Fallen heroes, ambiguous villains: Political Islam and the demise of Turkish democracy
Is secular democracy compatible with Islam? Or are Muslims so different from followers of other religious traditions that they are somehow uniquely ‘democracy-resistant’? These questions fascinate scholars and observers of the Middle East and wider region, where Muslims make up the majority and where experiments with secular democracy have often failed, sometimes with spectacular consequences.
In this lecture, Professor Caroline Tee argues that if we wish to understand the relationship between Islam and secular democracy then we must begin by reframing and decolonising the questions we ask, and analyse local contexts rather than relying on abstract generalisations. Drawing on 20 years of research and extensive ethnographic fieldwork in Turkey, Professor Tee unpacks the story of Turkish secularism and analyses the country’s recent turn to religious authoritarianism. The epic struggle for power which preceded that turn took place between two rival Islamic groups operating within the constraints of the secular state.
This reality troubles the 'Orientalist' binary of Islam ‘versus’ secular democracy, and suggests that the notion of an inevitable opposition between the two is fundamentally misguided.
Cost: Free
Any access restrictions (i.e. minimum age) – no minimum age
Speaker: Professor Caroline Tee (Professor of the Anthropology of Islam)
Date: Wednesday, 18 June 2025, 6:30pm
Venue: School of Education, University of Chester, Exton Park, Chester, CH1 4BJ
Professor Caroline Tee
Professor Caroline Tee
Professor
How to get there
Exton Park is centrally located in Chester, and accessible via the M53, A483, A41, A56, and public transport from the city centre.
Find your way around Exton Park
Address
University of Chester, Parkgate Road, Chester, CH1 4BJ
Cycling
The Greenway Gate, accessible between 7am – 9pm with your University pass, is located at the back of the overflow car park and is the nearest point of access to the Millennium Greenway cycle path that connects to routes throughout the city.
Public Transport
Bache train station is a 15-minute walk from Exton Park and Chester railway station is a 20-minute walk. Arriva 1A and Arriva 1 run frequent services that stop with a short walk to Exton Park. All three Park and Ride routes, PR1, PR2 and PR3 have connections within walking distance to Exton Park.
Parking
Parking on campus is limited, so we recommend using public transport and/or walking if possible.