CEU Electronic Theses and Dissertations, 2009
| Author | Özipek, Aydin |
|---|---|
| Title | "CULTIVATING" A GENERATION THROUGH EDUCATION: THE CASE OF THE GULEN MOVEMENT |
| Summary | This thesis examines and discusses the strategic manoeuvring of the Gülen Movement, which is an influential religio-social movement in Turkey, in its power struggle with its rival groups and ideologies including the secular elite; through an analysis of internal and external dynamics behind its increasing prominence. I argue that Gülen Movement is a “movement of synthesis” which combines several values, each of which serves as a kind of capital. Through the analysis of several publications of the movement and semi-structured interviews conducted with eight university students, I conclude that the primary objective of the Gülen Movement is to increase its share of power. More specifically, this thesis examines the important characteristics of the education system in Turkey, and its functions for the Gülen Movement in its power struggle. I claim that the Gülen Movement, through its educational activities, creates a reciprocal deal where both parties profit. While the Gülen Movement enlarges its scope, spreads its message and proceeds to “cultivate” its counter-elite, it provides its followers with the ability to climb in the social strata and wholly participate in the society; not only by providing them with the material resources they need, but also rendering them as individuals who are conforming to the contemporary set of values and lifestyles. |
| Supervisor | Caglar, Ayse; Naumescu, Vlad |
| Department | Sociology MA |
| Full text | https://www.etd.ceu.edu/2009/ozipek_aydin.pdf |
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