Are cinema, TV and football recommended for Muslims? The Millî Görüş movement’s view on popular culture

Abstract

This article charts changes in the views towards popular culture of the most prominent Turkish-Islamist movement that operated in the late twentieth century, the Millî Görüş (‘The National Outlook’), a movement that altered Turkey’s history and brought up its current Islamist leader – Recep Tayyip Erdoğan. Through a unique and intensive analysis of Millî Görüş texts and documents, the article follows significant changes in Millî Görüş discourse regarding three forms of popular culture – cinema, television, and spectator sports – from the 1970s – when these forms of popular culture were warned against – to the 1990s – when the movement recommended engaging with such culture. This article argues that these changes reflect a greater change in the movement’s views on how Muslims should live their lives. Lastly, the paper suggests these changes may have occurred due to three main reasons: (1) deciding strategically to not resist the growing availability and appeal of popular culture; (2) the movement’s wish to win the Turkish elections, which required them to appeal also to less pious Turks, and (3) the gradual appearance of alternative, ‘Islamic’ popular culture in Turkey – one which the Millî Görüş felt comfortable to promote.