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Turkije Instituut – Utrecht 31 January 200 8 ‘Taksim – Kars ’ M oderni z ation, democracy , a nd the future of Turkey. Intellectuals and Westernization in Turkey (1923-2008) Baskin Oran oran@politics.ankara.edu.tr. Part I. Intellectuals.
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Turkije Instituut – Utrecht31January 2008‘Taksim – Kars’Modernization, democracy, and the future of Turkey Intellectuals and Westernization in Turkey (1923-2008) Baskin Oran oran@politics.ankara.edu.tr
PartI Intellectuals Baskın Oran
Intellectuals in Underdeveloped Countries:the Aydın Aydın has no equivalent in Western languages. Origin: Aydınlanma (Age of Enlightenment). Driver and engine of Westernization BUT may also be the brake.
Class background Petty Bourgeoisie Small tradesman Aydın Baskın Oran
Petty Bourgeoisie and the West Small tradesman: Destroyed by the West Aydın:Created by the West(ern education) Creator of a simulation of the West in its country. “… is product of modernization before modernization reaches its country” (J.Kautsky) Therefore: Identifies itself with the West, its creator (but, which West?) Identifies itself with the Nation-state, its creature (but, what kind of State?)..
Part II Westernization Baskın Oran
The Kemalist Revolution from Above:An Appraisal - Huge Successes - Contradiction: - Strong nation-state under heavy influence of the military vs. - “Contemporary Civilisation” - Responses against Kemalist revolution: - Ethnicreactions - Religious reactions - Civilian/Democratic reactions. Baskın Oran
. Two Westernization Movements: a comparison Ottoman Empire Kemalist Revolution (1920s) EU Reform Packages (2001-2004) Semi-feudal empire Nation-state (monist) Democratic state (pluralist) Subject Citizen (compulsory) Citizen (voluntary) Umma Nation (homogenous and secular) The human being Supra-identity: Muslim Turk (Muslim Turk) Türkiyeli (“from Turkey”) Baskın Oran
Reactions against EU Reform Packages“Raise the flags high!” • Started with: Insulting and penalizing the Minority Report (Arts. 301, 216) Slogans: • “We’ll be split” (Cyprus, Pontus, Phanar, Diaspora, Kurds, sale of summer houses, privatisation, etc.) • “Islamists will take over” • “Christian & imperialist West” Actions: • The website of the Gen.Staff: “Who doesn’t say ‘I’m proud to be a Turk’ is an enemy and will stay so” • Lynching the leftist and Kurdish demonstrators; killing the non-Muslim citizens and foreign missionaries .. Baskın Oran
Why this aberration ? • A fear from Zombies: Unsolved problems stuffed in the closet now coming out all at once: • Armenian p. • Islam p. • Kurdish p. • A reaction against globalization symbolised by the EU Reforms - a new precondition for Turkish candidacy at every new EU document (Budget + Islamophobia/Turcophobia) • Result: “Sevres Paranoia” - Panic among the Kemalist elites - they cannot cope with all this by using the prescriptions of the 1930s - Panic among the masses– they are afraid of losing “the dominant nation” position .. Baskın Oran
Analysis of the Present Situation Despair and Hope 1920s & 30s 2000s KemalismEU Reform Packages Religious ReactionNationalist Reaction (“Sèvres Paranoia”) Baskın Oran