Turkish Islamism: definitions and problematics

Since 2002, when a political party with Islamist background obtained a large majority in the Turkish Parliament, Islamism has experienced an identity crisis because from an opposition and anti-systemic movement has become a ruling party. Furthermore, in 2014, Turkish politics was shaken by the clash of two Islamist movements—the one of Fethullah Gülen and the ones that support the government. This clash, once again, shows how Islamism in Turkey is heterogeneous and diversified. However, the literature and the movements themselves have not been able to define themselves and to articulate their belonging to a common ideology. On the contrary, Islamism remains delegitimized by the fact that the movements or intellectual that we can define as “islamists” would not define themselves as “islamists”. My seminar will present an overview of the main problematics of Islamism in Turkey, will attempt a definition and chronology to may start to understand an intellectual and political movement so relevant for the country.