Political Islam in Turkey

This chapter traces the historical evolution of political Islam in Turkey from the late Ottoman Empire to the contemporary Republic, situating it within broader debates on modernization, secularism, and state-building. It begins by examining the late Ottoman synthesis of modernization (muasırlaşmak), Islamisation (İslamlaşmak), and Turkification (Türkleşmek), highlighting how religion and state authority became increasingly intertwined, especially under Sultan Abdülhamid II. The analysis then follows the transformation of these dynamics into the Republican and post-1980s political landscape, culminating in the Justice and Development Party (AKP) era. Fabbe argues that political Islam in Turkey has evolved not as a simple reaction to secularism but as an integral part of state formation and governance. The conclusion calls for moving beyond the dichotomy of “secular” versus “religious” politics to understand the complex interplay of Islamic discourse, nationalism, and state power in shaping Turkey’s modern political order.