Religious Pluralism in Turkeys Attempt to Become a Secular State :: Politics Political Religion Turkey Papers

Religious Pluralism in Turkey's Attempt to Become a Secular State Religious Pluralism in Turkey: an Overview In 1923, a modern nation-state was forged by the reforms of Mustafa Kemal in the form of the Turkish republic. The Kemalist state sought to remove religion from the public realm by totally separating religion and politics. It was expected that the modernization process would lead to a decline in religious fervor. However, the process has actually moved Muslims into a more public sphere. Today, fundamentalists and secularists are at odds regarding the future of the Turkish state. A fundamental question has evolved out of this struggle: is it possible to impose a secular state in the midst of strong religious pluralism? This is simply a tangent of the age old question is it possible to maintain a rigid separation of religion and politics? Some believe that Turkey has set a model for the Middle Eastern world that should be followed, while others believe that the state needs to address the growing dichotomy that has arisen.1 Islamists v. Secularists Islamists view Islam as a revitalized politico-religious vision and seek to advance its values, ideal, and institutions.2 While some promote a more moderate view, many Islamic Militants use their ideology to encourage political violence. On the other hand, secularists put a great deal of emphasis on the separation of religion and politics. Secular conservatives defend the status-quo, while secular reformists challenge the status-quo through legal means.3 Despite their differences, all secularists in Turkey are becoming increasingly sensitive and aware of the problems of maintaining and developing a secular state within the framework of a Muslim region. The logic of the secularist sensitivity stems from Kemalist ideology. It is extremely important to take into account the history of secularism. That history is well summarized by Hakan M. Yavuz, in his recent article ?The case of Turkey (on secularism & religion)?: ?The history of the contestation between religion and secularism is the story of the struggle between a state-imposed modernization run by a circumscribed Kemalist political elite and a popular resistance that has often assumed a religious cast.? The Kemalists outlawed Islamic identity claims, as well as Kurdish ethnic claims.? Instead of being viewed as a strength, the Ottoman-Islamic tradition of pluralism, tolerance, and cultural diversity was viewed as a debilitating weakness. Religious Pluralism in Turkey's Attempt to Become a Secular State :: Politics Political Religion Turkey Papers Religious Pluralism in Turkey's Attempt to Become a Secular State Religious Pluralism in Turkey: an Overview In 1923, a modern nation-state was forged by the reforms of Mustafa Kemal in the form of the Turkish republic. The Kemalist state sought to remove religion from the public realm by totally separating religion and politics. It was expected that the modernization process would lead to a decline in religious fervor. However, the process has actually moved Muslims into a more public sphere. Today, fundamentalists and secularists are at odds regarding the future of the Turkish state. A fundamental question has evolved out of this struggle: is it possible to impose a secular state in the midst of strong religious pluralism? This is simply a tangent of the age old question is it possible to maintain a rigid separation of religion and politics? Some believe that Turkey has set a model for the Middle Eastern world that should be followed, while others believe that the state needs to address the growing dichotomy that has arisen.1 Islamists v. Secularists Islamists view Islam as a revitalized politico-religious vision and seek to advance its values, ideal, and institutions.2 While some promote a more moderate view, many Islamic Militants use their ideology to encourage political violence. On the other hand, secularists put a great deal of emphasis on the separation of religion and politics. Secular conservatives defend the status-quo, while secular reformists challenge the status-quo through legal means.3 Despite their differences, all secularists in Turkey are becoming increasingly sensitive and aware of the problems of maintaining and developing a secular state within the framework of a Muslim region. The logic of the secularist sensitivity stems from Kemalist ideology. It is extremely important to take into account the history of secularism. That history is well summarized by Hakan M. Yavuz, in his recent article ?The case of Turkey (on secularism & religion)?: ?The history of the contestation between religion and secularism is the story of the struggle between a state-imposed modernization run by a circumscribed Kemalist political elite and a popular resistance that has often assumed a religious cast.? The Kemalists outlawed Islamic identity claims, as well as Kurdish ethnic claims.? Instead of being viewed as a strength, the Ottoman-Islamic tradition of pluralism, tolerance, and cultural diversity was viewed as a debilitating weakness.

Organic or Processed Food? Essay

Abstract In our society today we are battling obesity and unhealthy processed foods. We are one of the only countries left in the world that lets our government put GMOs in our food that is sold to the public. When are we going to take a stand in this country and stop letting our government control our food and poison us? Or better yet, we as Americans should start becoming more self-sufficient in growing and raising our own food. Unfortunately, not everyone is for being self-sufficient and want to buy the cheaper processed food in the stores because it is simply much cheaper, which I do concur, and it makes me feel there is a reason the government allows the processed food to be cheaper and the healthier foods to be outrageously more expensive. Is it really worth paying a hefty penny for organic food or should it be suffice to say that the processed GMO food, that is at a more affordable price, be sufficient for our health? According to, http://nongmoproject. org/, GMOs, or â€Å"genetically modified organisms,† are plants or animals that have been genetically engineered with DNA from bacteria, viruses or other plants and animals. These experimental combinations of genes from different species cannot occur in nature or in traditional crossbreeding. In more than 60 countries around the world there are bans on the production and sale of GMOs. â€Å"In the U. S., the government has approved GMOs based on studies conducted by the same corporations that created them and profit from their sale. Increasingly, Americans are taking matters into their own hands and choosing to opt out of the GMO experiment. † Talk about processed foods Talk about Organic foods Conclusion In conclusion to whether or not Organic food is in our best interest or if Processed GMOs are healthy enough for Americans to not be so concerned with, I believe it comes down to money. Yes, Health is extremely important but health costs money, and when you are limited to what you can buy, the cheaper route is almost always the option. You say,†Well why don’t they grow most of their crops and raise some chickens and rabbits†? That would be the best option of course, but the reality of it is, the people who have to work all day that live paycheck to paycheck either don’t have the desire, the space or the time to take care of the responsibility of producing their own food. So, their can really be no judgment on each individual American as to which option they decide. If you go GMO then at least you can pick the healthier of the choices they give you and stay active to fight obesity. Remember, YOU are your child’s number one role model. They are going to eat what you eat, act like you do and say what you say. So be proactive for your children and let’s create a healthier society for the future. References Online Documents NON-GMO PROJECT (2014). GMO Facts. What are GMOs? Retrieved from http://nongmoproject. org/.

A View Of A Collegiate Swimming Team s Success And...

Goal setting is an intricate part of our own lives; not just in the sports realm. Goals such as talking, walking, running come early in our lives set by our parents, evolving to running fast and hard, set by ourselves later in our lives. As we explore this technique, we also get a view of a collegiate swimming team’s success and methodology. Jeff Hegle is the head swimming and diving coach at St. Cloud State University (SCSU). Jeff has been the coach at SCSU for 15 years, returning to Alma Mater years after graduating and competing. Not only in his own life but in his coaching, his athletes and himself use a modified method of goal setting; especially since swimming has some different goals compared to the rest of the sports universe. Hegle has had numerous swimmers and divers who have had success in his years on and off the deck. Dealing with not only the men, but the women, different personalities clash as teams compete together but oppositely to achieve their goals, of winn ing an Northern Sun Championship (NSIC). Some, as he will note, have higher ambitions; such as National and All-American Statuses. However, given the length of their season (September to March) goals tend to change, for the good or bad. One of the talking points of our discussion was how to keep the focus and motivation throughout this long season, especially with the 2-a-day practices and the stress of collegiate academia breathing down their necks. Hegle tries to split it into two parts. He has aShow MoreRelated_x000C_Introduction to Statistics and Data Analysis355457 Words   |  1422 Pageschapter. 5. Use technology for developing conceptual understanding and analyzing data. The computer has brought incredible statistical power to the desktop of every investigator. The wide availability of statistical computer packages such as MINITAB, S-Plus, JMP, and SPSS, and the graphical capabilities of the modern microcomputer have transformed both the teaching and learning of statistics. To highlight the role of the computer in contemporary statistics, we have included sample output xvi