Apparatchiks and Ideologues in Islamist Turkey: The Intellectual Order of Islamism and Populism

This book explores how AKP-aligned intellectuals in Turkey have transformed from passionately engaged intellectuals into apparatchiks, adapting a post-Soviet geography approach to the media, intelligentsia, and political discourse. It analyzes the different constellations of pro-AKP intellectuals who vindicate the AKP regime from various angles, including liberal/progressive, Islamist, and national security intellectuals. It also provides an overview of the mechanisms of political technology, including the media landscape and its running by the AKP, intellectuals as operators of political technology, and the problem of "cultural power."

Format: Hardback
Length: 175 pages
Publication date: 16 December 2022
Publisher: Springer International Publishing AG

This comprehensive book delves into the intricate dynamics of AKP-aligned intellectuals and their transformation from passionate advocates into media spin doctors. By adopting a post-Soviet geography approach to the media, intelligentsia, and political discourse in the Turkish context, the author offers a fresh perspective on the Turkish political and intellectual landscape. The book explores the various ways in which these intellectuals justify and defend the AKP regime, employing a range of strategies, including liberal/progressive intellectuals who manipulate their progressive rhetoric, Islamist intellectuals who blend their ideology with populism, and national security intellectuals who join the party to promote a national security agenda.

Furthermore, the book provides a comprehensive overview of the mechanisms of political technology, encompassing the media landscape controlled by the AKP, intellectuals as operators of political technology, and the challenges posed by "cultural power." This work will appeal to scholars and researchers interested in comparative authoritarian politics, populism, political communication, and the Middle East and Eastern Europe regions.

The book's insights shed light on the complex relationship between political power, intellectual discourse, and public opinion in contemporary Turkey, contributing to our understanding of the dynamics of authoritarianism in the region.

Weight: 374g
Dimension: 210 x 148 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9783031156519
Edition number: 1st ed. 2023