Civilizational Populism in Domestic and Foreign Policy: The Case of Turkey

This article investigates whether Turkish populism has undergone a ‘civilizational turn’ akin to what Brubaker, Haynes, Yilmaz, and Morieson have described occurring among populist parties in Europe North America. The applies Yilmaz Morieson’s definition of populism’ Turkey under the rule governing Justice Development Party (AKP) order determine party conforms this definition. how AKP, an Islamist political lead by President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, increasingly incorporated we term into its discourse. shows impact civilizational on Turkey’s domestic foreign policy AKP rule. finds that increasingly, especially since 2013 Gezi Park protests mysterious coup attempt 2016, construed opposition between ‘self’ ‘other’ not primarily nationalist terms, but religious as conflict Ottoman-Islamic ‘Western’ other. Furthermore, AKP’s policies reflect division society insofar is attempting raise ‘pious generation’ supports Islamizing society, nostalgic neo-Ottomanist power projections Middle East. Finally, paper discusses become transnational phenomenon due party’s ability produce successful television anti-Western worldview justify neo-Ottoman imperialism