Ulusalism

Ideology in Turkey

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Ulusalism (Turkish: Ulusalcılık^[a]) is a secularist (laik), left-wing neo-nationalist ideology in Turkey that is influenced by Kemalism. Until the late 20th century, the word had been used as an equivalent of nationalism.^[1]^[2]^[3] In the mid-1990s, it transformed into a ideology led by left-wing nationalists, such as Attila İlhan, Mümtaz Soysal, and Doğu Perinçek.^[4]

As a reaction to the rise of a reformist, but staunchly conservative AKP in 2000s, Ulusalcılar came up with numerous conspiracy theories. The central theme of these theories is a world-wide conspiracy to destroy Turkey, which is believed to be spearheaded by countries such as United States, EU member states, Greece, Israel, and Armenia, ethnicities such as Greeks, Arabs, and Armenians, and ideologies such as liberalism, anti-nationalist leftism, and Islamism. To further consolidate their claims, the leaders of the ideology sought to 'historically prove' their theories, thus developing Kemalist historiography and radicalizing it. These theories were popularized by media outlets such as Sözcü, a staunch Kemalist and xenophobic^[5]^[6]^[7] newspaper. According to Doğan Gürpınar, the theories are mostly popular among upper-middle-class secular Turks; however, he notes that there is a lack of definitive research on this area.^[5]

Position on the political spectrum

The majority of those who identify themselves as Ulusalcı define themselves as politically on the left. In a different view, CHP İzmir MP and former ECtHR judge Rıza Türmen considered Ulusalcılık as a kind of "extreme Kemalist nationalism" and said that one cannot be both a Ulusalcı and a leftist.^[8]

In the Grand National Assembly of Turkey, the word "Ulusalcı" has also been used only in a nationalist sense. For example, in a debate in the parliament, Muharrem İnce gave the example of Islamist politician Necmettin Erbakan and said, "Our world views were not the same with the late Erbakan, but he had a Ulusalcı side, he had a national stance."^[9] For Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu, on the other hand, the word Ulusalcılık meant nationalism and patriotism and said in 2013 that CHP members were Ulusalcı.^[10]

AK Party Deputy Chairman Hüseyin Çelik said of the students who protested against Erdoğan at METU in 2012, "They are incorrigible Ulusalcıs."^[11]

Ulusalcı political parties

National Party (Turkey)
Patriotic Party (Turkey)
Workers' Party (Turkey)
Workers' Peasants' Party of Turkey (2010)
Factions of the Republican People's Party
Justice Party

Notes

^ Ulusalcılık, noun; Ulusalcı, adjective. Both originate from ulusal "national" or ulus "nation" or and "quota".

References

^ "Kemalizm'in Ulusalcılık Anlayışı ve Günümüz Türkiye'sinde Ulusalcılık - Milliyetçilik Algılamaları" [Kemalism's Understanding of Nationalism and Nationalism - Perceptions of Nationalism in Today's Turkey] (PDF). msydergi.com (in Turkish). Archived from the original (PDF) on 5 December 2022. Retrieved 4 November 2022.
^ "Ulusalcı Ne Demek, Ne Anlama Gelir? Ulusalcı Kelimesi TDK Sözlük Anlamı Nedir?" [What Does Ulusalcı Mean, What Does It Mean? What does the word ulusalcı mean in TDK dictionary?]. haberturk.com (in Turkish). Archived from the original on 1 October 2022. Retrieved 1 October 2022.
^ "ulusal". Nişanyan Sözlük. Retrieved 20 November 2021.
^ Güzel, Süleyman Çağrı. "Understanding the Ontology of Neo-Natiolasm (Ulusalcılık): An Analysis in the Context of Civil and Ethnic Nationalism". Journal of Institute of Social Sciences (in Turkish). Dicle University: 33. Archived from the original on June 23, 2022.
^ ^a ^b Gürpinar, Doğan (2013). "Historical Revisionism vs. Conspiracy Theories: Transformations of Turkish Historical Scholarship and Conspiracy Theories as a Constitutive Element in Transforming Turkish Nationalism". Journal of Balkan and Near Eastern Studies. 15 (4): 412–433. doi:10.1080/19448953.2013.844588. S2CID 145016215.
^ Polat, Ferihan; Subay, Özlem Özdeşim; Ulutürk, Ahu Sinem (31 October 2018). "Reading Xenophobia in Turkish Media Through Syrian Refugees: Samples of Yeni Akit and Sözcü Newspapers". Avrasya Sosyal ve Ekonomi Araştırmaları Dergisi. 5 (10): 135–146.
^ "Interrupted Social Peace: Hate Speech in Turkish Media". The International Academic Forum (IAFOR). Retrieved 7 December 2021.
^ Rıza, TÜRMEN (1973). "Summary". Ankara Üniversitesi SBF Dergisi. 28 (1): 1. doi:10.1501/sbfder_0000001001. ISSN 0378-2921.
^ "Genel Kurul Konuşması - İstanbul Milletvekili Oktay Saral'ın, Partisine Sataşması Nedeniyle". tbmm.gov.tr. Archived from the original on 12 November 2022. Retrieved 12 November 2022.
^ "Kılıçdaroğlu: "Hepimiz ulusalcıyız"". Gerçek Gündem sitesi. 2 January 2013. Archived from the original on 5 January 2013. Retrieved 2 January 2013.
^ "Şu "ulusalcılık" meselesi". Sol Gazetesi. 22 December 2012. Archived from the original on 25 May 2013. Retrieved 3 January 2013.