Bekir Berat Özipek

The new political process in Türkiye, initiated by Devlet Bahçeli, the leader of the Nationalist Movement Party (MHP), and the aim for a terror-free Türkiye through the dissolution of the PKK, can be considered a result of both internal and external dynamics. Among the internal dynamics, the process has reached its current state through political steps toward a peaceful resolution of the Kurdish issue, albeit with occasional interruptions. Social memory regarding the problem and lessons learned from previous peace processes are also key dynamics of this path. Among the external dynamics, the events that unfolded, particularly the Gaza genocide, demonstrating that no people in the region are safe, have strengthened the will to resolve internal problems. The effort to eliminate the problems or pretexts that make the region and the country vulnerable to external interventions also accelerates these processes. If this process can be maintained steadily despite potential setbacks, it will not only eliminate terrorism and violence from daily life but also offer the possibility of a more just and peaceful socio-political order.

This article, based on a book published by SETA, looks at the attitudes of Turkish people towards what is conceived as the West and Western culture. While some polls suggest a deep anti-European and anti-American sentiment in Turkey with a dear opposition to Christianity as the religion of the West, the current survey suggests evidence to the contrary. Survey findings show that there is no anti- Westernism in Turkey based on religion, culture, or civilization. Perception of the West is fragmented and does not lend itself to easy categorizations. There is no animosity towards Christianity. In feet. Most participants use a respectful and even venerable language when talking about the Christian religion. While most participants do not feel comfortable with the invasion of Turkish society by western cultural products, they see no essential conflict between the core values of the two cultures. While the perception of Western religion, culture and civilization is mostly fragmented and reveals considerable diversity, Western politics is uniformlv perceived as negative and hostile.