Erdoğan’s Political Islamist Narrative and Radicalization of the Turkish Muslim Diaspora

Abstract

This study analyses Erdoganist diaspora engagement in the West. The unofficial political Islamic law is the backbone of Erdoganist diaspora engagement. It is argued that Erdoganism increasingly resorted to unofficial Islamist law, anti-Western rhetoric and conspiracy theories that simultaneously try to influence global ummah and the Turkish diaspora communities predominantly living in the West. In that context, this article explains Erdoganism and its transnational socio-political objectives as a framework. Based on primary sources, social media and media data, observations and secondary literature review, it discusses the impact of Erdoganist rhetoric and production of unofficial Islamist and anti-Western fatwas on the transnational radicalisation of the Turkish Sunni diaspora. Push back against this rhetoric and its repercussions are also outlined with implications of transnational dimensions of Erdoganism for the Muslim world.