Civil society and education in Turkey: the relations between the Society for the Dissemination of Knowledge and Imam Hatip Schools (1951-1976)

Abstract

Imam Hatip schools are among the educational institutions that have had a major impact on the social transformations in Turkey’s recent history. These institutions have played a major role in integrating the rural population to urban life and culture by providing access to education and integrating them into modern urban society. The critical role these ‘religious’ Imam Hatip schools have played could only have been realized with the social and financial support of civil society organizations. Organizations such as İlim Yayma Cemiyeti (Society for the Dissemination of Knowledge) (IYC) have contributed greatly to these schools’ ability to reach out to large masses and the continuation of education among lower income students. This article aims to reveal the relationship between Imam Hatip schools and civil society through the example of the Istanbul Imam Hatip School opened in 1951 and to discuss the impact of civil organizations on schooling in Turkish society. Furthermore, the study examines the role of IYC has had in the mental, physical, and outward transformation of the modern urban citizen. This article therefore argues Imam Hatip schools and the IYC to have played vital roles in modernizing Turkish society since the second half of the twentieth century. According to the research findings, the IYC’s contributions range from housing and providing clothing to educational materials, medical and hospital expenses, university preparation courses, and undergraduate scholarships. The IYC Archive’s decision records will be used for the first time in a study and constitute the main source upon which this research is based.