MODERNITY, SECULARIZATION AND RELIGION IN TURKEY

Oyedamade Tope Opakunbi, Michael Ihuoma Ogu (PhD)

Abstract


How has religion influenced the politics and development of the Turkish society? What is the nature of religion and secularism within the Turkish state? These are some of the questions this study set out to address. This study adopted the qualitative expository design, sourcing data from largely relevant secondary sources of data to investigate the variables of modernity, secularization and religion in Turkey. The study found that although a secular state, religion has played a significant role in the politics and development of Turkey, considering its 90% Muslim population. It was also found that unique nature of secularism in the state of Turkey has remained a challenge to the admission of Turkey into the European Union. The paper recommended that Turkey must continue to ensure a balance between religion and secularism to ensure that the Muslim religion does not drown the secular nature of Turkish politics. Also, Turkey must, rather than desire a place in the European regional framework, continue to strengthen the Organization of Islamic Corporation and the regional framework of the Middle East.


Keywords


Secularization, Security, Religion, Modernity, Politics.

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