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Upturning the typical view of Turkey's democratic trajectory as a product of authoritarian assault or unfortunate circumstances, this book argues that the AKP, first elected in 2002, has consistently advanced a narrative of democracy as the work of an elite working for the 'National Will'.
List of contents
Introduction: The AKP's New Turkey as a Conceptual and Theoretical Problem 1. Turkish Democracy, the Kemalist Army and the Quest for Recognition Until 1980 2. The Rise and Transformation of Islamism in Turkey, 1970-2002 3. The AKP on the Defensive: Crafting a Democratic Identity out of an Islamist Identity, 2002-2008 4. The AKP's Identity in Limbo, 2008-2013 5. The Tyranny of the National Will and the West: Authoritarianization as Securitization 6. Conclusions; or, Three Lessons from the AKP's Story
About the author
Mehmet Celil Çelebi is an Assistant Professor in the Political Science and International Relations Department at Abdullah Gül University. His work focuses on Turkish politics and democracy. His latest publication was titled "Mincing Words: The Three Layers of the AKP's Narrative on Kurdish Politics" for the journal
Nationalism & Ethnic Politics (2020).
Summary
Upturning the typical view of Turkey’s democratic trajectory as a product of authoritarian assault or unfortunate circumstances, this book argues that the AKP, first elected in 2002, has consistently advanced a narrative of democracy as the work of an elite working for the 'National Will'.
