New Muslim male subjectivities: masculinities in the Hizmet Movement

Abstract

This thesis aims to examine how a specific Islamic organization called the Hizmet Movement constructs the codes of masculinities with particular features. In addition to the discourse analysis of Fethullah Gülen's writings and sermons, his position of a male leader is rethought in this thesis. Another special feature of the community as structuring the movement with the abi system which designates an elder guide for the followers is examined to understand how masculinity codes are conveyed through generations. By understanding the huge network of the Hizmet Movement as a new form of kinship substituting for the families of the followers, a new model of Muslim man that crystallized after the 28th February process is observed to understand the political implications of new codification of Muslim man in the Hizmet Movement. This study also tries to observe how individuals act within a well organized religious community by resisting or negotiating hegemonic discourses about masculinities by also revealing the gender regime constructed by the Hizmet Movement in a specific historical context.