“Mosque Construction as Nation-Building”: By Assoc. Prof. Umut Uzer

The dynamics between Turkey’s secular state and its conservative society have been a point of contention since the 1920s and 1930s, when the republican government initiated radical secular reforms. These reforms, such as the dissolution of the Ottoman Caliphate, the dismantling of religious institutions, and the adoption of Westernized cultural practices, aimed to distance the country from its Ottoman Islamic past. One of the most notable changes was the shift from the Arabic script to the Romanized Turkish alphabet, which further reinforced the divide between secularism and conservatism in Turkish society.

 

However, as Turkey embraced democracy with the changeover of government in 1950, there was a resurgence of religious discourse and a growing demand for mosque construction to emphasize the Islamic heritage of Turkish culture. This shift marked the beginning of a new phase in Turkey’s national identity, one in which religious symbolism began to take center stage in the nation-building process. The Justice and Development Party (JDP), which assumed power in 2002, has significantly accelerated this trend, supporting mosque construction as a key aspect of their vision for a modern, yet distinctly Islamic, Turkish nation.

 

Assoc. Prof. Uzer’s article argues that mosque construction under the JDP has played a central role in shaping an Islamic conservative identity for Turkey, contrasting sharply with the secular Turkish identity promoted by previous governments. As mosque building became a symbol of cultural and religious revival, it has also become a means of asserting political power and reinforcing a populist agenda, particularly in the context of Turkey’s increasingly illiberal democracy.

 

This analysis sheds light on the evolving role of religious institutions in Turkish politics, offering valuable insights into how mosque construction has become a tool for nation-building, strengthening the Islamic dimension of national identity, and challenging the secular ideals of the republic's founding.