Secularism and Muslim Democracy in Turkey

This book discusses whether it is possible for a political party with deeply religious ideology to liberalise and entertain democracy.

M. Hakan Yavuz (Author)

9780521888783, Cambridge University Press

Hardback, published 19 February 2009

320 pages, 1 map
23.5 x 15.1 x 2.8 cm, 0.63 kg

'This book is an important contribution to the debate over whether 'Islamist' movements can democratise, join in mainstream politics and govern Muslim states.' Middle East International

In 2002 the Islamist Justice and Development Party (AKP) swept to power in Turkey. Since then it has shied away from a hard-line ideological stance in favour of a more conservative and democratic approach. In this book, M. Hakan Yavuz negotiates this ambivalence asking whether it is possible for a political party with a deeply religious ideology to liberalise and entertain democracy or whether, as he contends, radical religious groups moderate their practices and ideologies when forced to negotiate a competitive and rule-based political system. The author explores the thesis through an analysis of the rise and evolution of the AKP and its more recent 2007 election victory. The book, which tackles a number of important issues including political participation, economics and internal security, provides a masterful survey of modern Turkish and Islamic politics, which will be of interest to a broad range of readers from students to professionals and policymakers.

Introduction: what is an Islamic and non-Islamic party?
1. The socio-political context
2. Political origins of the AKP
3. Ideology, organization and parliamentary group of the AKP
4. The two queen bees: Erdo?an and Gül
5. Modes of secularism
6. The AKP and the Kurdish question
7. Foreign policy - EU/Cyprus and USA/Iraq
8. The crisis and the 2007 elections.

Subject Areas: Politics & government [JP], Islam [HRH], Middle Eastern history [HBJF1]