Transformation of Islamism from its traditional era to neo-liberal conservatism in Turkey

As a modern ideology Islamism emerged in a certain historical era. Islamism has aimed to Islamize structure and foundations of society from top to below. While aiming to build an Islamic state and society Islamism does not reject modernity, though questioning it.During the 1970s the Islamist movement was organized on the basis of an independent political party and until 1990s it remained as nationalist, conservative and politically radical. At the time, Islamism?s discourse claimed that essence was in Islam and that it was needed to turn back to golden-age of Islam. However, since the 1990s Islamism has been transformed when it has met globalization, neo-liberalism and trans-national capitalism.The transformation of Islamism in Turkey is apparent especially in terms of its relations with the West. While Islamism seemed to reject the West in the period between 1970s and 1990s, recently it seems to be willing to go along with Western liberal democracy. Due to this development, the governing party of AKP has understood itself as conservative democratic party with its new conservative outlook.Key Words: Islamism, Globalization, Neo-Liberalism, Trans-national Capitalism, New Conservatism, Transformation.