“If you can’t beat them – join them”: explaining Milli Görüş movement’s views towards the West

The National Outlook Movement (Millî Görüş), a prominent Turkish-Islamist movement which previously held strong anti-Western views, moderated its views towards the West in 1990s. With an examination of Millî Görüş documents from 1973 to 1995, this study sheds light on dynamics shift view and argues that one aspect ‘tilt’ was geopolitical realities – mainly collapse USSR rise US hegemony. While current literature moderation other similar Islamist movements around world throughout 1990s largely cites internal national level explanations for leaves out argument made here, case suggests influences can also play important role further research is needed understand effects changing context.