Populist and Pro-Violence State Religion: The Diyanet’s Construction of Erdoğanist Islam in Turkey (Palgrave Studies in Populisms)

This book explores state{u2013}religion relations under a populist authoritarian ruling party in Turkey. In doing so, it investigates how the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) instrumentalizes state-controlled religion to further, defend, legitimatize and propagate its authoritarian populist political agenda in a constitutionally secular nation-state. To exemplify this, the authors examine the Friday sermons delivered weekly in every mosque in Turkey by the Turkish State{u2019}s Directorate of Religious Affairs (Diyanet). By analyzing all sermons delivered between 2010-2021, the book shows how the Diyanet has enthusiastically adopted AKP{u2019}s increasingly Islamist, authoritarian, civilisationist, militarist and pro-violence populism since 2010, and how it has tried to socially engineer beliefs in line with this ideology. Ihsan Yilmaz is the Research Professor and Chair of Islamic Studies and Intercultural Dialogue at the Alfred Deakin Institute for Citizenship and Globalisation, Deakin University, Melbourne, Australia. He has conducted mixed-method research on nation-building, citizenship, Islam{u2013}state{u2013}law relations in majority and minority contexts (Turkey, Pakistan, Egypt, Indonesia, UK, USA and Australia), authoritarianism, Islamism, populism, transnationalism, ethno-religious and political minorities, securitisation, political participation and intergroup relations. He was Professor of Political Science at Istanbul Fatih University (2008-2016), Lecturer in Law, Social Sciences and Politics at SOAS, University of London (2001-2008), and a fellow at Centre for Islamic Studies, the University of Oxford (1999-2001). Ismail Albayrak is the Professorial Fellow at the Australian Catholic University, Melbourne. He has worked on Islamic studies and specifically on Qur{u2019}anic Studies, Classical Exegesis, Contemporary Approaches to the Qur{u2019}an and Orientalism. He is also interested in the place of Muslim communities and their activities in globalizing world together with a focus on interfaith dialogue. In line with these areas of interest, he has built a strong teaching and research track record in the study of Islam and complementary understanding of interfaith principles. His recent publications have focused on Islamic studies, Qur{u2019}anic studies, Interfaith dialogue, Muslims in modern world, Islamic movements and Islamic mysticism Contents 1 From Pro-Kemalist to the Populist and Pro-Violence Diyanet Erdoğanism and Its Politics: A Zero-Sum-Game Between Friends and Enemies Religious Populist and Pro-Violence Narratives of Erdoğanism Friday Sermons Methodology Chapters of the Book References 2 The Evolution of the Kemalists’ Diyanet Introduction Kemalists’ Diyanet Building a Sunni Muslim Turkish Nation by the Kemalists Diyanet Islam: State’s Manufacturing of Turkish Islam Diyanet’s Competition with Non-state Islamic Groups Conclusion References 3 Redefining Diyanet in the AKP Era Introduction AKP 1.0 (2001–2008): Emergence and Rule of Muslim Democrats AKP 2.0 (2008–May 2013): Authoritarian Drift AKP 3.0 (2016–Present): Erdoğanist Authoritarianism Diyanet’s Role in the Post-coup Erdoğanist State (2016–Present) Conclusion References 4 Swinging Between Turkish Nationalism and Global Pan-Islamism Introduction The Reinterpretation of National Identity Nationalism in Diyanet Sermons Post-2015 Diyanet’s Growing Transnational Politicization The Construction of a Greater Ummah Imagining and Constructing the Geography of Heart Conclusion References 5 Antagonism Towards Christians and Interfaith Dialogue Introduction AKP 1.0: The Globalist, Inclusive, and Pro-Interreligious Dialogue AKP 2.0 and 3.0: Mobilizing the Ummah Against the Crusader West Conclusion References 6 Islamist Populist Conspiracy Theories and Victimhood Introduction Emergence of Conspiracy Theories in Diyanet Sermons The Warning of Fitna The Source of the Fitna The Trials of the Faithful Conclusion References 7 Demonization and De-Humanisation of AKP’s Opponents Introduction Gezi Park Protests: Diyanet Defaming ‘the Enemy’ Post-Gezi Protests: Social Media and Diyanet Diyanet’s Attempts to Defame Gülen Movement via Friday Sermons Use of Fear to Dehumanize and Demonize the Gülen Movement Portrayal of Fethullah Gülen as an Adversary Diyanet: Villainizing the GM Beyond Sermons Conclusion References 8 Pro-violence Islamist Populism: Militarism, Glorification of Martyrdom and Jihadism Introduction Militarism in Friday Sermons Beyond the Chivalrous Army Glorification of Martyrdom in Friday Sermons Jihadism in Friday Sermons Covert Pro-violent Practices of AKP-Diyanet Partnership Conclusion References 9 The Future of the Mosque–State Relations in Turkey Appendix A: List of Acronyms Appendix B: Glossary Bibliography Index