Interventionist Secularism: A Comparative Analysis of the Turkish Grand National Assembly (1923-1928) and the Indian Constituent Assembly (1946-1949) Debates
The debates in the Turkish Grand National Assembly (1923-1928) and the Indian Constituent Assembly (1946-1949) inscribed the secular infrastructures of these states into law. A close examination of these debates shows that while the separation of religion and state was an important aspect of Turkish...
| Published in: | Journal for the scientific study of religion |
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| Main Author: | |
| Format: | Electronic Article |
| Language: | English |
| Check availability: | HBZ Gateway |
| Journals Online & Print: | Drawer...
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| Fernleihe: | Fernleihe für die Fachinformationsdienste |
| Published: |
Wiley-Blackwell
[2015]
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| In: |
Journal for the scientific study of religion
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| Standardized Subjects / Keyword chains: | B
Turkey, Büyük Millet Meclisi
/ History 1923-1928
/ India, Constitutional convention
/ History 1946-1949
/ Secularism
/ State
/ Intervention
/ Islam
/ Hinduism
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| RelBib Classification: | AD Sociology of religion; religious policy BJ Islam BK Hinduism, Jainism, Sikhism KBL Near East and North Africa KBM Asia TK Recent history |
| Further subjects: | B
Turkey
B state regulation of religion B parliamentary debates B Secularism B India |
| Online Access: |
Volltext (Verlag) Volltext (doi) |
| Summary: | The debates in the Turkish Grand National Assembly (1923-1928) and the Indian Constituent Assembly (1946-1949) inscribed the secular infrastructures of these states into law. A close examination of these debates shows that while the separation of religion and state was an important aspect of Turkish and Indian secularisms, both allowed the state to intervene in the religious sphere. In both, state intervention in religion sought to transform the majority religion into a secularized and modernized form that would complement national identity. However, whereas Turkish secularism adopted restrictive intervention, which sanctions state interference to construct a monolithic national identity, the Indian nationalist leaders adopted emancipative intervention, which seeks to create an overarching national identity while preserving the cultural and religious diversity of society. While the former type of secularist intervention limits religion's public visibility and places it under state control, the latter seeks to eliminate and reform religious practices that hinder social justice and equality. Based on this analysis, I argue that secularism may be seen as a tool state authorities utilize in the service of the political project of creating a modern nation. |
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| ISSN: | 1468-5906 |
| Contains: | Enthalten in: Journal for the scientific study of religion
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| Persistent identifiers: | DOI: 10.1111/jssr.12192 |