Political Islam at the Crossroads: From Hegemony to Co-Existence

In: Contemporary politics, Band 7, Heft 4, S. 281-298

Abstract

Politically, Turkey constitutes an unusual case where Islamists have been allowed to share power, as a dominant partner in a coalition government, in a broadly open & a strongly secularist political environment. Hence, it provides an interesting context in which to investigate the complex issue concerning the relationship between Islamism & liberal democracy. This article investigates the processes leading to the transformation of Islamists in Turkey from "moderate fundamentalists" to a milder & more liberal posture in the recent period & attempts to assess the consequences of this phenomenon for the future of the democratic order. A major objective is to highlight some of the paradoxical developments encountered in the process, attempting to consolidate democracy in the current international order within the parameters of neoliberal globalization. 1 Table, 2 Figures. Adapted from the source document.