Post-Secular Society and the Multi-Vocal Religious Sphere in Turkey
Post-Secular Society and the Multi-Vocal Religious Sphere in Turkey

Summary/Abstract: Secularism in Turkey has been an area of fierce discussions driven primarily by the existence of a state institution regulating religious affairs, the Directorate of Religious Affairs (The Diyanet). Having emerged as a product of ideas and developments of the 21st century, the new post-secular society in Turkey is spearheading a multi-vocal religious sphere that is providing areas of influence to religious communities (cemaats). The significan’t question with regard to this changing structure in Turkey is whether this increasing influence of the cemaats will lead to an Islamicized Turkey. To answer this question, the article argues that the emerging multi-vocal religious sphere is a result of the democratic climate that has been created out of the possibilities offered by globalization and European Union accession. Thus, multi-vocality should be interpreted as a normalization process that will redress the problems created by the hyper-secularist practices of the early republican era, rather than an attack against the democratic pillars of the Republic.

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