The diffusion of Malcolm X as a political symbol among Turkish islamists

Abstract

This thesis investigates the influence of Malcolm X on contemporary Turkish Islamism. It applies a social movement theory framework to understand the role Turkish Islamist newspaper columnists have played in interpreting and spreading Malcolm X’s image and ideas. A discourse analysis is applied to 242 columns published in three Turkish Islamist newspapers between 1996 and 2019 to identify key themes in the literature. This study argues that Malcolm X’s anti-colonial and pan-Islamist rhetoric has aided in his adoption as a political symbol by Turkish Islamists. Furthermore, it finds that by adopting Malcolm X as a political symbol, Turkish Islamists have selectively emphasized certain elements of the Black nationalist’s message. This study contributes to the field of English-language American studies by closely examining how Malcolm X is understood in contemporary Turkey. It also contributes to social movement theory by analyzing Malcolm X’s interpretation in Turkey as a case study.