Seeds of Modern Education: American Influence in Turkey

Abstract

American private foundations invested huge financial resources in institutions and individuals in the Republic of Turkey in the process of westernization of the country. This study seeks to present a detailed historical perspective of the activities of American philanthropic foundations and their influence on the development and the process of modernization of Turkey. Due to the war-torn state and poor socio-economic situation, the modernization process in Turkey implied comprehensive help from the Western countries, which Ataturk took as a model. Based on charity and humanitarian work, first American organizations arrived in Turkey at the beginning of 19th century. Popularly known as ‘‘missionary organizations’’ or simply ‘‘missionaries’’, they devoted their work to religious conversion of dominantly Christian minorities in the Ottoman Empire, charity activities and education. From the period of the first arrivals until 1920s, missionary organizations established number of hospitals and schools that proved beneficial to people and students across Turkey. At the beginning of 20th century, some of the American richest industrialists and businessmen in that period like Andrew Carnegie, John D. Rockefeller and Russell Sage have decided to establish private grant-providing foundations for the melioration of life standards of humankind all around the world – investing dominantly in education, infrastructure and public health. In terms of time scale, growth of the foundation imbricates with the establishment of modern Turkey in 1923. Led by Mustafa Kemal Ataturk, the new government of Turkey was dedicated to the process of modernization of the country – a project that seriously needed support from the external powers. Therefore, this study aims to analyze the role of American private foundations in the process of development of education, health sector, and overall Turkey’s modernization. These findings suggest that American private organizations such as Rockefeller and Ford foundations had a strong hold in the development of institutions and education and training of individuals from Turkey in various fields.