiye artık o eski Türkiye değil," [Turkey is No Longer the Same] Newsweek Türkiye, http://www.newsweekturkiye.com (accessed July 10, 2009). Cumhuriyet, http://erdem43.blogcu.com/darfur-kasabi_hitmetcetin_223 (accessed July 10, 2009). 33. Yavuz Çekirge, "Kral Abdullah ziyaretinin perde arkası," [King Abdullah's Visit, Behind the Scenes] Hürriyet (July 8, 2009) http://www.hurriyet.com.tr/satrateji (accessed July 8, 2009). The article questions whether the visit was part and parcel of a project to include Turkey in a Sunni front against Iran in the region; "Küstah Kralı kim çağırdı?" [Who Invited the Arrogant King?] Tercüman (July 8, 2009), http://www.tercuman.com.tr (accessed July 8, 2009). 34. H. Miray Vurmay, "Kimliksiz kadınlar ülkesinin kralı Türkiye'deydi," [The King from the Country Where Women are Nonentities was in Turkey] Uçan Süpürge Kadın news site, (December 11, 2007), http://www.ucansupurge.org/arsiv (accessed July 8, 2009). 35. Nilgün Cerrahoğlu, "Arapça Balans Ayarı," [Fine Tuning in Arabic] Cumhuriyet (February 8, 2009), http://www.cumhuriyet.com.tr (accessed June 11, 2009). 36. "Erdoğan: 'Rasmussen'in adaylığına olumsuz bakıyorum," [Erdoğan: I Have a Negative Opinion of Rasmussen's Candidacy] EurActiv news site, http://www.euractiv.com.tr (accessed July 8, 2009). 37. "Rasmussen: Gidip Türklere satılmadım," [Rasmussen: I Did Not Sell Myself to the Turks], Forum Türkiye news site, http://www.forumturkiye.com (accessed July 8, 2009). 38. "İslam ülkelerinin özel isteği," [Special Requests from the Islamic Countries] Habername news site, http://www.habername.com (accessed July 8, 2009). 39. Egemen Bağış, AK Parti‐Dış Politikamız Hakkında Sııkça Sorulan Sorular [Frequently Asked Questions about our Foreign Policy] (Ankara: AKP Publication, 2007). 40. Özdem Sanberk, "Gazze krizinden kim kazançlı çıktı?" [Who Benefited from the Gaza Crisis?] Radikal (February 17, 2009), p. 15; Osman Faruk Loğoğlu, "Türk dış politikası: Çok boyutluluk mu, eksen değişikliği mi?" [Turkish Foreign Policy: Is it Multidimensional or Deviated?] Radikal (February 27, 2009), p. 15. 41. "Turkey Should Try Calm and Quiet Diplomacy," Financial Times, (April 12, 2009), p. 2. 42. Soner Çağaptay, "The AKP's Foreign Policy: The Misnomer of 'Neo‐Ottomanism,'" The Washington Institute of Near East Policy (April 27, 2009); Soli Özel, "Divining Davutoğlu: Turkey's Foreign Policy Under New Leadership," On Turkey (June 4, 2009), pp. 1–3; On Turkey, "The German Marshall Fund of the United States", www.gmfus/org; M.K. Kaya and Halil M. Karaveli, "Vision or Illusion? Ahmet Davutoğlu's State of Harmony in Regional Relations," East West Studies (June 5, 2009), p. 2, http://www.eastweststudies.org (accessed July 9, 2009). 43. Barry Rubin, "Turkey's New Foreign Minister and It's Foreign Policy Strategy," Global Research in International Affairs website, http://www.gloria-center.org/Gloria/2009/05/Turkey%27s-New-Foreign-Minister.html (accessed May 3, 2009); Soner Çağaptay, "In Love with Arab Islamists," Hurriyet Daily News (May 20, 2009), p. 2. 44. See "Jewish Based Organizations Urge Turkish PM to Address anti‐Semitism," Jewish World, January 23, 2009, http://www.1923turk.biz (accessed April 30, 2009); "Turkish Jews Fearful of Anti‐Semitism after Gaza," Jewish World (January 27, 2009), http://www.ynetnews.com (accessed April 30, 2009); Michael van der Galien, "Jewish Emigration from Turkey to Double," PoliGazette (February 2, 2009), http://www.Poligazette.com/2009/02/02 (accessed April 30, 2009); Emrullah Uslu, "AKP Government's Policies Toward Anti‐Semitism May Not be Enough," Eurasia Daily Monitor, Vol. 6, No. 22 (February 3, 2009); "Erdogan Vows to Fight Anti‐Semitism in Turkey," The Jerusalem Post (February 3, 2009), http:www.jpost.com (accessed April 30, 2009); Soner Çağaptay, "In the Name of Islam: A Liberal Appeal," Middle East Strategy at Harvard (March 30, 2009), pp. 1–3. 45. Altan Öymen, "Siyasetin ve medyanın yanlışlara 'yanlış' deme görevi" [Politicians and Journalists Bear the Responsibility to Point out Rights and Wrongs] Radikal (June 9, 2009), p. 13, cites a fellow journalist, Nilgün Cerrahoğlu, who coined the term translated into English as Talabanesque worldview. 46. Eser Karakaş, "Prof. Dr. Yılmaz Esmer'in İlginç Araştırması" [Interesting Research by Yılmaz Esmer] Star (August 19, 2007), http://www.cafesiyaset.com/haber/20070819 (accessed September 14, 2009). 47. "Political Power and Social Conservatism in Turkey, Featuring Binnaz Toprak," The Washington Institute for Near East Policy, Policywatch, No. 1529 (June 8, 2009). 48. Haluk Şahin, Liberaller, Ulusalcılar, İslamcılar ve Ötekiler [Liberals, Nationalists, Islamists and the Others] (Istanbul: Say Yayınları, 2008). 49. Amin Maalouf, Çivisi Çıkmış Dünya [Le dérèglement du monde][The World Gone Awry] transl. from the French by Orçun Türkay (Istanbul: Yapı Kredi Yayınları, 2009), p. 50.