The Gulen movement and its contributions: New social movements perspective

Liu, Yu-cheng, PhDAssistant Master, Residential College of International

Development, NCCU, TaiwanAssistant Professor, National Chiao Tung University, Taiwan

E-mail: ycliu15@gmail.com

abstract

• This article views the Gulen movement through new social movements perspective

• on one hand, the Gulen movement benefits from economic liberalization in Turkey, and then appropriates it as a way to maintain its separation from politics and Islamism

• on the other hand, the Gulen movement pursues universal ethics and values, such as peace, tolerance, and dialogue

what is NSMs? its characteristics-1

1. to some extent irrelevant to structural roles of the participants

2. contrast to the working-class movement and to the Marxist conception of ideology as a unifying and totalizing element for collective action

3. often involve the emergence of new or formerly weak dimensions of identity

what is NSMs? its characteristics-2

4. the relation between the individual and the collective is blurred

5. often involve personal and intimate aspects of human life

6. the use of radical mobilization tactics of disruption and resistance

7. tend to have a considerable degree of autonomy: departure from traditional political party politics

8. tend to have segmented, diffuse, and decentralized organizations

similarity with NSMs

• the Gulen movement as an identity-seeking movement: Ottoman-Turkish-Islamic identity

• new middle-class participants• the use of technological advancements as a way

of educating masses and youth (Ebaugh)• faith-initiated, non-political, cultural and

educational movement• decentralized authority and administrative

structure, a loosely network of local circles

differences from NSMs

• supporting modern capitalism and liberal market economy, not rethinking of them

• the radical form of social conflicts is not advocated in achieving goals

• avoiding from confronting with the state (Ebaugh)

Yavuz’s model

however...

• In my view, Yavuz is correct when connecting social movement theory to Islamic activism.

• But he does not explain well why the only important factor is liberal market economy, and not something else.

• To my point, ‘commitment’ may be another important factor.

• But ‘commitment to what?’ Considering the Gulen movement, its commitment is to ‘difference.’

• since the old times, whether ‘Ottoman’, ‘Turkish’, or ‘Islam’, they are all differences used to distinguish from those not belonging to these categories

• its concerns and strategies admitting on the one hand there are differences, and on the other hand, opening spaces for reconsidering and reemphasizing the need to accept and tolerate all other differences in the ways of dialogue, education, or philanthropy.

• The idea of difference is also the core of new social movements

conclusion

• viewing the Gulen movement in this way renders it legitimate and also raises its chances of success: people and the world will accept its idea and further spread to the other places when considering differences and the respect of them

• NSMs perspective is conducive to evaluating the contributions of the Gulen movement and re-positioning the role played by it in the world