Chantal Mahmoud, CEO of the International Centre for the Study of Radicalisation and Political Violence (ICSR), said in a statement.
The report, entitled Islamophobia and Political Violence in Turkey has highlighted the extent to which an increasing number of young Muslims are turning to extremist extremist groups during the past 15 years — a phenomenon that is taking place with both increased ease and with increasing speed.
“This report is a valuable contribution to the understanding of the current situation of political Islam in Turkey,” said the ICSR representative.
“This is because, after having so long been a key partner to research and study on these issues in Turkey (the Turkish National Science Foundation, TEK, and the University of Central Turkey, Istanbul), the country is witnessing new efforts by Turkish academia on the topic of political Islam in the aftermath of terror attacks such as July 15.”
Rhetoric about ‘Islamic domination’ in the face of Islamist threats and terrorism was increasingly present during the period covered by the study, the report pointed out, and was “often linked to Islamophobia”.
The ICSR has tracked incidents of both right-wing and left-wing radicalisation in Turkey since 1999.
Meanwhile, the ICSR study also pointed out the growing role played by “extremist media”. “Extremist media has become a vital component for radical Islamisation and has gained more presence in the popular sphere,” said the report.
“With its reach and influence, extremist media contributes to spread of Islamophobia and is one of the main factors for the continuation of social discontent among Islamist youth and others who do not adhere to [Sharia].”
This information, the report added, was found in “an investigation into social media networks of ‘Turkish youth’ that were created after the 2008 terrorist attacks” by academics from various universities.
“In addition, media-related publications, including the publication of religious books, are common topics of discussion among Islamist youth in Turkey. Therefore, understanding the context of these publications, and in particular the use of religious texts as a tool of ideological discourse, is crucial to understanding the present, the political situation and the causes of political Islamism and terrorism in Turkey.”
The ICSR study also highlights the role of the private sector in political Islamization, with the report noting a rising focus on the religious life of employees of private companies, an issue that is being addressed “in detail” by an