Gülen Movement: Connection with Niagara Foundation

Caroline Pahl *

Whenever I mention the Gülen movement, I get reactions like, “That’s controversial,” or “That’s a touchy subject.” So I want to explore it: I will be exploring the reason behind its controversy, its role in the democratization of Turkey, and its connection with the educational system of more than 140 countries.

I got a chance to learn about the basic ideals of the Gülen movement at the Niagara Foundation in Chicago. The Niagara Foundation is a Midwest organization that openly supports and embodies the values of the Gülen movement, by promoting fellowship and dialogue between cultures and nations. For example, the Niagara Foundation funds trips for Americans to visit Turkey to develop of more informed sense of Turkish culture. I sat down with the Niagara Foundation’s Assistant Director in Chicago, Hakan Berberoglu to get a brief overview of this movement.

My curiosity for this movement continues. I interviewed Professor Ihsan Yilmaz at Fatih University this afternoon. Professor Yilmaz currently serves as the Chair of the PhD Programme in Political Science and International Relations at Fatih University, Editor-in-Chief at European Journal of Economic and Political Studies (EJEPS), advisor at Journalists and Writers Foundation, and writes as a columnist at Today’s Zaman. He gave me more insight into the role that the Gülen movement plays in Turkish politics and democratization–video coming soon.

* Caroline Pahl is a graduate of the University of Illinois, with a Bachelor’s Degree in Broadcast journalism and a minor in French.

Published on International Reporting [University of Illinois' International Reporting Journalism Class], 16 May 2012, Wednesday