Muslimhood and Post-Islamist Power: The Turkish Example

Muslim-majority societies, particularly in the Arab world after the 2011 uprisings, are undergoing a great experiment as Islamic actors move from arenas of dissent into formal positions of power. This opens up new sets of questions. What is necessary for Islamists to successfully become the status quo and gain the votes of a wider citizenry? What new forms of social alliances must be built, and what role does the initial institutional structure of Islam play in hastening or impeding democratic incorporation? Is there a pivotal moment? What is the role of a Muslim middle class, and must there be a liberal market economy for this transformation to occur? What happens to Islam in this process? And under what conditions does Islamic democracy coexist with liberalism and tolerance? For all of these questions, the Turkish example provides some tantalizing clues.1