#smrgKİTABEVİ Spiritism in Secular Turkey 1936 - 1969: The Ruhselman Circle Between Religion and Modern Science -
This book examines Turkish spiritism, spearheaded by Bedri Ruhselman, between 1936 and 1969 in an effort to reveal why a group of intellectuals were interested in a supernatural practice such as spiritism. To answer this question, the book examines the history of spiritism in Turkey and provides an in-depth analysis of its spiritist, scientific and moral teachings. It also offers a group biography of Turkish spiritists and analyses the impact of spiritism on Turkish society.
The results of the study demonstrate that Turkish spiritism was an attempt to construct a scientified spirituality that reconciled modern science and religion and an attempt to provide a solution to the moral gap observed within republican reforms.This book thus offers a more complex understanding of both Turkish modernization and of Turkish modernizers. In the process, the book also traces the changes in approaches to modern science throughout Turkish modernization.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
LIST OF TABLES
LIST OF FIGURES
ABBREVIATIONS
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
CHAPTER I
INTRODUCTION
Spiritism in the World
Historical and Intellectual Background in the Turkish Context
The Kemalist Dilemma
Propositions
CHAPTER II
RESEARCH APPROACH AND METHODOLOGY
Design and Elaboration of Methods
Time Frame
Nature and Sources of Data
Sosyal Demokratların Faaliyetleri
Concepts and Terminology
Limitations
Chapter Breakdown
CHAPTER III
FROM SPIRITISM TO NEO-SPIRITUALISM: RUHSELMAN AND SPIRIST TEACHINGS
Ottoman Spiritism and Occultism
Bedri Ruhselman
Spiritist Teachings
Definitions
Differences from Classical Spiritism
Scientific and Philosophical Teachings
Philosophy of Science
In Search of a Scientific Revolution
Spiritual and Moral Teachings
Attitude toward Religion
The Moral Gap in Turkish Revolution
Neo-Spiritualism as a Scientified Spirituality
Conclusion
CHAPTER IV
TURKISH SPIRITISTS: A PROSOPOGRAPHICAL AND ORGANIZATIONAL ANALYSIS
A Portrait of Turkish Spiritists
Gender
Age
Geographical Origins
Education
Profession
Religiosity and Spirituality
The Portrait
Spiritist Groups
Differences and Conflict
Common Motivations and Personal Accounts
Organization and Activities
Methodology
Conclusion
CHAPTER V
CONTEXTUALIZING TURKISH SPIRITISM IN THE MID-20th CENTURY TURKEY
Turkish Spiritists and Political/Bureaucratic Elites
Impact of Spiritism on the Turkish Society
Audience
Representation in Media and Literature
Media Coverage
Literary Depictions
Turkish Spiritists vs. Critics
Scientific Criticism
Conservative Criticism
Conclusion
CHAPTER VI
CONCLUSION
APPENDICES
BIBLIOGRAPHY
INDEX
This book examines Turkish spiritism, spearheaded by Bedri Ruhselman, between 1936 and 1969 in an effort to reveal why a group of intellectuals were interested in a supernatural practice such as spiritism. To answer this question, the book examines the history of spiritism in Turkey and provides an in-depth analysis of its spiritist, scientific and moral teachings. It also offers a group biography of Turkish spiritists and analyses the impact of spiritism on Turkish society.
The results of the study demonstrate that Turkish spiritism was an attempt to construct a scientified spirituality that reconciled modern science and religion and an attempt to provide a solution to the moral gap observed within republican reforms.This book thus offers a more complex understanding of both Turkish modernization and of Turkish modernizers. In the process, the book also traces the changes in approaches to modern science throughout Turkish modernization.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
LIST OF TABLES
LIST OF FIGURES
ABBREVIATIONS
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
CHAPTER I
INTRODUCTION
Spiritism in the World
Historical and Intellectual Background in the Turkish Context
The Kemalist Dilemma
Propositions
CHAPTER II
RESEARCH APPROACH AND METHODOLOGY
Design and Elaboration of Methods
Time Frame
Nature and Sources of Data
Sosyal Demokratların Faaliyetleri
Concepts and Terminology
Limitations
Chapter Breakdown
CHAPTER III
FROM SPIRITISM TO NEO-SPIRITUALISM: RUHSELMAN AND SPIRIST TEACHINGS
Ottoman Spiritism and Occultism
Bedri Ruhselman
Spiritist Teachings
Definitions
Differences from Classical Spiritism
Scientific and Philosophical Teachings
Philosophy of Science
In Search of a Scientific Revolution
Spiritual and Moral Teachings
Attitude toward Religion
The Moral Gap in Turkish Revolution
Neo-Spiritualism as a Scientified Spirituality
Conclusion
CHAPTER IV
TURKISH SPIRITISTS: A PROSOPOGRAPHICAL AND ORGANIZATIONAL ANALYSIS
A Portrait of Turkish Spiritists
Gender
Age
Geographical Origins
Education
Profession
Religiosity and Spirituality
The Portrait
Spiritist Groups
Differences and Conflict
Common Motivations and Personal Accounts
Organization and Activities
Methodology
Conclusion
CHAPTER V
CONTEXTUALIZING TURKISH SPIRITISM IN THE MID-20th CENTURY TURKEY
Turkish Spiritists and Political/Bureaucratic Elites
Impact of Spiritism on the Turkish Society
Audience
Representation in Media and Literature
Media Coverage
Literary Depictions
Turkish Spiritists vs. Critics
Scientific Criticism
Conservative Criticism
Conclusion
CHAPTER VI
CONCLUSION
APPENDICES
BIBLIOGRAPHY
INDEX
