A Critical Overview of Turkish Measures of Religiosity

Turkish measures of religiosity are mainly developed in sociology and psychology of religion and trace back to the 1960s. The first attempts in measuring religiosity in Turkey are weak in terms of statistical analysis and scientific soundness. By the 1980s Turkish measures increase in quantity and quality but show poor originality. Most are adaptations of Western-Christianity religiosity scales and are based on multi-dimensionality of religiosity and religious orientation. Authentic religiosity measures, within a framework special to Turkish culture and religion, i.e. Islam, are underrepresented. Therefore, religiosity studies in Turkey indicate theoretical, methodological and authenticity problems. However, the latest studies are promising. After a brief introduction of the fields of psychology and sociology of religion in Turkey, this study provides a critical overview of religiosity measures in Turkey along with an introduction of some in detail, and gives insights into the challenges of conducting religiosity studies in the Turkish context.

Turkey

Turkey is a predominantly Muslim nation. However in recent years the nature of religion in Turkey is changing drastically. While there has been a long history of secularism in the country, recent political changes are seemingly moving the country in a direction of religious freedom and expression. Yet, as scientists expressed in their interviews, it is a specific religious ideology that is being pushed. These changes in government and politics have had an impact on Turkey’s scientific community. Scientists are leaving the uncertainty of scientific work in Turkey for more stability in other nations.

Introduction: Turkish Muslim “Theology” and Religion in Turkey

This chapter gives a broad overview of broader trends within Islam in Turkey as well as a brief history of Turkish theology faculties. In addition, it explains and problematizes the term “theology” as a translation for the Turkish “ilahiyat.” It further provides a summary of the book’s main argument that Turkish Muslim theology involves dialectical mediation of multiple authoritative traditions and concludes with subsequent chapter descriptions.

Compliance or negotiation? Diyanet’s female preachers and the diffusion of a ‘true’ religion in Turkey

This article addresses the religious activities of the female preachers ( vaizeler) employed by the Turkish Presidency of Religious Affairs (Diyanet). It investigates the extent to which, and how, the activities carried out by the Diyanet’s vaizeler are in compliance with a state attempt to standardise and control female religious engagement. As religious officers, the vaizeler both spread and embody an organised religion. However, far from any dichotomous perspective, to assert their religious authority the Diyanet’s preachers navigate daily between compliance with the institution’s dogmas and negotiation with a plurality of interpretations labelled as unofficial, popular and traditional. To fully assess this issue, this article refers to ethnographic observations of everyday vaizeler’s preaching activities in Istanbul’s mosques. Conducted between 2013 and 2014, these observations are crucial for contextualising the evolution of the Turkish state monopoly over religious affairs, particularly in the aftermath of the July 2016 attempted coup.