Fundamentalism

The Erdoğan factor and fundamentalism

For Western capitals, a Turkey led by President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan is a problem they do not know how to manage. It has also been election campaign material for politicians since Brexit. You can be sure that the Erdoğan factor will persist in election campaigns in Germany in 2021 and in France in 2022.

After 'Chapel Hill Shooting': Double Standards in the Media Discourse

Nobody can justify terror but the root cause is a reflection of a western-centric discourse and is extremely worrying. Defending freedom, human rights, and dignity of people requires sincerity and it cannot be hidden under the guise of political projects.

Regional Strategies of China and the Eastern Turkestan Issue

China is ruled by a regime blinded by rich anger and has determined to adopt unpeaceful regional plans and strategies behind the efforts to assimilate diversities and eliminate opponents in East Turkestan.

The Headscarf and Secular Democracy

A recent survey claims that the number of women covering their heads in Turkey has increased “fourfold” over the last four years. While some interpret this as a natural result of Turkey’s democratization, others see it as a dangerous development for Turkish secularism. The choice of the words “fourfold increase” and “over the last four years” is no accident -- they imply that this is the Justice and Development Party’s (AK Party) fault. Turkey has been debating the headscarf issue for over two decades now.

Moving From Modernization to Globalization

There is a discrepancy and even contradiction between Turkey's foreign policy activism and the polarization of its domestic politics. While the ruling Justice and Development Party (AK Party) keeps surprising everyone with its bold and decisive foreign policy moves, it is losing its grip on the domestic pulse.

Back To Square One On The Kurdish Issue

First it was a devastating attack in Dağlıca. Now it is Aktütün. And countless other attacks occurred in between. Outlawed Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) terrorism is back.

Turkey and Transatlantic Trends

According to the 2008 Transatlantic Trends public opinion survey recently released by the German Marshall Fund of the United States (GMF) -- available at www.gmfus.org -- Turkey's threat perception has declined and its confidence has increased compared to a year ago.

Islamophobia, Block Thinking' and the Limits Of Multiculturalism

According to the US News & World Report (Sept. 27), President Bush uses the words “Islamic terrorist” with a clear agenda: the words “extremism,” “radical” and “Muslim” do not have the same dramatic tone as “Islamist terrorist.” The report says that while Bush has lightened up on using the word “Islamic” before terrorists, the advisers said in the background that the word should always be used because Americans believe that “Islamists” are those who act on terrorist threats. Words to avoid are “Muslim,” “extremist” and “radicals.”