Turkish Islamic Movement after Conservatives in Power

Abstract

The Attempted Coup on July 15, 2016 was a result of the struggle within the Turkish Islamic movement. Turkish Islamic movement mobilizes in areas of both party politics and civil society. In the area of party politics, the Turkish Islamic movement is led by Islamic parties, like the Justice and Development Party (AKP); while, in the area of civil society, it was led by Fethullah Gülen and the Gülen Movement. This article focuses on the process of collaboration and subsequent confrontation between the AKP and Gülen Movement (GM). Analyzing the dynamics behind each groups’ actions, how Islamic intellectuals strengthened their dominance through AKP and GM’s tactical alliance, and the groups’ struggle for leadership of the Turkish Islamic movement, this article conceives that the collaboration between AKP and GM was based on their common interests to weaken Turkish secular elites; while their strife was caused by their divergence in strategies for propelling the Turkish Islamic movement, including different ideological construction, outcome expectations, and methods employed to accomplish their goals