By the Editors (vol. 1, no. 1 of the Turkey Analyst)
The Turkish Parliament’s landmark decision to change the constitution and lift the ban on Islamic headscarves in the universities represents a symbolic watershed in the history of the Turkish republic. It has polarized Turkey as perhaps never before and plunged the country into a crisis from which it will be extremely difficult to extricate without deep convulsions. Turkish intellectuals do not hesitate to issue warnings about civil war. Such warnings may be exaggerated; but Turkey could certainly be headed in a dangerous direction. Hence, conventional assumptions about Turkish political and ideological dynamics need to be revised.
By the Editors (vol. 1, no. 1 of the Turkey Analyst)
Turkey went through an eventful year in 2007. While the agenda was dominated by growing domestic tensions over the country’s secular system, trigerred by the presidential election, it also saw tension in relations with the U.S. over northern Iraq. While the latter issue was, for the time being, constructively addressed, Turkey’s internal stuation only grew more complicated. That, in combination with European disinterest, also contributed to slowing down Turkey’s EU accession process.
The Turkey Analyst is a publication of the Central Asia-Caucasus Institute & Silk Road Studies Joint Center, designed to bring authoritative analysis and news on the rapidly developing domestic and foreign policy issues in Turkey. It includes topical analysis, as well as a summary of the Turkish media debate.
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