Conceptions of Religion in the Secular State: Evolving Turkish Secularism

Abstract

The relationship between religiosity and secularity is anything but simple and the boundaries between the religious and the secular are anything but clear. From the difficulties in defining what constitutes public good to balancing the potentially conflicting demands of various factions of society, the liberal democratic state continues to grapple with the myriad issues secularism raises. This short comment identifies some of these problems and critiques certain points in current discourse on religion in the secular state. Turkey, where the meaning of secularism is evolving, provides a case study.

Keywords: Secularism, Turkey, Islamic law, Islam, Muslims, law and religion, Middle East