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and monthly conversations, sometimes even weekly. His conversations are accessible on www.herkul.org. These are also published in the series, Kırık Testi (Broken Pitcher, vol.
1–6). The recordings of the sermons are available via the movement’s publishing houses.
Nevertheless, I may gain my most interesting data and insights at unexpected times, such as an informal chat or email with an informant.
IV. Literature Review
This study is the first contribution on theHizmet Movement in Kazakhstan, while many studies have been done about the movement in Turkey and in other countries alike.
I will begin with a preliminary review of the literature on Gülen’s approach to education and on Gülen-inspired educational initiatives, because education is such a fundamental pillar of Gülen’s ideas and work that a great number of the works about him deal with this subject directly or indirectly. The best sources for understanding of Gülen’s ideas are his own writings. Therefore, a fair critique of Gülen and Gülen-inspired initiatives is not possible without an understanding of key elements of his ideas on education such as the final goal of education, the process of learning and teaching, and the roles of the family, school and the environment. Gülen writes in Turkish, but some of his works are available in English translation, and various collections of his articles contain sections directly relevant to education.
Among example of such collections are Essays–Perspectives–Opinions, Advocate of Dialogue, and Towards a Global Civilization of Love. Although these three books contain some similar-sounding sections (for example, Education from Cradle to Grave) their contents are not all the same. Religious Education of the Child is addressed to Muslim readers, and is about how to bring up a child and education within the family.
Criteria or Lights of the Way might also be helpful for an overview of some relevant concepts such as knowledge, thought, family, etc. Towards a Global Civilization of Love
& Tolerance gives an insight into how Gülen reflects around different aspects related to education, global perspectives and how to reach perfection by becoming an ideal human.
The ideal human is the so-called “Golden Generation” which Gülen is seeking to raise
www.pacificainstitute.org;www.mfethullahgulen.com www.fethullahgulenchair.com;www.guleninstitute.org www.hizmetmovement.com.
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and in this book he explains what it takes to become an ideal human and that their responsibility is, among other things, to raise consciousness in the world by carrying out good deeds and promoting tolerance and dialogue.
There are some books related Gülen and Hizmet movement, but none, specifically focused on Gülen’s approach to education or Hizmet schools; however several have chapters on those issues. For example, Jill Carroll, in A Dialogue of Civilizations compares and contrasts Gülen’s view of education with those of Plato and Confucius. Aslandoğan and Çetin describe the boundaries of Gülen’s educational philosophy in terms of thought and practice in Muslim Citizens of the Globalized World.
Additionally, the book by Yavuz & Esposito (2003a) Turkish Islam and the Secular State shows the Gülen Movement is a quite good and thorough study made on the movement in Turkey, it also includes a couple of chapters on the movement outside Turkey. It focuses on Gülen’s different “periods” and how he and his supporters develop over time. It also explains thoroughly the educational activities of the movement, the ideas behind education, what it symbolizes to the movement and how Gülen’s supporters have propagated these educational activities and ideas both in Turkey and globally. In Turkish Islam and the Secular State, Thomas Michel illustrates the work of Gülen as an educator.
The third set of articles takes on the most prominent aspect of the Movement: the educational activities. Thomas Michel looks at Gülen’s outlook on education and identifies his concerns about some of the modern challenges to true “human freedom”.
Impoverishment of spirituality and ethical bases of value degeneration through false dichotomies and artefacts make up the departing point of the movement’s educational enterprise. In such diverse contexts as Turkey, Bosnia, Kazakhstan, Brazil, Nigeria, and the Philippines, the teachers seek to cultivate good morals and conduct in their pupils as well as encouraging them to excel in sciences. Education plays a bridging role not only between Turkey and the host countries, but also among subnational groups and localities.
Michel’s chapter mentions an example from The Philippines, where a school named
“Philippine-Turkish School of Tolerance” played a constructive role to ease the tension between Muslims and Christians. Other contributors to the issue of education in the volume stress the movement’s adept synthesis of local, national, and global values.
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There are also numerous published field studies focusing on Gülen-inspired schools. In “The role of Turkish schools in the educational system and social transformation of Central Asian countries: the case of Turkmenistan and Kyrgyzstan”, Balcı, Cennet and Akkok rely on interviews with parents and teachers in Gülen schools for their evaluation of the role of Turkish schools in the educational system and social transformation of Turkmenistan and Kyrgyzstan. Elizabeth Özdalga interviews three woman teachers in Gülen schools and publishes her impressions in “Following in the Footsteps of Fethullah Gülen”. Alice Moscaritolo (2009) presents her article “The Role of Education in Transitional Societies: The Case Study of Educators in Kazakhstan” at a conference,13
The book Muslim world in Transition: Contributions of the Gülen Movement (2007) includes a collection of studies made on the movement. Emre Demir’s study “The Emergence of a Neo-Communitarian Movement in the Turkish Diaspora in Europe: The Strategies of Settlement and Competition ofHizmet Movement in France and Germany”
looks at the organizational strategies of the movement in France and in Germany.
Compared to other Islamic communities in Europe building mosques and emphasizing Islamic education, the movement has chosen to emphasize the importance of a secular education and by that they have been able to establish their schools and activities without attracting too much attention from local authorities. Demir concludes that the socio-political problems and economic vulnerability of the Turkish Diaspora in Europe has transformed the strategies of the Gülen Movement.
based on interviews with advisors in the dormitories of Gülen schools in Kazakhstan. İbrahim Keleş’s quantitative research on values in Gülen schools in Kyrgyzstan using data from The World Values Survey and his own survey published as Contributions of the Gülen Schools in Kyrgyzstan. Sagbansua& Keles’ article (2006)
“Turkish Higher Education Experience in Central Asia: Managerial and Educational Features of IAAU” illustrates the educational and managerial aspects of the Sebat’s university, IAAU.
The financial dimension of the Hizmet Movement is discussed in the book The Gülen Movement: A Sociological Analysis of a Civic Movement Rooted in Moderate
13 Presented in conference on “Muslims between Tradition and Modernity: The Gülen Movement as a Bridge between Cultures” Berlin; the University of Potsdam, May, 26-27, 2009.
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Islam by Helen Rose Ebaugh, The book describes the movement from a sociological perspective. She argues that the emergence and growth of a grassroots movement depends on a level of discontent sufficient to result in drawing money and supporters to the movement. And, she sheds light on the motivation of a core membership who identify themselves with the fate of the movement itself. Ebaugh holds that the Turkish/Islamic tradition of giving and the political-historical culture of Turkey need to be thoroughly comprehended in order to get a full picture of the economic bases of the Gülen Movement. The relevance for the movement of the Islamic tradition of philanthropy is easily be grasped by Ebaugh.
Muhammed Cetin (2009) studies this faith-inspired movement and publishes his findings in the book The Gülen Movement: Civic Service without Borders, which focuses on motivation for participation that include spiritual resources and moral values like altruism, and constitute the social capital for the peaceful civil society movement and on how it developed volunteerism, dialogue and relationships to achieve shared goals, competiveness and non-materialistic and non-contentious services in 9 countries. Cetin concludes that the Hizmet Movement is not established on reactionary, political or antagonistic interests, nor is it a sect or cult. It is a collective action as the frame theory for the collective consciousness because in its SMOs lies the ability to pursue general goals over the long term; additionally, they have insusceptibility to escapism, extremism or violence, in the simplicity of decision-making and mediation, in their efficiency and effectiveness, and in their work ethics in which a variety of interests collaborate.
Altruism is elevated to a virtue of high standing so as to be built in togetherness with others, towards common goals, with personal sacrifice in the interest of collective actions, and by working hard in the present for a happy future.
In the article “A Civilian Response To Ethno-Religious Conflict: The Gülen Movement In Southeast Turkey” Mehmet Kalyoncu argues that it is possible to develop such strategies. His argument is based on field research in Mardin on the activities of the faith-inspired Hizmet Movement. The Hizmet Movement has succeeded in forging policies and programmes that bring different ethno-religious communities together as a necessary first step towards civil society: common problems facing the different ethno-religious communities are identified, then solid services to address those problems are
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provided, requiring collaborative effort by the different ethno-religious communities. In this way the social potential of those communities is mobilized and channeled to achieve shared goals which enrich the society as a whole.
Islam and Peace-building: Gülen Movement’s Initiatives is edited by IhsanYilmaz and John Esposito. This book examines the contributions of the Movement in the field of interfaith dialogue. Contributing scholars take on the examples of interfaith or intercultural dialogue projects of the Hizmet Movement throughout the world and analyse their potential impacts as well as the reasoning and philosophy behind them. Overall, the book alters perceptions on the issue of common understanding and dialogue between Islam and the rest of the world.
The Vision and Impact of Fethullah Gülen: A New Paradigm for Social Activism is edited by Maimul Ahsan Khan. This work illustrates the ways in which Gülen and the supporters of the movement inspired by him have presented a new kind of social activism coupled with a deeper sense of spirituality and altruism that has been missing from many contemporary civic movements. It thoroughly puts forth the efforts of Gülen and his ardent supporters in trying to balance spiritual life and social activism in order to inspire people from every segment of society to make self-sacrifices for the welfare of the complete cross-section of societies all over the world. Gülen and his supporters’ pursuit of social and educational activities knows no borders or national, social, or ethnic identities, but indeed addresses the problem of hollowness in religious beliefs that lack action plans in life as well as the problems of modernity accompanied by extreme selfishness and vulgar consumerism.
Muslim Citizens of the Globalized World: Contributions of the Gülen Movement is edited by Robert A. Hunt, and Yüksel A. Aslandoğan. This book explores the response and contributions of Turkish Muslims to globalization, including areas such as democratization, scientific revolution, changing gender roles, and religious diversity.
This study identifies the common values and visions of peace Muslims share. It places specific analysis on the Hizmet Movement - a growing approach to the reunification of faith and reason with hopes for a peaceful coexistence between liberal democracies and the religiously diverse.
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The Gülen Hizmet Movement and Its Transnational Activities: Case Studies of Altruistic Activism in Contemporary Islam is edited by Sophia Pandya and Nancy Gallagher, This book is a collection of essays on the Hizmet Movement and humanitarian civil society groups, it looks at the recent activities of its followers to practice their form of Islam and carry out collective interfaith projects at the international level. Included are essays which discuss how the movement is organized, structured, and institutionalized in many parts of the world, exploring Turkey's global influence, evaluating criticisms of the movement, and suggesting directions for further research.
At the level of Ph.D. or Masters Dissertations, Gülen schools and Gülen’s approach to education have not been studied much so far. Özlem Kocabaş, write his MA dissertation (2006) Ideological Profiles of Science Olympiad Students from Gülen Schools in Turkey.
Gürkan Çelik’s Ph.D. thesis, The Gülen Movement: Building Social Cohesion through Dialogue and Education, takes Gülen schools as a case study of the role of education in building social cohesion. This thesis examines the issue of social cohesion from the perspective of a transnational civil society faith-inspired movement's activism.
This study addresses the question of what the Hizmet Movement's message is for the reconciliation of social conflicts. Regarding this, Gülen proposes dialogue and education of peace among people of different ethnic, linguistic, racial and cultural backgrounds. It is precisely these two methods - dialogue and education - for maintaining social cohesion and mending social cleavages dividing Muslims and non-Muslims.
Berna Turam (2001) studies the Gülen Movement for her Ph.D that is based on an extended empirical research project undertaken in Turkey and Kazakhstan between 1997and 1999 and explores the relationship between Islam and the State: The Engagements between the Gülen Community and the Secular Turkish State. Her study contributes to the debates of civil society, nationalism and individual autonomy. Turam examines the Hizmet Movement’s activities in Kazakhstan to provide empirical support for her larger question of the possibility of a civil society in a non-Western social context.
She argues that the movement displays a ‘striking homogeneity in its inner core’ with its fixed, rigid, and rule-based boundaries while it tolerates differences and celebrates the pluralistic quality of public life in the whole society. Her thesis examines engagements in
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three distinct spheres, i.e. national education, international undertakings and the gender order. She concludes that although the Hizmet Movement is a nationalist and statist Movement, it is still an actor of civil society.
Richard Tapper’s book Islam in Modern Turkey: Religion, Politics and Literature in a Secular State examine the resurgence of Islam in the avowedly secular state of Turkey. It discusses how the political and social culture of Turkey has shaped, and been shaped by, such features of Islamic life as schools, Sufi orders, mosques and pious literatures. It also explores the differences between Turkey and most other countries of the region. These issues cover three main topics: Islam and nationalism as political ideologies; Turkish Muslim intellectuals and the production of Islamic knowledge; and Islamic literature and literacy in contemporary Turkey.
Ahmet T. Kuru and Alfred Stepan’s book Democracy, Islam, and Secularism in Turkey explores the toleration of diversity during the Ottoman Empire’s classical period;
the erosion of ethno-religious heterogeneity in modern, pre-democratic times; Kemalism and its role in modernization and nation building; the changing political strategies of the military; and the effect of possible EU membership on domestic reforms. Contributors tackle critical research questions, such as the legacy of the Ottoman Empire's ethno-religious plurality and the way in which Turkey's assertive secularism can be softened to allow greater space for religious actors. This volume provides comparative insights into this critical period in Turkish and European history. The book looks at two of the most important historical legacies of modern Turkey: the Ottoman Empire and Kemalism.
Turkey is the successor of the Ottoman Empire, which ruled much of the Muslim world for centuries and in the process developed forms of interreligious toleration that accorded most minorities more liberties than were then available in western Europe.
Gage’s book Gülen’s Dialogue on Education: A Caravanserai of Ideas is a freewheeling exploration that connects the educational innovator James Moffett to the Turkish educator and inspirational figure Fethullah Gülen to John Dewey, Montessori and more. Professor Tom Gage portrays eight modern educators and the development of their theories viewed from personal, cultural, and historical perspectives. He links their ideas to those of Gülen, a highly influential educator of today who draws on an entirely different tradition.
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Walter Wagner’s book Beginnings and Endings: Fethullah Gülen’s Vision for Today’s World attempts to present a framework of understanding that outlines the philosophy and theology of Gülen. This book shows how Gülen's vision for the present and future makes the present and future forms of Hizmet an essential part of his wider and urgent call for the formation of a community of religiously committed and non-religiously committed persons to work toward a just, equitable and prosperous world now.
Wagner’s book explores the way that Gülen, in his extensive writings, lays out a vision for humanity to make the most of its time on Earth as the end times near. Wagner shows how Gülen uses his deep understanding of both Islamic faith and our modern times to lay out a path for humans to co-exist and live peacefully during their brief lifetimes. In this way, not only can humanity create a better world “here and now,” fulfilling their destiny as “vice-regents on Earth,” but they can also best prepare for life in the hereafter. Instead of taking an apocalyptic view of the world, where religions and ideologies clash, Gülen believes that people of faith and good intentions can work together to make a more peaceful, prosperous world.
Heon Kim & John Raines’ book Making Peace in and with the World: the Gülen Movement and Eco-Justice is a representative study and working analysis of contemporary Islamic thought on eco-justice. It cuts through problems facing humanity today, ranging from inequality and violence in the smaller globalized world to 'the end/death of nature' as signaled by various environmental and ecological crises. This volume sheds light on two dimensions of peace in the earth community–making peace between differing human communities and humanity making peace with nature. The phrase Eco-Justice in this volume signifies this dual reality, thereby offering a unique and insightful view that justice in the world must go hand in hand with ecological justice if peace is to be made. It adds to a burgeoning field of religious ecology, by exploring the dynamics at play in the interaction between religion, human communities and nature, and by providing natural scientific works with considerable theoretical, philosophical and ethical implications. This volume provides a key reference to studies on Gülen and his
Heon Kim & John Raines’ book Making Peace in and with the World: the Gülen Movement and Eco-Justice is a representative study and working analysis of contemporary Islamic thought on eco-justice. It cuts through problems facing humanity today, ranging from inequality and violence in the smaller globalized world to 'the end/death of nature' as signaled by various environmental and ecological crises. This volume sheds light on two dimensions of peace in the earth community–making peace between differing human communities and humanity making peace with nature. The phrase Eco-Justice in this volume signifies this dual reality, thereby offering a unique and insightful view that justice in the world must go hand in hand with ecological justice if peace is to be made. It adds to a burgeoning field of religious ecology, by exploring the dynamics at play in the interaction between religion, human communities and nature, and by providing natural scientific works with considerable theoretical, philosophical and ethical implications. This volume provides a key reference to studies on Gülen and his