2008_10_SRP_CornellKaraveli_Turkey

Prospects for a ‘Torn’ Turkey 31
education, 72 percent believed that moderate Islamism threatened secularism.
In urban areas, 60 percent believed it to be threatened. 16
The internalization of secularism is equally evident in how religiosity has
come to be perceived: 62,7 percent defined themselves as “modern religious”,
while 37,3 percent described themselves as “traditional religious”. The
differences between the two categories are striking. 83 percent of those in the
first category believed it to be possible to adhere strictly to secular and
democratic values, without compromising their religiosity. Only 17 percent
among the traditionally religious subscribed to that view, instead perceiving
religion and democratic liberty as standing in opposition. 17
Overall, these figures suggest that the enterprise of secularism has anything
but weak foundations, although also suggesting that there is a strong base of
religious conservatism as well.
Until recently, the popular implantation of secular values had not been
publicly manifested; the silence of civil society could create the impression
that secularism indeed only was a matter for the bureaucratic elite and for the
military. The crisis of 2007-2008 partly changed that perception as a new,
popular mobilization in favor of secularism took place. During the spring of
2007, a time of growing political controversy over the upcoming presidential
election, millions gathered at “republican rallies” saying “No to Sharia and
no to a coup”. Western observers largely failed to appreciate the significance
and novelty of these rallies; indeed, western observers presumed the
participants were seeking to restore an authoritarian order. The organizing
force behind the rallies was the “Atatürk thought association”, at the time led
by a former four-star general, who was subsequently arrested in the summer
of 2008 at a round-up of suspected coup-plotters (but who was yet to be
charged with a crime several months later). There is no reason to doubt the
democratic sincerity of the majority of the millions who gathered at the prosecular
rallies.
The participants were predominantly urban middle class women and notably
Alevis, both groups which have been increasingly alarmed by the tide of
16 Ertuğrul Özkök, Hürriyet, 15 May 2008.
17 “Orta sınıf darbeye karsı” [Middle class opposed to coup], Milliyet, 26 October 2007.
(http://www.milliyet.com.tr/2007/10/26/guncel/axgun01.html)