Diyanet in the transnational field :|DİTİB in Germany in the 1980s

Abstract

This thesis argues that the Turkish Islamic Synthesis (TIS) was re-produced in Germany by means of DİTİB, which was established by the Presidency for Religious Affairs (Diyanet) of the Republic of Turkey. The TIS, which was indoctrinated by the Intellectuals’ Heart in the ABg7s and acted as a glue for the Turkish right-wing politics, was obtained by the military junta and became one of the most important ideological tools for the regime. This research considers the ABC7 coup d’état as a breaking point and examines the impact of Turkish-Islamic organizations on the Turkish society in Germany before the establishment of DİTİB. Besides that, this thesis also concerns the Turkish Republic’s activities in Germany by empowering Diyanet to conduct a comprehensive policy towards Turkish society. As an alternative to the recent debates on the DİTİB, brought about by the current political conjuncture, this thesis research claims that DİTİB is not merely “Long arms of Turkish State” but an outcome of “historical debates on the religion and society in Turkey”.