The Clash of Kemalisms? Reflections on the Past and Present Politics of Kemalism in Turkish Political Discourse

Abstract: This essay focuses on the question of how to make sense of the salience of Kemalism today. Building on Max Weber's notion of charisma and Laclau and Mouffe's concept of hegemony, it suggests viewing Kemalism as a chain of discourses that have both charismatic and hegemonic aspects. It is suggested that the way in which Kemalism is interpreted by political actors and the dynamics between its contesting interpretations are more relevant than the original charismatic and hegemonic aspects of this ideology for understanding its significance today. It is argued that the present period does not represent the dissolution of Kemalist hegemony, as argued by some, but that it can best be understood in terms of the resurfacing clash between the security-centered and the democracy-centered interpretations of Kemalism.