"The two contradictory features of Turkish society
Sunday, June 25, 2006
Elif Şafak
One of the two most surprising features of Turkish society is its continual ability and unyielding desire to change. Transformation and adjustment compose two basic threads in the fabric of this culture. Over the last hundred years there have been a series of radical shifts in the social, cultural and political matrix in Turkey. As the country moved from a multiethnic, multi-religious, traditional imperial structure to a modern, secular nation-state, its elite decided not to belong to Eastern civilization anymore and opted for being part and parcel of Western civilization. Now how much and how successfully that goal has been realized might be a matter of dispute today but what remains indisputable is the amazing ambition and aptitude of the cultural and political elite in Turkey to trigger social change. The Republican regime has been profoundly effectual and determined in launching a momentous transformation that would penetrate into multiple layers of the society. "
More:The two contradictory features of Turkish society - Turkish Daily News Jun 25, 2006