Fethullah Gulen on a Global Scale


Date posted: June 22, 2013

James C. Harrington, founder [director] of the Texas Civil Rights Project and professor at the University of Texas at Austin Law School, spoke to a crowd of students, lawyers, judges, and local business people about his new book: Wrestling with Free Speech, Religious Freedom, and Democracy in Turkey: The Political Trials and Times of Fethullah Gulen. Harrington discussed recent changes in Turkey’s legal structure as part of the Gulen Institute’s ongoing lecture series, pointing to the result of the Fethullah Gulen trial as a pivotal victory in the nation’s struggle for civil liberties.

Before turning his attention to Turkey’s recent constitutional amendments, James C. Harrington briefly introduced its faltering history of political change: namely, the series of military coup d’états that began in 1960. He suggested that Fethullah Gulen’s indictment can only be properly understood against this backdrop. And considering the historical tensions between democratic rule and military power in Turkey, Harrington considers Gulen’s ultimate acquittal astounding. The verdict should be viewed as a “huge victory for the Turkish people,” Harrington claimed. He then enumerated the various changes to the Turkish legal system that have resulted from the constitutional referendum of 2010, which he praised as “essentially a Bill of Rights” for the country.

Fethullah Gülen started the movement in Turkey in the 1980s as an education and service movement. He created schools that served as alternatives to the Madrassa schools and allowed girls to get an education.

“It [education] is the great leveler in the United States,” says Harrington. Teachers have the most important job in our society.

“The greatest effect that the movement has had in Turkey is democracy,” says Harrington.

Harrington says that the United States could learn from the Gulen Movement to engage in dialogue again.

“We are not engaged right now as a society in dialogue,” says Harrington. “It is awful what is going on.” It may be hard to engage in dialogue, but we need to compromise.

Tags: | |


Related News

U.S. schools are indirectly linked to preacher, often well-regarded

Even before the revolt, this network was already in Erdogan’s sights. Critics say Gulen gets payments from supporters doing contract work on the schools or from “donations” made by Turkish instructors brought to the U.S. on special visas to teach at them, charges he has rejected. Several charter chains thought to be related to the Gulen movement have been investigated by local authorities for misusing taxpayer dollars, but the inquiries haven’t resulted in charges of wrong doing.

Turkey crackdown: deep unease in Fethullah Gulen’s home village

“They were a family of thinkers,” said a dairy farmer in the village who asked not to be named as he feared repercussions from the authorities. “They were good people. They came from nowhere, they had no water, nothing,” he says, pointing out the Gulen family’s former home, made from clay and rocks.

GYV summit highlights link between education, sustainable development

GYV President Mustafa Yeşil, in his opening remarks to the UN high-level meeting, said sustainable development can only be achieved through a good education program. Yeşil said Turkish schools inspired by Islamic scholar Fethullah Gülen that have been opened in many countries around the world have achieved the level of success they have enjoyed due to sectoral support.

Bishop Chane: Gülen one of the greatest scholars

Eighth Bishop of Washington in the Episcopal Church John Bryson Chane has said Turkish scholar Fethullah Gülen is probably one of the greatest scholars and religious people in today’s world. Speaking at a Jan. 20 meeting of the Rumi Forum, a think tank established by Turks living in Washington, D.C., to foster intercultural dialogue, the […]

Gülen asked government to be more careful on the language they use: Deputy PM Arınç

Islamic scholar Fethullah Gülen asked the Turkish government to be more careful in regional and international issues during his visit, Deputy Prime Minister Bülent Arınç said May 22 in an interview with public broadcaster TRT. Arınç had meeting with Gülen, who lives in a self-imposed exiled in Pennsylvania, on the sidelines of Prime Minister Recep […]

Foreword to “The Gulen Movement: Civic Service without Borders”

I have long been an admirer of Fethullah Gulen not only because he speaks of and promotes a compassionate version of Islam, but also because the movement he has inspired enables that vision by establishing educational institutions that practise and embody what they teach.

Latest News

Fethullah Gulen – man of education, peace and dialogue – passes away

Fethullah Gülen’s Condolence Message for South African Human Rights Defender Archbishop Desmond Tutu

Hizmet Movement Declares Core Values with Unified Voice

Ankara systematically tortures supporters of Gülen movement, Kurds, Turkey Tribunal rapporteurs say

Erdogan possessed by Pharaoh, Herod, Hitler spirits?

Devious Use of International Organizations to Persecute Dissidents Abroad: The Erdogan Case

A “Controlled Coup”: Erdogan’s Contribution to the Autocrats’ Playbook

Why is Turkey’s Erdogan persecuting the Gulen movement?

Purge-victim man sent back to prison over Gulen links despite stage 4 cancer diagnosis

In Case You Missed It

MP close to Gülen quits ruling AKP, slams accusations against Islamic scholar

Turkish press council condemns false reports on Gülen movement

President Gül inaugurates Turkish school in Kenya

‘Ankara no longer producing laws compatible with EU norms’

Georgetown University in Qatar professor authors book on interfaith dialogue, Hizmet Movement

HAPPENING NOW: Police await outside Esenyurt Eslife hospital to detain woman who just gave birth

A Case for Why Gulen Would Never Support a Coup

Copyright 2025 Insightful Neighbor