Abstract
This paper discusses the varied perceptions of secularism both in its general meaning and its specific implementation in Turkey—the first Muslim country that has the principle of secularism in its constitution. Initially giving the various understandings of the concept of secularism in Western academia, this paper contrasts those views with the implementation of Turkish secularism—laiklik—specifically in the light of the 2008 case of closure against the conservative ruling party by the staunchly secularist Chief Prosecutor. A close reading of the indictment and the ruling party’s defense will be done in order to highlight the differences between each part’s perceptions of secularism.
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Notes
She does not clearly explain why she prefers the term “Judeo-Christian” other than saying that this term was coined “later” (Hurd 2008: 6), which corresponds with Noah Feldman’s statement in Divided by God (2005): By the 1950s, with Jews increasingly present in elite universities as students, and gradually as faculty, the time had arrived for remodeling the ideology and rhetoric of non-sectarian Christianity. Not long before, it had been confidently said that America was a Christian nation. Now in the 1950s, our heritage was reinvented as inclusive: America had been built, it was now increasingly said, on Judeo-Christian roots (166).
Adalet ve Kalkinma Partisi (Justice and Development Party): 2001–present
Fazilet Partisi (Virtue Party): 1998–2001
Milli Nizam Partisi (National Order Party): 1970–1971
Milli Selamet Partisi (National Peace Party): 1972-1981
Refah Partisi (Welfare Party): 1983-1998
The fact that he repeats the word “foundation” over and over throughout the indictment reflects the Kemalist preoccupation with the founding principles of the Republic and their resistance to consider changing them in response to new conditions.
ARTICLE 2: The Republic of Turkey is a democratic, secular, and social state governed by the rule of law; bearing in mind the concepts of public peace, national solidarity, and justice; respecting human rights; loyal to the nationalism of Atatürk, and based on the fundamental tenets set forth in the Preamble. Retrieved from http://www.byegm.gov.tr/mevzuat/anayasa/anayasa-ing.htm
On the 9th of February 2008, the Grand National Assembly added the statement that: “No one should be deprived of the right to higher education due to any reason not explicitly written in the law. Limitations on the exercise this right shall be determined by the law” to Article 42 of the constitution. However, this statement was canceled by the Constitutional Court on June 5, 2008 upon the appeal of the main opposition party, claiming that this statement intends to lift the headscarf ban in universities.
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Topal, S. Everybody Wants Secularism—But Which One? Contesting Definitions of Secularism in Contemporary Turkey. Int J Polit Cult Soc 25, 1–14 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10767-011-9114-z
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10767-011-9114-z