A Study Of The Turkish Gülen Movement

The Gülen Movement is a collective name of Fethullah Gülen, a famous Turkish scholar, ideologist, educator and social activist, and his followers. It is a tightly organized civil society coalition, without a strict organizational structure and specific number of participants. Followers of Gülen Movement tend to work hard like the Calvinists. The Gülen Movement emerged from Nurcu Movement during the end of 1960 s. With the growth of Gülen Movement, it gradually developed into a transnational movement, which could be seen in many countries and regions in the world, such as Europe, America, the Balkan, Southeast Asia, Central Asia and Australia etc., forming an Islamic movement with world-wide influence. This thesis is divided into 3 parts as the following:The first part is the introduction part, including the reasons of selected topic, the research status at home and abroad, the theoretical and practical significance of the paper, and the research technique and innovation.The second part is the body part, encompassing three chapters. The first chapter mainly analyzes the basic thought of Fethullah Gülen and the development history of Gülen Movement. According to a contemporary interpretation to and innovation of Islam, Fethullah Gülen put forward his political view on the basis of liberal democratic principle, and integration of traditional culture and modern philosophy; and his religious view depending on multi-tolerant principle, interfaith dialogue and anti-terrorism; as well as his educational view committed to remolding public morals and cultivating “Golden Generation”. In the process of Turkey’s modernization, Gülen movement experienced different stages including germination stage, rapid growth stage together with prosecution and anti-prosecution stage under Turkey’s current political framework. The second chapter mainly introduces Gülen Movement’s education, media, finance, public service and political activities, which presents an obvious characteristic of civil society due to its deep humanistic concern and social service trend and becomes the representative of public Islamic Movement because of its strong consciousness of political participation. The third chapter mainly elaborates Gülen Movement’s positive effects on Turkey’s modernization process and world peace. By remolding public moral consciousness and participating in party politics, Gülen Movement further promotes Turkey’s democracy. By penetrating into and expanding in Central Asia, Europe and America, Gülen Movement advances Turkey’s international influence and its soft power of culture. By exchanging views with other world religion, Gülen Movement’s practice of interfaith dialogue enhances world peace process, which constitutes an indispensable part of world-wide interfaith dialogue.The third part is the conclusion part. It points out Gülen Movement’s new political, social and cultural demand, reflects the innovation and development of contemporary Islamism, which shows a brand new development direction of modern Islamism movement. Gülen’s thoughts and practices of interfaith dialogue are of great significance for removing prejudice to Islam and constructing a harmonious world order. The contradiction between Gülen Movement and the Justice and Development Party(JDP), however, makes the prospects of Gülen Movement unpromising.