ABSTRACT
The meteoric rise of Islamic non-state actors is arguably the most significant development in the Turkish civil society sphere since the rise to power of the AKP (Justice and Development Party) in 2002. Throughout its tenure, the government has utilised its political power, state resources and legal bureaucracy to boost the number and organisational capacity of Islamic civil society groups. Today, Islamic non-governmental organisations and charities have become partners to the state in social welfare management, resource allocation, poverty alleviation, information politics, and education. Examining the mechanisms of clientelism and patronage that shape the state–civil society relationship in the AKP’s Turkey, the chapter highlights the ways in which authoritarian regimes strategically cultivate associational activity. The findings of the study suggest that, rather than functioning as a self-governing force that provides a counterweight to state power, Islamic civil society in Turkey has contributed to the consolidation of an authoritarian neo-liberal regime.
