“Only Turks Can Lead a Muslim Union”: The Case for Ethno-Religious Identity
Chapter 4 revolves around “ethno-religious” identity and argues that another reason the idea of Muslim unity does not work well in the Kurdish conflict is the strength of Turkish nationalism among Turkish religious elites. Through interview data, it reveals how Turkish religious elites, who seemingly advocate Islamic unity, end up privileging Turkish identity upon further interrogation. With the help of a historical overview that goes back as early as the nineteenth century, the chapter first explains in detail how this attitude and the endurance of Turkish nationalism among Turkish Muslims has its roots in the Turkish-Islamic Synthesis (TIS) and the formation of the Turkish nation-state as a Sunni Muslim entity. Through a systematic analysis of newspapers and public statements, it then documents how the AKP has replaced its emphasis on “Muslim fraternity” with an emphasis on Turkish-Muslim nationalism.