The Limits of Westernization : A Cultural History of America in Turkey

In a 2001 poll, Turks ranked the United States highest when asked: 'Which country is Turkey's best friend in international relations?' When the pollsters reversed the question--'Which country is Turkey's number one enemy in international relations?'--the United States came in second. How did Turkey's citizens come to hold such opposing views simultaneously? In The Limits of Westernization, Perin E. Gürel analyzes the complex local uses of the 'the West' to explain this unique split and its echoes in contemporary U.S.-Turkey relations. Using Turkish and English sources, Gürel maps Turks' reactions to the rise of the United States in the twentieth century. As Turkey transitioned from an empire to a nation-state, the country's ruling elite projected 'westernization' as a necessary and desirable force but also feared its cultural damage. Turkish stock figures and figures of speech represented America both as a good model for selective westernization and as a dangerous source of degeneration. Meanwhile, U.S. policy makers imagined Turkey first as the main figure of Oriental barbarism and then, during the Cold War, as a good representative for modernization theory. As the Cold War transitioned to the War on Terror, Turks rebelled against the new U.S.-made trope of the 'moderate Muslim.' Local artifacts of westernization--folk culture crossed with American cultural exports--and alternative projections of modernity became tinder for both Turkish anti-Americanism and resistance to state-led modernization projects. Gürel traces how ideas about westernization and America have influenced national history writing and policy making, as well as everyday culture and identities. Foregrounding shifting tropes about and from Turkey--a regional power that continues to dominate American visions for the "modernization" of the Middle east--Gürel also illuminates the transnational development of powerful political tropes, from 'the Terrible Turk' to 'the Islamic Terrorist'. Read more... In A 2001 Turkish Poll, The United States Ranked Highest In Response To The Question, Which Country Is Turkey's Best Friend In International Relations? Yet, It Also Scored Exceptionally High When The Question Was Reversed To Which Country Is Turkey's Number One Enemy In International Relations? Focusing On The Twentieth Century As The Crucible Of U.s.-turkish Relations, The Limits Of Westernization Unpacks This Love-hate Relationship. The Book Demonstrates From Both Perspectives How Turks Reacted To The Rise Of The United States Through A Discourse Of Westernization As Necessary And Desirable But Also Liable To Excess And Cultural Damage. Initially Considered A Good Model For Turkey's Development, The United States Became The Primary Fount Of Degeneration In The Turkish Imagination. At The Same Time, U.s. Policy-makers Saw Turkey First As The Main Figure Of Oriental Barbarism (i.e. The Terrible Turk), Then, During The Cold War, As A Success Of Modernization Theory, In Contrast To The Bad Arab. As The Cold War Transitioned To The War On Terror, Turks Rebelled Against The Moderate Islam That U.s. Policy Makers Began To Impose. Folk Culture Hybridized With American Cultural Products (and Local Conceptions Of Westernization) Operated As Resources For Turkish Anti-americanism. The Book Demonstrates How, As U.s. Policy-makers Cast Turkey In Various Roles, Turks Anticipated, Manipulated, And Contested These Attempts Through The Local Logics Of Westernization. Taking Turkey As A Case Study, The Author Traces The Co-evolution Of Orientalism And Westernization As Intersecting Political Discourses. Adopting A Transnational And Comparative Perspective, She Demonstrates How And Why The United States Failed In Figuring The World In Its Own Image In The Twentieth Century. Introduction : Good West, Bad West, Wild West -- Over-westernization -- Narrating The Mandate : Selective Westernization And Official History -- Allegorizing America : Over-westernization In The Turkish Novel -- Under-westernization -- Humoring English : Wild Westernization And Bilingual Folklore -- Figuring Sexualities : Inadequate Westernization And Rights Activism -- Postscript : Refiguring Culture In U.s.-middle East Relations. Perin E. Gürel. Includes Bibliographical References And Index. In a 2001 poll, Turks ranked the United States highest when asked:'Which country is Turkey's best friend in international relations?'When the pollsters reversed the question—'Which country is Turkey's number one enemy in international relations?'—the United States came in second. How did Turkey's citizens come to hold such opposing views simultaneously? In The Limits of Westernization, Perin E. Gürel explains this unique split and its echoes in contemporary U.S.-Turkey relations. Using Turkish and English sources, Gürel maps the reaction of Turks to the rise of the United States as a world-ordering power in the twentieth century. As Turkey transitioned from an empire to a nation-state, the country's ruling elite projected'westernization'as a necessary and desirable force but also feared its cultural damage. Turkish stock figures and figures of speech represented America both as a good model for selective westernization and as a dangerous source of degeneration. At the same time, U.S. policy makers imagined Turkey from within their own civilization templates, first as the main figure of Oriental barbarism (i.e.,'the terrible Turk'), then, during the Cold War, as good pupils of modernization theory. As the Cold War transitioned to the War on Terror, Turks rebelled against the new U.S.-made trope of the'moderate Muslim.'Local artifacts of westernization—folk culture crossed with American cultural exports—and alternate projections of modernity became tinder for both Turkish anti-Americanism and resistance to state-led modernization projects. The Limits of Westernization analyzes the complex local uses of'the West'to explain how the United States could become both the best and the worst in the Turkish political imagination. Gürel traces how ideas about westernization and America have influenced national history writing and policy making, as well as everyday affects and identities. Foregrounding shifting tropes about and from Turkey—a regional power that continues to dominate American visions for the'modernization'of the Middle East—Gürel also illuminates the transnational development of powerful political tropes, from'the Terrible Turk'to'the Islamic Terrorist.' "In a 2001 poll, Turks ranked the United States highest when asked: 'Which country is Turkey's best friend in international relations?' When the pollsters reversed the question--'Which country is Turkey's number one enemy in international relations?'--the United States came in second. How did Turkey's citizens come to hold such opposing views simultaneously? In The Limits of Westernization, Perin E. Gürel analyzes the complex local uses of the 'the West' to explain this unique split and its echoes in contemporary U.S.-Turkey relations. Using Turkish and English sources, Gürel maps Turks' reactions to the rise of the United States in the twentieth century. As Turkey transitioned from an empire to a nation-state, the country's ruling elite projected 'westernization' as a necessary and desirable force but also feared its cultural damage. Turkish stock figures and figures of speech represented America both as a good model for selective westernization and as a dangerous source of degeneration. Meanwhile, U.S. policy makers imagined Turkey first as the main figure of Oriental barbarism and then, during the Cold War, as a good representative for modernization theory. As the Cold War transitioned to the War on Terror, Turks rebelled against the new U.S.-made trope of the 'moderate Muslim.' Local artifacts of westernization--folk culture crossed with American cultural exports--and alternative projections of modernity became tinder for both Turkish anti-Americanism and resistance to state-led modernization projects. Gürel traces how ideas about westernization and America have influenced national history writing and policy making, as well as everyday culture and identities. Foregrounding shifting tropes about and from Turkey--a regional power that continues to dominate American visions for the "modernization" of the Middle east--Gürel also illuminates the transnational development of powerful political tropes, from 'the Terrible Turk' to 'the Islamic Terrorist'."-- Provided by publisher