The Formation of Turkish Republicanism

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Turkish republicanism is often attributed solely to Mustafa Kemal Atatürk and the establishment of modern Turkey in 1923, framed around Kemalist ideals like secularism, nationalism, statism, and populism. Banu Turnaoğlu challenges this perspective, arguing that Turkish republicanism is the result of centuries of intellectual debate over Islamic and liberal republicanism, culminating in Kemalism's dominance during the republic's early years. Utilizing rare archival materials, Turnaoğlu provides a comprehensive history of republican thought in Turkey, tracing its evolution from the Ottoman Empire to the modern republic. She reveals how the Kemalists shaped Turkish history to favor their narrative, presenting their interpretation of republicanism as the only viable option while overlooking alternative viewpoints. Furthermore, Turnaoğlu highlights that republicanism in Turkey has roots beyond Western political traditions, enriching our understanding of its intellectual history. She connects contemporary political crises—such as the Kurdish Question, democratic instability, the rise of radical Islam, and right-wing nationalism—to unresolved intellectual tensions stemming from Kemalist ideology. This scholarship offers a fresh narrative on the development and influence of modern Turkey.