The Mosque as a Divisive Symbol in the Turkish Political Landscape

Abstract

This study explores the impact of two controversial mosque projects. The first project was intended for Göztepe Park and the second for Taksim Square in Istanbul. These projects are considered in the broader context of a general Islamist bid over the last few decades to re‐conquer the Turkish political landscape and public opinion. These attempts on the part of Islamist movements reflect their desire for legitimacy, power, prestige, and elite status that were monopolized by the republican elite throughout modern Turkish history. However, these projects elicit a very negative response among secularist circles, both at the state and civil society levels. Both sides see themselves as in a continuous tug‐of‐war for control over the public sphere. It seems that in the long run, this struggle may moderate both political Islam and puritan secularism in Turkey, creating more spaces for their coexistence as well as dialogue and mutual respect—if not consensus—between them. However, the potential for further polarization between the two sides is also not completely out of the realm of possibility.