Islamic Roots and Resurgence in Turkey: Understanding and Explaining the Muslim Resurgence

by Stephen Vertigans

During a time when global interest in radicalism has intensified, this book provides an illuminating and comprehensive account for the resurgence of radical Islam in Turkey. Putting aside popular perceptions, empirical research and analysis reveal that the appeal of Islam crosses all social and economic groups, including those that are successful and well educated. Awareness of the significance of ideology, socialization agents, motivation and relevant historical and contemporary contexts bring us to a broader understanding of how some Muslims become what the author terms praxistioners, those that pursue radical goals using salvation as the ultimate motivation. Investigating ideological beliefs and motivations, Vertigans argues, is the only means of understanding the wide ranging nature of the Islamic resurgence. A long tern, comprehensive account of Turkish society spotlights important events and fundamental differences that have contributed to the contemporary Islamic resurgence. Central Islamic tenets and their role within Muslim Empires, especially the Ottoman are established in this book, helping to understand the relevance of the past to present-day occurrences. The analysis is supplemented by empirical research into Turkish postgraduate students based in the United Kingdom. With the steadily increasing global concern about radicalism and religion, Islamic Roots and Resurgences in Turkey provides an informative account of how and why this has evolved.

208 pages, Hardcover

First published November 30, 2003

About the author

Stephen Vertigans is Head of School of Applied Social Studies, Robert Gordon University, Aberdeen, UK. His research interests include Corporate Social Responsibility in the energy sector, with particular attention placed upon social impacts in Africa. To this end he has visited numerous African countries to help build capacity and to investigate how CSR approaches can help overcome deep rooted social problems and political tensions. Stephen was instrumental in the introduction of a MSc programme looking at CSR and Energy. He has published widely across a range of fields including Corporate Social Responsibility, African studies and forms of political violence.