Muslim Nationalism and the New Turks

by Jenny B. White

Turkey has leapt to international prominence as an economic and political powerhouse under its elected Muslim government, and is looked on by many as a model for other Muslim countries in the wake of the Arab Spring. This book reveals how Turkish national identity and the meanings of Islam and secularism have undergone radical changes in today's Turkey, and asks whether the Turkish model should be viewed as a success story or cautionary tale.

Jenny White shows how Turkey's Muslim elites have mounted a powerful political and economic challenge to the country's secularists, developing an alternative definition of the nation based on a nostalgic revival of Turkey's Ottoman past. These Muslim nationalists have pushed aside the Republican ideal of a nation defined by purity of blood, language, and culture. They see no contradiction in pious Muslims running a secular state, and increasingly express their Muslim identity through participation in economic networks and a lifestyle of Islamic fashion and leisure. For many younger Turks, religious and national identities, like commodities, have become objects of choice and forms of personal expression.

This provocative book traces how Muslim nationalists blur the line between the secular and the Islamic, supporting globalization and political liberalism, yet remaining mired in authoritarianism, intolerance, and cultural norms hostile to minorities and women.

Genres: Politics, History, Nonfiction

264 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2012

Reviews

[Cyrus Carter · Rating 5 out of 5]

Pivotal book for understanding that Turkey's current internal struggle is not black and white. The various factions are delineated and well explained beyond the facile religious / secular divide that many prefer to believe is the problem. The book will prove difficult reading for anyone who prefers to believe in "us" and "them"; the two sides may share much, including a fierce nationalism and preferred gender inequality. I do hope it gets translated well and quickly. Bravo to Ms. White for a well-researched and novel work.

[Michael DeBusk · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is a treasure trove of deep and valuable insights regarding Turkish culture and politics (my copy is marked on nearly every page). The prose is vague and tedious in places, but well worth the pay-off. I expect Turkish secularists will find White overly generous toward the "Muslim Nationalists," but it's important to recognize she often distinguishes between the movement in the culture and it's politicians who currently control the government--of which she is more critical. All-in-all, indispensable for understanding Turkey in the present moment.

[Emre G · Rating 5 out of 5]

"Gezi catismalarinda, beklentileri 21.yuzyilin kuresel konulariyla, sosyal adaletsizlik sorunlariyla ve neoliberal umutlarla sekillenmis yeni yurttaslar kusagi ile 20.yuzyildan kalma, mesrutiyetini sandik cogunluguna dayandiran, milli "aileyi" yoneten otokratik, guclu adam yonetimi anlayisi karsi karsiya geliyordu"

[Borislav]

The book explores Modern Turkish society and the social tensions that are inherent to it. It describes the struggle between Kemalism and Islamism as well as how the two political currents intermingle. Although it is more than 260 pages it makes its point in the first 50 pages and from then on is an reiteration of the same. I expected more information in particular on Modern Turkish foreign policy.

[Atlas · Rating 5 out of 5]

Depressing but an accurate description of the state of affairs in Turkey. Highly recommended.

[Linda Caldwell · Rating 5 out of 5]

Definitely required reading for anyone who wants to settle in this corner of the world!

[switching to StoryGraph: ka_cam · Rating 4 out of 5]

I found this a fairly challenging read due to my lack of background knowledge on Turkey. However, I was still able to glean some pretty intriguing insights and frameworks of analysis, and would consider it a worthwhile read for those interested in the development of nationalisms and identity formation, roles of religious identity, and/or modern Turkey.

[ehk2 · Rating 2 out of 5]

First, two factual errors:
"At one point, the left-wing mayor of the small Black Sea town of Fatsa officially repudiated the authority of the government and, with his supporters, declared the town an independent Soviet Republic" (p.34)

neremle gülsem bilemedim. Afedersin Jenny, fakat kaç senedir aramızdasın, bu kadar mı uzaksın konuya!!!

"Several years ago, the AKP government introduced a new public holiday, Holy Birth Week, to celebrate the Prophet Muhammad's holiday" (p.9)

Overall, it's a decent study on the cleavages in Turkish society. It's also important that it underlines some fundamental commonalities of identity among the majority of Turkish population:
“Secular and Muslim nationalisms, in other words, despite the animosity they have generated, may share more ideas about being Turkish than issues that divide them” (194)

[Diane · Rating 4 out of 5]

Written by an American anthropologist who studies Turkey, this book looks at beliefs about the nation, minorities, religion, and human rights amongst the traditional Turkish elite (Kemalists) as well as the new, more Islamicly-focused, Turkish elite. The author bases her material on interviews that she conducted in 2008; however, much has changed throughout the region since then, so I am curious as to what she would find if she did the same study today. It is also a work of academic anthropology, so it was a little dense and hard to follow in places. Still, it provided a good introduction to the various factions among the Turkish elite, which is helpful in understanding dynamics in the country.

[Emily]

This book was fine, a nice exploration of the contradictions inherent in being Turkish. Overall, a little repetitive, but I enjoyed the chapter on the place of women in Turkey's nationalistic society.