Berkley Center

True or false: Turkey is an Islamic country. Did you hesitate to answer? If so, you are not alone. I have found that one of the biggest misconceptions about this country is that it is Islamic. Despite its large Muslim population and countless mosques, Turkey is actually secular. This characteristic has helped form quite a unique society, one built upon juxtaposed ideas—antiquity and modernity, East and West, secularism and religion. Yet, in Turkey these traits find a common ground. Here, religion and politics are independent of each other, but at the same time both are essential in forming the fabric of Turkish society.

You cannot understand Turkey without first knowing about Mustafa Kemal Atatürk. There is a great reverence for Atatürk, who is considered to be the father of the republic. If you see an image of a man with striking eyebrows and bright blue eyes, it is more likely than not to be this historic figure. He is the embodiment of Turkey’s democratic values, so much so that insulting him is illegal because it is considered blasphemy against the Turkish government. People do not often talk about him, but simply because there is no need to state the obvious. His image is everywhere in Istanbul, whether it is in a tea house, a student dormitory, or a bakery. (Yes, his image is even made out of baklava.) There are countless monuments erected in his honor, and his face adorns the colorful lira, the Turkish currency. His constant presence in every aspect of Turkish people’s daily lives demonstrates just how highly many esteem the values of secularism and democracy which Atatürk upheld.

At the same time, the Islamic influences on this society are equally important. Indeed, it would be almost impossible to visit Turkey without hearing the daily calls to prayer or seeing women wearing headscarves. Before coming to Istanbul I had many preconceived notions of what I would encounter, especially in regard to social and religious customs. Since I am a female, I received countless warnings from friends, family, and study abroad advisors to dress conservatively. Upon my arrival in Turkey, however, I was not surprised by the enormity of the culture shock, but rather the lack of it. Within the first few days of living in Istanbul I felt an ease in adapting to my environment, which ironically made me uneasy. This smooth transition made me scrutinize my situation with a certain disbelief. Finally I realized I was undergoing culture shock: it simply did not concern Istanbul’s culture, but rather my own faulty perspective of Turkey’s religious and social culture.

Along with the assumption about Turkey’s Islamic identity, there is a more troubling, underlying misconception—the belief that women are repressed in Islamic societies. From a Westernized point of view, headscarves and other coverings often symbolize to us suppression of female independence. I hate to admit that I was wary of entering into a more conservative society, afraid that I would be criticized for not conforming to these religious customs. As a foreigner and an atheist, however, I find that I have not received any form of harassment for not wearing a headscarf. Indeed, a large number of women I have seen in public do not wear any head coverings whatsoever. Granted, I spend most of my time on a college campus located on the European side of Istanbul, a very liberal environment. But I would venture to say that the amount of skin a woman can reveal in public is not necessarily equivalent to the amount of social freedom that she has. Being immersed within an Islamic culture in a secular country has given me a new perspective on the actual meaning of something as simple as a headscarf. Instead of symbolizing repression, it has come to represent to me purpose and devotion; rather than being a necessity for religious women, it seems more like a choice.

Religion and politics play such a large role in Turkish society, but not in any way that I had formerly imagined. Of course, my reflections on Turkey’s religious and political customs are only a small part of the story. Istanbul’s culture is so unique and complex that I would be remiss to attempt to label it; there is still so much more for me to explore and understand about this awe-inspiring city. One thing that I am sure of, however, is that the depth and intricacy of Turkish culture will never cease to amaze me.

This blog post has only skimmed the surface of the various religious and political issues in Turkey; the following are links to interesting facts and perspectives that may shed more light on these subjects.

For More on Atatürk:
Ataturk's Secularist Legacy
Ataturk's Secular Vision Still Thriving

For More on Religions in Turkey:
Religion & Islam in Turkey
Turkey's Elephant in the Room: Religious Freedom

For More on Islamic Women:
Fighting Free: The Paradox of Devout Muslim Feminists
Muslim Lite: Women, Islam and the Turkish Way