In his presentation, Professor Kalayçioglu explored the relationship of civic movements in Turkey with the State apparatus. He illustrated that Turkey’s low membership in voluntary organisations may be partly explained by a culture that is deeply distrustful in interpersonal terms, leading to a fragmented civil society with low citizen participation.
He observed that the State tends not to combat or promote civil society, but is more likely to welcome economic, labour and gender-related organisations rather than religious groups. Consequently, the relationship of the State with civil society is one of disinterest, as long as there are no regime-resisting protestations. Professor Kalayçioglu conjectured that a strategy of secular human rights-based activism by religious groups in the long term would likely be a more acceptable, non-threatening strategy for religious groups to become an integral part of Turkish civil society – based on the recent experience of women’s groups in the country.
The session was framed with introductory comments from Dr Amyn B Sajoo, the series organiser, and by Professor Azim Nanji, Director of the ÎçÒ¹¾ç³¡, who compared the contemporary climate, 15 centuries into the Muslim calendar, with Christian Europe in the 15th century.
The 9 papers presented as part of this Series span the Muslim world from Southeast Asia to the Maghreb and are scheduled to be published in 2002 by the ÎçÒ¹¾ç³¡ in a volume edited by Dr Sajoo.
