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Turkey, 3/1/08
Overview:
Emerging from World War I as a shrunken version of the Ottoman Empire, Turkey plays a pivotal role in the world. A strong U.S. ally during the Cold War, Turkey is now the world's largest Muslim democracy. Join Active Minds as we explore Turkey's past and current challenges, including potential European Union membership and struggles with its Kurdish minority.
Key Lecture Points:
• In late February 2008, the Turkish military embarked on a controversial mission, sending thousands of troops into the Kurdish-dominated region of northern Iraq. The purpose of the mission was to root out members of the Kurdish separatist organization, PKK. Turkey accused the government of Iraq (and the Kurdish population of northern Iraq) of failing to stop the PKK from using its territory as a base of operations. The PKK is labeled as a terrorist organization by Turkey, the US and the EU. Turkey’s weeklong mission was completed on February 28 with officials in Ankara stating that its objectives had been achieved. Many analysts suggest that the mission was a purposeful show of strength by the Turkish government against a growing perception of Kurdish nationalism in eastern Turkey and northern Iraq.
• Becoming an independent state in 1924, the nation of Turkey was, ostensibly, the remains of the defeated Ottoman Empire. Immediately, the country set out on a secular, democratic path with war hero Mustafa Kemal Pasha, or Ataturk, its leader. The military, gaining strength and political influence during WWII as a result of a strong alliance with the US, has long seen itself as the protector of Turkish democracy and secularism.
• Turkey’s Islamic identity dates back to the Muslim conquests in the 9th century and the establishment of the Ottoman Turk Empire beginning in the 13th Century. Notwithstanding the secular government of Ataturk and his followers, over the past decade, the Turkish people have seen a variety of Islamist leaders rise on the political stage. The first Islamist prime minister was elected in 1996, only to be ousted by the military. In 2007, Abdullah Gul became Turkey’s first-ever Islamist head of state. Turkish secularists are deeply concerned about his presidency, although Gul consistently reaffirms his commitment to a secular Turkey.
• Turkey became a candidate for EU membership in 1999, yet still faces significant resistance from EU members as to its accession. While most Turks welcome the prospect of EU membership and the economic opportunities that would come with it, European powers are more skeptical. They cite concerns over the size of the Turkish population, its religious and cultural identity, as well as the Turkish record in human rights as reasons to block Turkish accession into the EU.
Exploration Questions:
• What are the dangers associated with the Turkish incursion into Northern Iraq? Why do you think the Turks chose to invade?
• Why do you think that the Turks have had so much difficulty incorporating the Kurdish minority into the life of Turkey?
Reflective Question:
• What elements of Turkish culture influence the United States?
• Have you ever traveled to Turkey? If so, what were your impressions of the country and its people?
More to Explore:
• Turkish history: http://www.state.gov
• Secular democracy and Islam: http://news.bbc.co.uk
Books For Further Reading:
• Stoneman, Richard. A Traveller’s History of Turkey. Interlink Publishing, 2005. 247 pages. From Noah’s flood to the present, this book provides a short survey of Turkish history. Click here to order.
• Howe, Marvine. Turkey: A Nation Divided over Islam’s Revival. Westview Press, 2004. 310 pages. The author, an American journalist who opened the Ankara bureau of the New York Times in 1979, addresses the issue of whether Turkish democracy and Islam can coexist. Click here to order.
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