Nineteenth International Conference on Diversity in Organizations, Communities & Nations

Abstract

Turkey has been perceived as a secular state for a long time. As more and more commentators and scholars are raising questions about secularism in Turkey, this perception is eroding, and it is being replaced by the perception that Turkey is becoming Islamized. This paper argues that neither perception has been reflective of reality. Religion in Turkey has been subordinate to the state and has been used as a political tool by different governments and at a varying degree and scope, and always to the detriment of religious diversity. While the state and government have been relying on the Sunni majority for political expediency, the rights and status of religious minorities like the Alevis, Shi’ites, Christians and Jews wax and wane depending on the political agendas of successive governments. The subordination and use of religion for political purposes is manifested by the status of the Directory for Religious Affairs (Diyanet) created in 1924 and has of late been given resources and authority to operate outside Turkey. In fact, a number of sources argue that the Diyanet budget is now larger than that of most ministries. Since the Diyanet orientation and composition is exclusively Sunni, the other religious affiliations are either ignored or suppressed at the detriment of both secularism and religious diversity. For that reason, religious diversity in Turkey will not be a reality until the state adopts a truly secular stand, does not use religion as a political tool, and be equidistant from all religious affiliations.