Why does the AKP hate cultivated minds? The historical background of anti-intellectualism of political Islam in Turkey
Küçük Resim Yok
Tarih
2022
Yazarlar
Dergi Başlığı
Dergi ISSN
Cilt Başlığı
Yayıncı
Mediterranean Inst Univ Malta
Erişim Hakkı
info:eu-repo/semantics/closedAccess
Özet
This paper attempts to understand the recent wave of anti-intellectualism swaying Turkey's cultural and political life under the AKP government. Scrutinising the root causes of anti-intellectual notions of political Islam in Turkey, this paper propounds that negative thoughts and sentiments toward intellectualism were strong in post-WWII political Islamist thought and movement. The mindset of Islamist youth enculturated in this atmosphere was shaped substantially by a reactionary mode towards self-cultivation of the individual, critical thinking and social criticism. In this regard, four aspects of this legacy are closely scrutinised. To reflect upon this process of enculturation, this paper first discusses the features of the Sunni Sufi tradition that inhibit intellectual cultivation. Second, the impact of the anti-communist activism of the Cold War is investigated. Third, the conspiracy thinking of the ustads of political Islam is revisited. Fourth, anti-scientism of the political Islamists is pointed out as an element yielding their anti-intellectual inclinations.
Açıklama
Anahtar Kelimeler
Anti-Intellectualism, Enculturation, Sufi Orders, Political Islam, Turkey, Akp, Erdoğan
Kaynak
Journal of Mediterranean Studies
WoS Q Değeri
N/A
Scopus Q Değeri
Cilt
31
Sayı
1
