Publication details
Beyond Islamism: Reactionary Nationalism in Turkish Politics
| Authors | |
|---|---|
| Year of publication | 2025 |
| Type | Appeared in Conference without Proceedings |
| MU Faculty or unit | |
| Citation | |
| Description | Challenging claims that Islamism ever formed a viable political force in Turkey, this analysis demonstrates that Turkish elite ideology is a case of so-called “competitive occidentalism”: a nationalist revival that instrumentalizes religious discourse while pioneering reactionary populist strategies now adopted globally. Turkish elites deploy symbolic religious rhetoric, devoid of theocratic substance, to mobilize groups alienated by secular modernization. This logic shapes both domestic mobilization and Neo-Ottoman foreign policy, which promotes nationalist autonomy over pan-Islamic solidarity. Turkey's case illustrates political Islam's shift from revolutionary ideology to pragmatic nationalism, offering insights into Islamist movements' transformations across the Middle East and beyond. |