Islamic Politics in Turkey

After Recep Erdoğan’s elevation to the presidency of the Turkish Republic by popular vote, it seems the victory of the Islamists against secularists in Turkey is complete. With Islamists President at the helm for the foreseeable future, is this the end of secularism in Turkey? This course will explore the path of Islamist politics, the current state of affairs, as well as Turkey’s relations with neighbouring Muslim states and its expansionist agenda.

This class will be delivered online via the online platform Zoom. Enrolling students need to ensure they have an email, a reliable internet connection, microphone/speakers and access to a tablet, smartphone or computer.

COURSE OUTLINE

• The foundation ideology of the Republic of Turkey and Mustafa Kemal (founder of the Turkish Republic), The Turkish Republic after Mustafa Kemal
• Post World War Politics, Islam in the political arena
• The dominance of the Islamist Party and Erdoğan, “Creeping Islamisation” in the public sphere, Conflict between the secularists and the Islamists
• Current Turkish Foreign Policy, Turkey and the Islamic State, Turkey’s military operations in Iran, Iraq, Syrian and elsewhere
  
  

PLANNED LEARNING OUTCOMES

By the end of this course, participants should be able to:

1. Provide a brief outline of the history of Islamic politics in Turkey.
2. Understand the ideology of the Turkish state before and after the emergence of Islamist parties.
3. Identify the major issues that confront Turkey today.