Reproduction of Conservatism: The Struggles for Cultural Hegemony in Turkey’s Conservative Right in the 1950s and 2000s (Politische Kultur in den neuen Demokratien Europas)

By: Melek Zorlu

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Synopsis: This research investigates the development of conservatism in Turkey through a historical comparison, focusing on the role of conservative intellectuals and their contributions to the reproduction and sustenance of conservative ideology during two key periods. Specifically, the study addresses the question: How was the conservative ethos of the 1950s reproduced by intellectuals during the AKP's first decade? One of the primary objectives is to uncover the factors that enabled the reproduction of conservatism in the 2000s, with particular attention to the cultural struggle for hegemony embedded in this process. The study also traces the origins of conservatism as an ideology, especially in the context of the post-Second World War period. The outcomes of this research are structured across three dimensions: A definition of &“limited&” conservatism within the analytical framework and its connection to Turkish conservatism The interplay between authoritarianism and the rise of conservatism in Turkey The relationship between conservative intellectuals and the hegemonic discourses of their respective eras By examining these dimensions, the study provides a nuanced understanding of how conservative intellectuals have navigated and shaped Turkey&’s socio-cultural transformations across distinct historical periods.