In the debates on the issue of secularism and Islam the Turkish Republic is often mentioned as an example of how a Muslim society can be governed by secular principles. Secularism implies the... Show moreIn the debates on the issue of secularism and Islam the Turkish Republic is often mentioned as an example of how a Muslim society can be governed by secular principles. Secularism implies the separation of religion and state. A careful reading of textbooks used in universal religious education reveal that Turkish secularism does not only entail state control over the meaning of religion, but that religion is also used to promote nationalism, militarism, and the existing economic order. Show less
Today mass media, especially the audio-visual media, exert an immense influence on nearly every society, and Turkey is no exception. The television ap pearances of the Turkish Islamic theologian... Show moreToday mass media, especially the audio-visual media, exert an immense influence on nearly every society, and Turkey is no exception. The television ap pearances of the Turkish Islamic theologian and author Yasar Nuri Öztürk is striking in this context of rising mediatic hegemony. The development of televangelism in the USA, which has lead to nation-wide religiousmovements, is not without parallels in Turkey, where the television has virtually become a religious medium - for some, even a 'tele-mosque' of sorts. Show less
The Nurcu movement founded by Said Nursi (1873-1960) is probably one of the most important religious organizations in Turkey. After Nursi's death in 1960, the Nurcu brotherhood fragmented into... Show moreThe Nurcu movement founded by Said Nursi (1873-1960) is probably one of the most important religious organizations in Turkey. After Nursi's death in 1960, the Nurcu brotherhood fragmented into several sub-communities with different interpretations of religion, different goals and different positions on political issues.* Nowadays, Fethullah Gülen controls the most powerful of these groups. His followers are also active in Central Asia but, with the possible exception of Turkmenistan, the movement is unable to operate in an open and public manner. Show less
For some time Islamic publishing in the West has been associated with pamphlets in awkward English printed on pulp. Strolling through Islamic bookshops in Britain one immediately realizes how... Show moreFor some time Islamic publishing in the West has been associated with pamphlets in awkward English printed on pulp. Strolling through Islamic bookshops in Britain one immediately realizes how things have changed: beautifully edited books are offered for considerable prices. A notable part of these publications is dedicated to the defence of Islam against the challenges of Christianity and materialism. Outstanding examples for this new tendency are the writings of the prolific Turkish author Harun Yahya (pseudonym of Adnan Oktar), whose list of Turkish publications includes about 180 titles, most of them dedicated to the refutation of Darwinism. Show less
On 22 September 1999 the dead body of an 18-yearold girl was found in a cemetery in Istanbul, Turkey. Massive media coverage was launched when the police discovered that she had been killed by two... Show moreOn 22 September 1999 the dead body of an 18-yearold girl was found in a cemetery in Istanbul, Turkey. Massive media coverage was launched when the police discovered that she had been killed by two young men and a young woman, who, claiming to be Satanists, testified that one of them had orders from Satan to perform the sacrifice. When the public prosecutor used the description of Satanism in the formal charges brought against the accused, Satanism entered the legal documents as a new crime for the first time in Turkish legal history. The three perpetrators were judged guilty of murder and were sentenced to a total of 25 years in prison. Show less
When the resurgence of Islam in Turkey is debated, Islamistic women's appearance and visibility in public life often forms one of the core topics on the agenda. Discussions all too often end with a... Show moreWhen the resurgence of Islam in Turkey is debated, Islamistic women's appearance and visibility in public life often forms one of the core topics on the agenda. Discussions all too often end with a fixed assertion about the presence of 'covered' women. But how are place and space claimed in women's religious activism? Show less
Despite the centrality of the rising tensions between secularist and pro-Islamist groups with respect to the future of Turkish politics, little empirical analysis exists on the cleavages between... Show moreDespite the centrality of the rising tensions between secularist and pro-Islamist groups with respect to the future of Turkish politics, little empirical analysis exists on the cleavages between the two groups. The Political Islam in Turkey (PIT) project* provides extensive opportunities for such an analysis as well as analyses of many other aspects of Islam in modern Turkey. The following focuses on the levels of support for the controversial policies in recent years aimed at regulating the role of religion in Turkish social life. Show less
The Hacibektaüs festival has become, in the last decade, the main public event of Alevism in Turkey. It is characterized both by its undetermined nature between religion, culture, folklore and... Show moreThe Hacibektaüs festival has become, in the last decade, the main public event of Alevism in Turkey. It is characterized both by its undetermined nature between religion, culture, folklore and politics, and by the diversity of its participants and scenes. The process of assertion of a contested identity and negotiation of public space are vital to understanding Alevism as it exists today. Show less
Essays on gender relations in rural Turkey end up all too often in the pitfall of fixed ascriptions that portray women mainly as victims of their own society. The following is an attempt to... Show moreEssays on gender relations in rural Turkey end up all too often in the pitfall of fixed ascriptions that portray women mainly as victims of their own society. The following is an attempt to challenge this discourse of victimization and fixity by drawing on female bodily expressions. Women in rural Turkey counteract social expectations and male dominance through bodily crises. This case study shows the potential for change that is inherent in spirit possession, which is commonly considered backward or traditional. Bodily crises in this sense are conceptualized not only as an expression of weakness, but also as a female counter-hegemonic potential to express the unspeakable. Show less
In summer 1996, Turkish newspapers, especially those addressing a religious audience, reported the introduction of a new space of consumption: a fivestar hotel in Didim (Aydin) designed on the... Show moreIn summer 1996, Turkish newspapers, especially those addressing a religious audience, reported the introduction of a new space of consumption: a fivestar hotel in Didim (Aydin) designed on the basis of Islamic rules. Fadil Akgunduz, owner of the hotel, announced in a press release on the opening of the facility that this investment was an attempt to enable religious-conservative people to benefit from the blessings of God and use their right to enjoy the worldly pleasures in accordance with their religious beliefs (Yeni Safak Daily, 3 July 1996). Show less
The two devastating earthquakes that hit Turkey last year, resulting in more than 17,000 deaths and causing extensive material damage to the country's industrial heartland, triggered continuing... Show moreThe two devastating earthquakes that hit Turkey last year, resulting in more than 17,000 deaths and causing extensive material damage to the country's industrial heartland, triggered continuing debates in which the state, state-society relations, and civil society are all being questioned. Particularly in the western press, popular anger with the state's slow and inefficient response to the disaster was portrayed as having reached an unprecedented level, de-deifying the Turkish state which had historically commanded unquestioned trust and fear. In contrast to a state depicted as heavy, shackled and corruption-riddled, the western media and parts of the Turkish press celebrated the birth of a new and vibrant civil society in Turkey. Responding much faster than the state to relief needs, Turkish associations and foundations were hailed as the expression of a new civic consciousness and as an emergent social force driving for democratization. Show less
Research conducted in five interconnected villages on the Black Sea Coast of Turkey has shown that general cultural ideas about family and social relations combine with traditional and clinical... Show moreResearch conducted in five interconnected villages on the Black Sea Coast of Turkey has shown that general cultural ideas about family and social relations combine with traditional and clinical medical theories and techniques to shape health care practices. By studying the health care choices of patients and their families, cultural values can be observed in action. Studies of health care institutions in rural areas have typically treated traditional healing and indigenous theories of health as obstacles to be overcome in the pursuit of maximum health benefits for the population. On the other hand, efforts to validate indigenous techniques and knowledge often present clinical medicine as an unmitigated threat to traditional ways. The following demonstrates how traditional and clinical healing practices interact and combine in a system which is actively negotiated and consumed by patients and their families. Show less
