Published online by Cambridge University Press: 28 March 2014
Largely Implemented During The Tumultuous Years between 1923 and 1937, Turkey's laws, education system, civil service, economy, military, international outlook and trade are all founded on the premise of a Western-oriented separation between religion and state. This system has survived seventy years of economic, political and social transformation with remarkable resilience: Islamic brotherhoods, most recently a particularly vehement tarikat called the Aczmendi, are still prosecuted for calling openly for return to Islamic rule.
The research for this article was funded in part by the Charlotte Bonham‐Carter Trust, and in part by the University of Wales, Lampeter. I am extremely grateful to them for their support, and to my department for research leave during the period of the elections in Turkey.
2 Cf. Stirling, P., ‘Introduction: Growth and Changes: Speed, Scale, Complexity’ in Stirling, P. (ed.), Culture and Economy: Changes in Turkish Villages, Huntingdon, 1993.Google Scholar Eothen Press, pages 1–16. Also Hann, C. (ed.), When History Accelerates, London, Athlone Press, 1994.Google Scholar
3 Cf. the early article by Stirling, P., ‘Religious Change in Republican Turkey’ in Middle East Journal, Autumn issue, pp. 395–408.Google Scholar
4 See the essays in Tapper, R. (ed.), Islam in Modern Turkey, London, Tauris, 1991,Google Scholar esp. B. Akşit, ‘Islamic education in Turkey’, pp. 145–170.
5 Cf. Güvenç, B., Şaylan, G., Tekeli, I. and Turan, Ş., Türk‐islam Sentenzi (Turk‐Islam Synthesis), Istanbul, Sermal, 1991.Google Scholar
6 On the Alevi, cf. Shankland, D., ‘Diverse Paths of Change: Alevi and Sunni in rural Anatolia in Stirling, P. (ed.), Culture and Economy: Changes in Turkish Villages, Huntingdon, Eothen Press, 1993, pp. 46–64.Google Scholar
7 This last threat is more significant than a piece of political gossip. Men can prevaricate on the question of their belief much more easily than women, and it would be a highly significant gesture of support should Mrs Ytlmaz act as a focus for their opposition to the Islamic movement. Cf. Browning, J., Atatiirk’s Legacy to the Women of Turkey, Durham, Centre for Middle East and Islamic Studies, occasional paper No. 27, 1985.Google Scholar
8 Erbakan, N., Adil Ekonomik Düzen (Just Economic Order), Ankara, Refah Partisi c. 1991.Google Scholar
9 24 Araltk Seçim Sonuclari Değerlendirmesi, Prof. Dr. Necmettin Erbakan’in Basin Toplanttsi, REFAH PARTISI’nin BÜYÜK ZAFERI, ‘Türkiye yeniden Doğuyor’ Seri 1, (An evaluation of the 24 December election results: Professor Necmettin Erbakan’s Press Conference: THE WELFARE PARTY’S GREAT VICTORY, ‘Born Again Turkey’ series No. 1) Ankara, Refah Partisi.
10 Cf. Çakir, R., Ne Şeriat Ne Demokrasi, Refah Partisini Anlamak (Neither Sheriat nor Democracy: Understanding the Welfare Party), Istanbul, Siyahbeyaz, 1994.Google Scholar
11 This article was completed in late February 1996.