Nationalisms and Politics in Turkey: Political Islam, Kemalism and the Kurdish Issue (Routledge Studies in Middle Eastern Politics)

This book examines some of the most pressing issues facing the Turkish political establishment, in particular the issues of political Islam, and Kurdish and Turkish nationalisms. The authors explore the rationales of the main political actors in Turkey in order to increase our understanding of the ongoing debates over the secularist character of the Turkish Republic and over Turkey’s longstanding Kurdish issue. Original contributions from respected scholars in the field of Turkish and Kurdish studies provide us with many insights into the social and political fabric of Turkey, exploring Turkey’s secularist establishment, the ruling AKP government, the Kurdistan Workers' Party and the Institutions of the European Union. While the focus of concern in this book is with the social agents of contemporary politics in Turkey, the convictions they have and the strategies they employ, historical dimensions are also integrated in their analyses. In its approach, the book makes an important contribution to a widening investigation into the making of politics in the contemporary world. Incorporating the importance of the growing transnational connections between Turkey and Europe, this book is particularly relevant in the light of the ongoing negotiations over Turkey’s membership to the European Union, and will be of interest to scholars interested in Turkish studies, Kurdish studies and Middle Eastern Politics. Turkey's Present Ancien Régime And The Justice And Development Party / Menderes Çinar -- Democratization, Clashing Narratives, And 'twin Tolerations' Between Islamic-conservative And Pro-secular Actors / Murat Somer -- 'nationalist' Reconstructions In The Light Of Disappearing Borders / Ferhat Kentel -- The Kurdish Question In Turkey : Denial To Recognition / Mesut Yeğen -- Turgut Özal And The Kurdish Question / Michael M. Gunter -- The Justice And Development Party And The Kurdish Question / Tozun Bahcheli And Sid Noel -- Born From The Left : The Making Of The Pkk / Joost Jongerden And Ahmet Hamdi Akkaya -- The Pkk In The 2000s : Continuity Through Breaks? / Ahmet Hamdi Akkaya And Joost Jongerden -- Constructing Communities In The Turkish Diaspora : A Quest For Politics / Ayhan Kaya -- Bringing The Organization Back In : Pro-kurdish Protest In Europe / Olivier Grojean -- The Politics Of Solidarity : The Kurdish Question In The European Parliament / Marlies Casier. Edited By Marlies Casier And Joost Jongerden. Includes Bibliographical References And Index. This book examines some of the most pressing issues facing the Turkish political establishment, focusing in particular on the issues of nationalism, the Kurds and political Islam.