In this article I assess the suitability of exploring the entanglement of state and Islam in Turkey under the rubric of post-Islamism. This is achieved through an exploration of the composite intertwining of religious discourse, historical and teleological imaginaries, and ideals of civic engagement within the Gülen movement. In my view not only does the post-Islamist thesis appear to be limited in regard to analyzing this and similar cases, but it also dangerously echoes recurrent neo-orientalist narratives, which in essence circumscribe how Islam can be “inclusive” and open to ideals of “individual freedom,” “pluralism,” and to Western ideals of democracy. In this paper I argue that it is instead the ideologization of religious discourse – a specific product of political modernity – which hinders Islamic movements such as the Gülen and others from realizing the full potential of Islam as an alternative global civilizational discourse to that of liberal modernity.
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In Ünal and Williams 2000:52–53. Original interview Hulusi Turgut, "Nurculuk," Sabah, 23–31 January 1997.
In the late 1990s, Gülen supported Bülent Ecevit, a leftist democrat (Demokratik Sol Parti), at the expense of Erbakan, the leader of an Islamist Party (Refah Partisi). In recent years, and especially after the general elections of 2008 and 2011, the movement has progressively assumed a supportive position toward the akp government. However, after the recent clash with the ex-Prime Minister Tayyip Erdoğan in December 2013, Gülen did not abstain from criticizing him, even vehemently—though never making his name.
Field-notes, 13 April 2010.
Field-notes, 09 May 2010.
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In this article I assess the suitability of exploring the entanglement of state and Islam in Turkey under the rubric of post-Islamism. This is achieved through an exploration of the composite intertwining of religious discourse, historical and teleological imaginaries, and ideals of civic engagement within the Gülen movement. In my view not only does the post-Islamist thesis appear to be limited in regard to analyzing this and similar cases, but it also dangerously echoes recurrent neo-orientalist narratives, which in essence circumscribe how Islam can be “inclusive” and open to ideals of “individual freedom,” “pluralism,” and to Western ideals of democracy. In this paper I argue that it is instead the ideologization of religious discourse – a specific product of political modernity – which hinders Islamic movements such as the Gülen and others from realizing the full potential of Islam as an alternative global civilizational discourse to that of liberal modernity.
All Time | Past 365 days | Past 30 Days | |
---|---|---|---|
Abstract Views | 404 | 77 | 13 |
Full Text Views | 239 | 6 | 2 |
PDF Views & Downloads | 94 | 14 | 5 |