KAZAKH-TURKISH LYCEUMS: PROMOTION OF GÜLENISM IN KAZAKHSTAN
Keywords:
Kazakhstan-Turkish relations, education, Kazakh-Turkish lyceums (KTLs), the Gülen movement, securitization, soft powerAbstract
Today, education has come to the fore in international relations as an important factor of cooperation between states. Ankara uses it as a “soft power” instrument to promote the ideas of Turkic unity and cultural closeness of the Turkic world. The Kazakh-Turkish lyceums (KTLs) opened in the Republic of Kazakhstan on the initiative of the presidents Nursultan Nazarbayev and Turgut Özal occupy the leading positions in education in Kazakhstan. After a failed coup d’état in Turkey, Ankara officially asked the states where these lyceums were functioning to close them as part of the network of the Gülen movement Hizmet, which raised and educated its loyal followers.
Open borders and the diversity of educational models can be regarded as a challenge to the local society, which is confronted with a huge variety of ideas and opinions influencing the lives and minds of common people. Education is no longer a sphere of cultural impact (“soft power”), but, rather, has become a factor of state security.
Despite the measures taken by the Kazakhstani authorities, the problem created by the KTLs has not yet been sorted out: the Gülen schools continue to function and promote the ideology of Gülenism among the future members of the political and financial elite of Kazakhstan. We have analyzed this problem through the lens of the soft power theory and securitization to find an answer to the question of whether the lyceums not only endanger bilateral relations, but also threaten security of the Republic of Kazakhstan in other respects. In other words, should this problem be reviewed to eliminate the risks or should it be disregarded in view of its great importance as a “soft power” instrument and its close connection with economic modernization and social progress.
The ideological components, rather that the educational programs per se are raising doubts: loyalty to the Gülen ideology is being instilled in the minds of the future elite and leaders of Kazakhstan. Irrespective of the extent to which the movement is involved in Islamic proselytism and propaganda of Turkism, it negatively affects the processes of national construction, nation’s self-identification and formulation of the national idea, social security and stability, religious unity, etc.
Downloads
References
See: A. Erkebulan, Povliial li otezd turetskikh uchiteley na kachestvo obrazovania v KTL, Forbes.kz, 29 May, 2018, available at [https://forbes.kz/process/education/uderjat_planku_1527513459/], 2 February, 2020.
A. Kosenov, V Kazakhstane ne budut zakryvat kazakhsko-turetskie litsei, Tengrinews.kz, 10 April 2014, available at [https://tengrinews.kz/kazakhstan_news/v-kazahstane-ne-budut-zakryivat-kazahsko-turetskie-litsei-253367/], 2 February, 2020. 3 Nazarbayev: visit v Turtsiu ia sovershil, chtoby podderzhat moego brata Erdogana, Nur.kz, 5 August, 2016, available at [https://www.nur.kz/1212132-nazarbaev-o-poezdke-v-turciyu-etot-vizi.html], 6 February, 2020.
T. Gumrukcu, A.J. Yackley, Kazakhstan to Expel Teachers Linked with Gülen Movement // Reuters.com, 5 August, 2016, available at [https://www.reuters.com/article/us-turkey-kazakhstan-education/kazakhstan-to-expel-teachers-linked- with-Gülen-movement-nazarbayev-idUSKCN10G1PI], 7 February, 2020.
Gülen-linked Turkish Schools in Kazakhstan Being Renamed, RFE/RL’s Kazakh Service, 18 October, 2016, available at [https://www.rferl.org/a/kazakhstan-Gülen-turkish-schools-renamed/28061316.html], 7 February, 2020.
S. Çağaptay, The New Sultan: Erdoğan and the Crisis of Modern Turkey, I.B. Tauris, Bloomsbury Publishing Plc., 2020, p. 111.
H. Yavuz, Toward an Islamic Enlightenment: The Gülen Movement, Oxford University Press, New York, 2013, p. 80.
See: B. Balci, Islam in Central Asia and the Caucasus since the Fall of the Soviet Union, Transl. into English by G. Elliott, Hurst & Company, London, 2018, p. 52.
See: Ibid., p. 53.
See: S. Cagaptay, op. cit., p. 112.
See: US Charter Schools Tied tо Powerful Turkish Imam, cbsnews.com, 13 May 2012, available at [https://www. cbsnews.com/news/us-charter-schools-tied-to-powerful-turkish-imam/], 7 February, 2020.
See: U.S. Network of Turkish Cleric Facing Pressure as Those at Home Seek Help, Ruters.com, 26 September 2016, available at [https: // www.reuters.com/article/us-turkey-Gülen-usa-insight/u-s-network-of-turkish-cleric-facing-pressure-as- those-at-home-seek-help-idUSKCN11W0BL], 8 February, 2020.
See: C. Holton, C. Lopez C., The Gülen Movement: Turkey’s Islamic Supremacist Cult and its Contribution to the Civilization Jihad in America, The Center for Security Policy Press, Washington D.C., 2015, p. 19.
See: H. Yavuz, op. cit., pp. 85, 90.
C. Holton, C. Lopez, op. cit., pp. 11-12.
S. Cagaptay, op. cit., p. 182.
See: A. Erkebulan, op. cit.
B. Balci, “Fethullah Gülen’s Missionary Schools in Central Asia and their Role in the Spreading of Turkism and Islam,” Religion, State and Society, Vol. 31, No.2,2003, p.154.
See: P. Alexander, “Turkey on Diplomatic Push to Close Schools Linked to Influential Cleric,” Voanews.com, 31 August, 2017, available at [https: // www.voanews.com/europe/turkey-diplomatic-push-close-schools-linked-influential- cleric], 10 February, 2020.
See the site of the manager of the Kazakh-Turkish lyceums of the Foundation: [https: // bil.edu.kz/].
See: B. Balci, Fethullah Gülen’s Missionary Schools in Central Asia..., p. 155.
See: A. Erkebulan, op. cit.
See: M. Bekmaganbetov, V KATEV govoriat, chto oni ne imeiut otnoshenia k Giulenu, Rus.azattyk.org, 27 June, 2016, available at [https://rus.azattyq.org/a/kazakhstan-tureckie-licei-kazakhsko-turecky universitet/27884615.html], 11 February, 2020.
Prepodavateli kazakhsko-turetskikh litseev prosiat ubezhishcha v Kazakhstane, Tengrinews.kz, 27 September, 2017, available at [https: // tengrinews.kz/kazakhstan_news/prepodavateli-kazakhsko-turetskikh-litseev-prosyat-ubejischa-327354/] 15 February, 2020.
See: B. Balci, Fethullah Gülen’s Missionary Schools in Central Asia..., p. 155.
See: N. Sultanmuratov, Obrazovanie po-turetski, ili faktor Giulena v Kazakhstane, Institute of Asian Studies, Almaty, 2018, p. 9, available at [https: // institute.asiakz.com/files/files/attachments/79/obrazovanie-po-turecki-nuriddin-sultanmuratov. pdf].
See: B. Balci, Fethullah Gülen’s Missionary Schools in Central Asia..., p. 164.
K. Pridatchenko, Otkrovenia KTLshchika, Yvision.kz, 29 December, 2014, available at [https://yvision.kz/ post/454060], 11February, 2020.
See: B. Balci, Islam in Central Asia and the Caucasus since the Fall of the Soviet Union, p. 55.
S. Mori, L. Taccetti, Rising Extremism in Central Asia? Stability in the Heartland for a Secure Eurasia, Brussels, European Institute for Asian, February 2016, p. 12, available at [http://www.eias.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/04/EIAS_ Briefing_Paper_2016_Mori_Taccetti_Central_Asia.pdf], 2 February, 2020.
Ibidem.
S. Brletich, “Tajikistan, Turkey and Gülen Movement,” thediplomat.com, 21 August, 2015, available at [https:// thediplomat.com/2015/08/tajikistan-turkey-and-the-Gülen-movement/], 15 February, 2020.
See: T. Wesolowsky, A. Mamashuly, “They’ll Take Us into Custody”: Turkish Teachers in Kazakhstan Fear Going Home, rferl.org, 8 October, 2017, available at [https://www.rferl.org/a/kazakhstan-turkey-teachers-Gülen-repatriation/ 28780416.html], 14 February, 2020.
See: “Nazarbayev: turetskie uchitelia ne budut ekstradirovany v Turtsiu, tema zakryta” mk-turkey.ru, 16 September, 2017, available at [https: // mk-turkey.ru/politics/2017/09/16/kazahsko-tureckie-licei-ne-imeyut.html], 17 February 2020.
See: E. Erkebulan, op. cit.
N. Batrakova, Umy malenkikh kazakhstantsev vne opasnosti! Giulen na nikh ne vliiaet, ktk.kz, 2 August, 2016, available at [https: // www.ktk.kz/ru/blog/article/2016/08/02/71202/], 5 February, 2020.
See: Oljas Khudaibergenov: “Prepodavateli, kotorye vernulis iz Kazakhstana v Turtsiu, sidiat v tiurme bez suda i sledstvia,” Tengrinews.kz, 21 September, 2017, available at [https://tengrinews.kz/kazakhstan_news/oljas-hudaybergenov- prepodavateli-kotoryie-vernulis-326984/], 10 February, 2020.
See: N. Sultanmuratov, op. cit.
See: B. Balci, Islam in Central Asia and the Caucasus Since the Fall of the Soviet Union.
Downloads
Published
Issue
Section
License
Copyright (c) 2020 Author
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
You are free to:
- Share — copy and redistribute the material in any medium or format for any purpose, even commercially.
- Adapt — remix, transform, and build upon the material for any purpose, even commercially.
- The licensor cannot revoke these freedoms as long as you follow the license terms.
Under the following terms:
- Attribution — You must give appropriate credit , provide a link to the license, and indicate if changes were made . You may do so in any reasonable manner, but not in any way that suggests the licensor endorses you or your use.
- No additional restrictions — You may not apply legal terms or technological measures that legally restrict others from doing anything the license permits.
Notices:
You do not have to comply with the license for elements of the material in the public domain or where your use is permitted by an applicable exception or limitation .
No warranties are given. The license may not give you all of the permissions necessary for your intended use. For example, other rights such as publicity, privacy, or moral rights may limit how you use the material.
