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Ideological Change and the Intellectual: Necip Fazil Kisakurek and the Making of "Mukaddesatci" Ideology
Abstract
Among the conservative-nationalist intellectuals of the early Cold War (1940s to 1970s) Turkey, Necip Fazil Kisakurek (1904-1983) stands as a distinguished figure with his profound impact on the development of Islamic political thought in Turkey. Kisakurek, despite being described as conservative, Islamist or rightist in different accounts, often defined his worldview as "mukaddesatci". As one of the first exemplars of Islam-based opposition to Kemalist modernization project, mukaddesatci ideology of Kisakurek was after a restoration of values and institutions that were deemed to be holy/sacred (mukaddes) in a rapidly Westernizing society. Kisakurek's mukaddesatci thought, reconciling elements of religious conservatism, Islamist revivalism, Turkish nationalism and Ottomanism, immensely influenced later generations of nationalist-conservatives and Islamists including the cadres of currently ruling Justice and Development Party. I contend that "mukaddesatci" better captures the ideological outlook. Kisakurek has in fact been a highly disputed figure in Turkish intellectual scene for various reason. I contend in this paper that Kisakurek’s significance in terms of intellectual history was beyond his unreliable political position, unsubstantial philosophical arguments and inconsistent lifestyle. Still he was able to stir up his audience through his writings thanks to his ability to appeal to their sentiments with his sharp pen. Notably, Kisakurek gave voice to the existing sentiments of the people with Islamic sensibilities which I associate in this paper with what Friedrich Nietzsche and his followers called as ressentiment. Kisakurek’s audience found in his writings the reflection of their senses of injustice, humiliation and alienation vis-à-vis Westernization. When K?sakürek put these sentiments into words, not only did he bring them to surface but he also steered them in accordance with his own mukaddesatci worldview. Based on an analysis of Kisakurek’s writings, I present “mukaddesatcilik” as an ideology of ressentiment and further discuss the political content of this ideology. After biographical information and a general overview of Kisakurek’s ideological project, both with contextual details of early- to mid-20th century Turkey, I draw the outline of mukaddesatcilik with the help of the literature on ressentiment in socio-political analysis. Then I elaborate on the vision of politics, state and political community in K?sakurek’s mukaddesatç? ideology. I conclude the paper with an emphasis on Kisakurek’s enduring legacy affecting contemporary Turkish politics.
Discipline
Political Science
Geographic Area
Turkey
Sub Area
Turkish Studies