| Summary/Abstract |
This article offers a regime transition perspective on the complex relationship between Islamism and democratization in Turkey. By using Dankwart Rustow’s four-stage model of democratization, the article traces Islamist strategies of survival, nonconfrontation, offense, and hegemony back to the background condition of national unity, conflict of interest during the preparatory phase, and the requirements of the decision phase to complete a democratic transition. The evidence from Turkey demonstrates that democratization is not a linear process and Islamic actors may use politics of reform to ensure their survival, access to power, and domination.
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