Islam, Democracy and Dialogue in Turkey: Deliberating in Divided Societies

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Ashgate Publishing, Ltd., Mar 28, 2013 - Political Science - 192 pages

Most theorists of deliberative democracy treat deliberation as a procedure in decision-making. This approach neglects an important phase oriented not so much to decision-making but to social learning and understanding. Combining deliberative theory with research from social psychology, Bora Kanra has developed an innovative critique and synthesis by allocating social learning its own formal sphere. For deliberative democracy to produce better outcomes, decision-making needs to be reinforced by opportunities for social learning.

Stressing the importance of the development of democratic dialogue in divided societies, Kanra tests his claims of a new deliberative framework by analyzing interaction between Islamic and secular discourses in the Turkish public sphere. This in-depth analysis of converging and diverging political beliefs and traditions between seculars and Islamists emphasizes the importance of social learning in a sharply divided society.

A groundbreaking and illuminating insight into the prospects for democratic development in Turkey, Islam, Democracy and Dialogue in Turkey reveals an emerging dynamic in Turkish politics representing a new opening in political practice.

 

Contents

Background to the Case of Turkey
35
The Q Study
55
Discourse Comparison
113
6 most agree 6 most disagree
126
Prospects for New Forms of Cooperation
131
Conclusion
155
Q study participants profile
157
Index
175
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About the author (2013)

Bora Kanra is ARC Australian Postdoctoral Fellow at the Australian National University, Australia

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