The Conception of laicite of the Republican People’s Party between 2002 and 2010


Thesis Type: Doctorate

Institution Of The Thesis: Middle East Technical University, Faculty of Economic and Administrative Sciences, Department of Political Science and Public Administration, Turkey

Approval Date: 2013

Thesis Language: English

Student: Ayşegül Uygur Doğan

Supervisor: AYŞE AYATA

Abstract:

This thesis analyzes the conception of laicite of the Republican People’s Party between 2002 and 2010 with reference to Republican People’s Party’s approach to veiling, imams/Đmam Hatip Liseleri, Quran Courses, Diyanet Đsleri Baskanlığı and Alevis as well as the party programmes and regulations. To give the contours of its notion of laicite, the thesis dwells on the public and private conceptualization of the Republican People’s Party. The thesis criticizes the Republican People’s Party which reads laicite in terms of this dichotomy. The thesis argues that Republican People’s Party’s conception of laicite oscillates between etatism and democracy. To contextualize Republican People’s Party’s laicite in 2002-2010, the thesis presents the historical trajectory of laicite as well as the Islamic movement in Turkey. The study suggests Turkish laicite which was instilled to the Constitution by the Republican People’s Party is the synthesis of Western modernity and Turkish state tradition. To demonstrate the extent of Republican People’s Party’s etatism and notion of democracy in relation to the principle of laicite, the thesis, therefore, focuses on this unique nature of Turkish laicite which is based on control. The thesis posits that Republican People’s Party’s laicite approaches democracy in cases it opposes religious oppression whereas it swings to etatism when it prioritizes state over individual rights of pious people.