by MICHAELSABELLI
Turkey is one of the few complicated states in the word that is difficult to classify and force into a neat cultural and political grouping. Its land is the setting of Biblical stories, the birthplace of Western Civilization, and the spread of Islam.
Turkey is far more than a bridge between Eastern and Western worlds; it is a land home to both. From an outsider’s perspective Turkey is difficult to classify. From within, Turkey struggles with a perpetual identity crisis.
With the events surrounding the Arab spring, Turkey has been developing a new political identity with a sharp contrast of focus in perspective and self-image.
For decades, it has struggled with passive-aggressive rejection from the EU. Though it can be argued that Turkey is not European, its history is anything but un-European. It has left a culture that has sought approval from the West.
Turkey has also been a strong Islamic force. The Ottoman Empire built a Vaticanesque caliphate developed as a center of Islamic power, but was opposed by most of the their conquered Muslim subjects. They’ve always sought adoration from their Arab neighbours that stems from a position of power.
These two forces have been struggling for supremacy, teetering the balance of influence back and forth for centuries.
Uncovering Turkish identity reveals layers of perspective dependent upon the era in history; much like unpeeling the layers of Hagia Sophia reveals architectural influences of that day.
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(Thanks to Feroze Mehdi)