By Deanna Devey
Watch the webcast of this lecture.
On Wednesday Jan. 29, a University of Utah said that Turkey occupies a unique position in the Islamic world.
A Kennedy Center lecture emphasized that even though Turkey''s population is almost 100 percent Muslim, the country does not have the same anti-West sentiments as other Islamic areas.
'Anti-Westernism and anti-Americanism is not inherent in Islam,' said Hakan Yavuz, a University of Utah political science professor, who is originally from Turkey
In fact, Turkey has a democratic government and wants to join the European Union.
Yavuz said there are seven zones of Islam. The lecture focused on three of those zones.
Comparing the Arab zone and the Persian zone to the Turkish zone, Yavuz explained how the discrepancy in attitudes toward the West originated.
'Arab zone is very anti-West, anti-Europe, anti-United States rightly so because of colonial legacy,' Yavuz said. 'The resources of this region were utilized by the colonial entities.'
The anger created by colonization fueled a nationalism focused on hating the West. This created an external jihad, Yavuz said.
'Jihad in a way became a doctrine to find and fight your enemy, and that enemy was very much defined by European colonial entities,' Yavuz said.
The oil in the Arab and Persian zones contributed to problems, Yavuz said. The state became wealthy and distributed the income from the oil and undermined the work ethic in the region.
'We think we know the past, and we can shape and determine these societies,' Yavuz said.
In contrast, Turkey was never colonized and does not have oil reserves, Yavuz said.
'In the Turkish zone you don''t have oil,' Yavuz said. 'Thank God no oil. Oil always creates more problems for Muslim countries.'
Turkey''s country is based on taxation allowing for more political discussion and participation, Yavuz said.
After the presentation, students in the filled room were able to ask Yavuz questions.
'I think it''s important to know about all nations and their governments and to be informed,' said Dave Hansen, a senior from American Fork, majoring in international studies.