Anna in Istanbul

Turkish society is experiencing a bit of an identity crisis that is inextricably linked to international socio-economics. Two great readings are Jenny B. White’s “The Islamist Paradox” and Yael Navaro-Yashin’s “The Market for Identities: Secularism, Islamism, and Commodities”. To give you the short version, there are essentially three camps; the pro-Western elites, Islamists, and the hand-to-mouth masses. In the past few years since the election of the conservative, Islamist AK Party (aka the Justice and Development Party), there has been a growing conflict between the hard line, Kemalist, Military-controlled, Secular Republic and calls for democracy from Turkish progressives and the Islamist movement. Interestingly enough, this has created a makeshift alliance between Pro-Western intelligentsia and Islamists; an alliance based entirely on opposition to the military-state. The most public example of this the debate surrounds Prime Minister Recep Tayipp Erdogan’s wife wearing of traditional hijab (there are a lot of parallels to current French political culture).

Regardless of which candidate wins the election in the US, we are heading towards a period of strained US-Turkey relations. With the recent Turkish Supreme Court ruling in favor of the American-supported AKP, Turks are torn. While many might be wary of the AKP’s anti-secular bent, there really is no alternative party to support at this point in opposition to the military-controlled Republicans. Along with the general distrust of a party that supports greater integration of religious docterine in policy, there is also growing concern among many here in Turkey that the AKP is simply perpetuating Turkey’s role as an American pawn in geopolitics.

In supporting the AKP, I think America is trying to promote a market/America-friendly version of Islam (which, given the general view of American within many Islamic populations right now, doesn’t sound like a bad idea). The AKP is socially conservative and fiscally liberal; so while ideologically we have supported the “democracy” promoted by the AKP, the retrograde social politics will come back to hurt Turkey’s relations with the EU and America.

Under the AKP, minority, women, and especially Queer rights have suffered huge setbacks. I spent most of June interviewing individuals working on “Onun Hafta” or Pride Week in Istanbul and every conversation came back to the conflict of identity. In the wake of the state’s forced closure of the national LGBTQ organization, Lamda, Queer activists in Turkey held panel after panel discussing the conflict between the practical needs of minorities and ideological opposition to perceived Western imperialism.

Essentially, this marginalized group is stuck between a rock and a hard place. Although they would like to accept money coming from international Queer organizations, to do so indicates  to their own communities (inaccurately or not) that Queer activists are pro-Western, pro-US, pro-Iraq War, etc, etc, etc. By not accepting the investments, the Queer community loses the resources it needs to inch forward progressive social policies. This conflict is seen pretty much across the board in Turkish minority culture.

Investors may find themselves in an equally difficult bind. Whereas economic markets may be opening up (most profoundly in the mushrooming Islamist communities), the new source of capital comes at heavy cost in social policy. Can investors reconcile the demands of socially responsible investment with the pursuit of capital in the diverse and relatively stable Turkish market? Is there a way to invest as an American without coming off as an economic imperialist and, thus, pushing Turkish public sentiment farther from the US?

Obama and McCain both represent what even my progressive Turkish friends are eager to label “neo-colonialism” (a term that frustrates me to to no end). The question remains as to which one will do less damage. Should the US continue to support the AKP despite its retrograde approach to human rights? Will Obama’s image help soothe Anti-American sentiments in Turkey? There’s an interesting article from the The New York Observer (which generally I could take or leave) that you might want to check out (http://www.observer.com/2008/turkey-ponders-obama-cure-anti-americanism).

Turkey is a paradox within a paradox and I am still trying to wrap my head around it all.