Democracy, Islam, and Secularism in Turkey

Religion, Culture, and Public Life

by Ahmet T. Kuru (Editor), Alfred Stepan (Editor)

While Turkey has grown as a world power, promoting the image of a progressive and stable nation, several choices in policy have strained its relationship with the East and the West. Providing historical, social, and religious context for this behavior, the essays in "Democracy, Islam, and Secularism in Turkey" examine issues relevant to Turkish debates and global concerns, from the state's position on religion to its involvement with the European Union.

Written by experts in a range of disciplines, the chapters explore the toleration of diversity during the Ottoman Empire's classical period; the erosion of ethno-religious heterogeneity in modern, pre-democratic times; Kemalism and its role in modernization and nation building; the changing political strategies of the military; and the effect of possible EU membership on domestic reforms. The essays also offer a cross-Continental comparison of "multiple secularisms," as well as political parties, considering especially Turkey's Justice and Development Party in relation to Europe's Christian Democratic parties. Contributors tackle critical research questions, such as the legacy of the Ottoman Empire's ethno-religious plurality and the way in which Turkey's assertive secularism can be softened to allow greater space for religious actors. They address the military's "guardian" role in Turkey's secularism, the implications of recent constitutional amendments for democratization, and the consequences and benefits of Islamic activism's presence within a democratic system. No other collection confronts Turkey's contemporary evolution so vividly and thoroughly or offers such expert analysis of its crucial social and political systems.

Contributors: Karen Barkey (Columbia University) - ?mit Cizre (Istanbul Sehir University) - M. S?kr? Hanioglu (Princeton University) - Stathis N. Kalyvas (Yale University) - Ahmet T. Kuru (San Diego State University) - Joost Lagendijk (Sabanc University) - Ergun ?zbudun (Bilkent University) - Alfred Stepan (Columbia University)

Genres: Religion, Islam

224 pages, Paperback

First published January 26, 2012

About the author

Ahmet T. Kuru is the director of Center for Islamic and Arabic Studies and Professor of Political Science at San Diego State University. His recent book, Islam, Authoritarianism, and Underdevelopment: A Global and Historical Comparison (Cambridge University Press, 2019) co-won the American Political Science Association's International History and Politics Section Award, received honorable mention of SSSR’s Award, and was included in Times Literary Supplement’s Books of the Year. He is also the author of Secularism and State Policies toward Religion: The United States, France, and Turkey (Cambridge University Press, 2009), which received Society for the Scientific Study of Religion (SSSR)’s Book Award. He is the co-editor (with Alfred Stepan) of Democracy, Islam, and Secularism in Turkey (Columbia University Press, 2012). Kuru’s works have been translated into Arabic, Bosnian, Chinese, French, Indonesian, Malay, Persian, and Turkish.

Reviews

[Ali · Rating 3 out of 5]

laïcité in French is usually translated as secularism in English but there seems to be significant difference in practice. In this extended academic article(s), Kuru and Stepan examine them in two categories, “assertive secularism” as implemented in France and “passive secularism” as practiced in the US. The difference is not just in separation of church and state, but also in freedom of religious acts and symbols in the public space. In the case of Turkey that is a bit more complicated considering various Islamic sects stance against democracy and also government religious council still controlling all the mosques and their staff for the majority sunni sect. Kuru finds the Turkish case closer to the French assertive secularism and points out conservatives and some liberals want a more passive secularism. He also considers the impact or lack of an “ancien regime” resulted in the US with a passive secularism as opposed to France. After the last two decades the author probably would want to revisit some of his findings for all three countries. I would appreciate a more readable revised edition maybe with a wider comparative analysis including other countries. Considering the rise of populist authoritarianism, I think all democratic societies need better understanding and practice of secularism now more than ever.

[Derek Brown · Rating 4 out of 5]

Are there any democracies not centered on genocide?

[Alex NeSmith · Rating 2 out of 5]

Good info, I appreciate its discussion into the background of Kemalism.BUT there’s just so many gaps between the chapters and lack of mention of humanitarian issues that have been/are prevalent is a no from me.

[Aziz Alkattan · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book gave me great insight into politics and religion in the Republic of Turkey. I really enjoyed reading from a variety of authors, and the wide range of ideas they brought to the topic. That being said, the book was very political and should not be considered a light read. If you want to know about the political situation in Turkey and how it has been for the past 100 years, this is a very good read

[Chase Hainsworth · Rating 4 out of 5]

Concise explanation of the historical factors shaping Turkey's political climate, and how Western media misrepresents Erdogan and the AKP.