Moderate Islamists: The Effects of Middle-class Civil Society on Islamist Politics in Turkey

Abstract

Since the founding in 1923 of Turkey, its politics have been characterized by tension between the strong, unified, secular "center" and the weak, scattered, Islamist "periphery." Structural changes of the 1980s saw the emergence of an Islamist middle class based outside the big cities. That new counter-elite forms the backbone of a popular political movement interested in economic liberalization and cooperation with secularism. Yet the movement also is the focus of a debate: is recent Justice and Development (AK) Party moderation merely a short-term reaction to political circumstances, or does the AK represent a new, enduringly moderate Islamist movement? I argue that middle-class associations have consolidated moderation within the Islamist movement by formulating and articulating shared, pragmatic interests, and by disseminating ideas to the public. that are conducive to those interests. An examination of the roles played by two associations- MUSIAD and the Gulen network-shed light on the relationship between civil society and enduring Islamist moderation in Turkey.