FEAS RESEARCH E-BULLETIN FEAS E-BULLETIN DECEMBER 2016 | Page 10

Author: Konuralp, Emrah
Title: Transformation of Secularism in Turkey: Debating Post-Secularism under the AKP Rule
Supervisor: Prof. Dr. Ayşe Ayata
Department: Political Science and Public Administration
Date: July 2016
Abstract: Post-secularism literature has been developed to respond the need for resolving problem of
pluralism in the Western societies by putting emphasis on inviting the religious to the public sphere.
The main goal of this research is to transpose this literature to the analysis of Turkish experience which
is an officially secular and predominantly Muslim context. Turkey under the rule of the Justice and
Development Party (AKP) can be considered as an example of post-secularism. The AKP is seen as an
evolution of political Islamist National Outlook movement which antagonised secularisation in Turkey.
Dissimilarly, the AKP did not challenge the secular credential of the Republic of Turkey directly and
acted in between secularism and Islam. This 'in-between-ness' can be seen as a reflection of postsecularism. Nonetheless, the main thesis in this research is: Turkey under the AKP-rule cannot be
considered as post-secular and this is assessed along with the following criteria of conditions for postsecularism in Turkey: (1) consolidated democracy; (2) deeply established secularism as a political
principle; (3) the objective guarantees on the freedom of religion and conscience; (4) management of
problem of pluralism; and (5) analysis of the AKP in relation to post-Islamism.

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