Ataturk, Islam, modernity and Turkish education: A comparative, historical analysis

The Turkish Republic has experienced a rise in Islamic influence in contemporary politics and in society, culminating in popular support for the Islamic Justice and Development Party and their new Prime Minister in the 2002 elections. This influence questions the 'project of modernity' and the secular ideals upon which the Republic was founded in 1923. As part of this 'project of modernity' Turkish education was centralized under state control and made secular in 1924; however, Islamic elements continuously reappear in schools and curriculum and have consequently caused serious public debate regarding the role of Islam in state education. Indeed, the relations between religion and national ideology delve into Turkish infrastructure and reveal a unique view of the changing ways Turkish officials have regarded Islam.;In this study I compare national educational reforms during two vital historical junctures, with particular reference to Islamic and religious education: the Kemalist Paradigm (1923-1938) and the Ozalist Paradigm of Modernity, (1983-1993). Of particular interest for my study is how the changes in secular and traditional values are expressed in state educational policies. During the years of Kemalism, Islam was considered an impediment to instituting western reforms. Islamic elements were removed from curriculum; religious courses were cancelled; and religious schools were shut down. The disestablishment of Islam consequently changed the face of the Republic. The Ozal era of the 1980s relaxed the secular state policies and slowly reintroduced Islamic elements to official public Turkish life. This period was marked by the Turkish-Islamic Synthesis - a new element in Turkish society - and a result of the growing politicization of Islam in the state. During this period a new Constitution, drafted in 1982, refrained the place of Islam in Turkish society. I analyze the balance between Turkish secular ideals and traditional Islamic values and seek to explore how they are expressed in educational reform. In a broader sphere, this study alludes to the manner in which Islam operates in a modern and westernized society, the historical changes in the nature Islam in the 20th Century, and the role of Turkish education in the construction of a Turk.