Turkey Today: Understanding the Religious Dimensions of the Failed Coup and Response

September 19, 2016

On July 15, 2016, a faction of the Turkish Armed Forces attempted to overthrow the Erdogan-led government in a coup d'etat. Since the failed coup, President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has pursued those he perceives as political enemies and plotters of the coup, and reports suggest that he has arrested or fired tens of thousands of Turkish citizens. At the center of Erdogan's suspicions stands exiled cleric Fethullah Gulen.

This week, Berkley Forum contributors investigate the religious dimensions of the current situation in Turkey. How are Erdogan's political positions influenced by religious factions in Turkey? To what extent does religion play into the current conflict between Erdogan and Gulen and between Erdogan and the secular military faction attempting the coup? Finally, to what extent might the fallout of this attempted coup destabilize Turkey and the broader region and derail the fight against ISIS?

related | Who Is Fetthulah Gulen?

In the Series

Response: Turkey’s Morphing Freedom Deficit

Timur Kuran
September 19, 2016

Response: Turkey’s Scary Coup and the Frightening Aftermath

Mustafa Akyol
September 1, 2016

Response: Turkish Islamism 2.0: Hegemonic, Nationalist, and Populist

Ramazan Kılınç
August 30, 2016