1st Edition
Turkey's Nationalist Action Party Ideas and Practices
This book offers a comprehensive analysis of the nationalist ideas and practices of Turkey’s Nationalist Action Party (MHP) from its founder, Alparslan Türkeş, to its current leader, Devlet Bahçeli.
Applying both diachronic and synchronic approaches to the multidimensionality of nationalism, the book analyzes how Türkeş and Bahçeli emphasized or de-emphasized ethnic, cultural, and civic components of the party’s nationalism in response to the threats they perceived in specific historical contexts. The author draws on party documents, speeches, and interviews to examine how recurring themes in Türkeş’s and Bahçeli’s nationalist ideas and practices have evolved over half a century, between 1965 and 2015. In this way, the book provides fresh insights into the evolution and complexity of the MHP’s nationalism, thereby contributing to the theoretical understanding of nationalism’s multidimensionality. The book also highlights the political significance of the MHP in contemporary Turkey, where nationalist and right-wing politics have become increasingly influential in recent years.
Spanning a number of disciplines, including political science, international relations, and Turkish studies, the book will be of interest to a broad range of scholars and students, as well as those seeking insights into the broader implications of nationalism.
1. Introduction 2. Historical Background 3. Alparslan Türkeş: “Başbuğ” (Chieftain) of the Idealist Movement 4. Devlet Bahçeli: “İlteber Devlet” (Head of State) – Idealist as the Leader 5. Conclusion
Biography
Arzu Opçin Kıdal holds a PhD from Bilkent University, Ankara. Her main research interests are nationalism and gender. She is the co-author of “Imagining Turan: Homeland and Its Political Implications in the Literary Work of Hüseyinzade Ali [Turan] and Mehmet Ziya [Gökalp]” (Middle Eastern Studies, 2020).
"Dr. Opçin Kıdal’s meticulously researched book is the first-of-its-kind study which offers an in-depth analysis of the Nationalist Action Party’s ideological foundations, historical evolution, and political impact. Based on a profound understanding of Turkey’s political landscape, it provides invaluable insights that will undoubtedly contribute to scholarly discussions on nationalism and nationalist leaders. This book is an essential read for anyone seeking a deep, informed perspective on the nationalist ideas and practices of the party’s leaders, and their role in shaping Turkish politics."
Metin Heper, Professor of Political Science and Director of the Center of Turkish Politics and History, Bilkent University
"Dr. Opçin Kıdal’s book fills an important gap regarding the Nationalist Action Party (MHP) in the field of Turkish politics. Based on a systematic analysis of primary sources (most of which so far neglected), she tells a detailed story of MHP’s first 50 years in the Turkish party system. This groundbreaking study, that also situates MHP's nationalism in the context of both theory and the history of nationalist thought in Turkey since the late Ottoman period, promises to become a definitive work in the field."
Ahmet Evin, Sabancı University and Istanbul Policy Center
"Opçin Kıdal's book is a timely and valuable contribution to the academic literature of the Turkish far right. It sheds light on the history and politics of a party that has exerted a crucial influence over Turkish politics and remains one of the key actors in Turkish social and cultural dynamics."
Ioannis N. Grigoriadis, Bilkent University
