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Middle East Review of International Affairs
Twins or Enemies: Comparing Nationalist and Islamist Traditions in Turkish Politics
by Birol Akgun
*
Abstract
In the last decade, fragile Turkish democracy has witnessed the rise of the two dynamic movements: Right-wing nationalism and religious revivalism. In a comparative perspective, this paper analyzes and explores underlying causes of increasing electoral support given to the Islamist Refah Party or RP (later succeeded by Fazilet or FP) and the right-wing nationalist Milliyetci Hareket Partisi (MHP). First origins, historical evolutions, and ideological roots of both Islamist and Nationalist traditions in Turkey are introduced. Then, the evidence associated with the rise of these parties is presented drawing on public opinion regarding significant political issues, socio-demographic characteristics, and information on geographical bases of these parties. Finally, an assessment is made regarding the future of right-wing parties and democratic consolidation in Turkey.
Full PDF Document, 19 pages, 106kB
Endnotes
Note *: Birol Akgun is an assistant professor in the Department of International Relations at Selcuk University in Konya, Turkey. Back