Public perceptions of radical islam: Democratic consolidation vs secular fundamentalism

Abstract

The secularist perception of the threat of Islamization and theocratic state in Turkey is explained and the underlying motives of attitudes and activities of Islamists is understood. The study is based on public's perception of the existence of threats related to religion and uses a survey data. It is found that today's Turkish traditional elite have fears about the possibility of regime change by conservative and religious circles. The ruling party's (AKP) great victories in the last two general elections as a party founded by the Islamists of the past have further alerted the traditional elite given the poor performance of the secularist and leftist party founded by Kemal Atattirk (CHP).According to secularists, the AKP's Islamist leaders as well as other Islamist circles, whose influence has begun to be felt in all aspects of the community life, aim in the final analysis to establish a non-secular or theocratic state governed according to Islamic rules.