Islamic to Islamist parties have been elected to government in democratic elections in Turkey on two occasions since the mid-1990s. This has led to a transformation or so-called “Islamization” of Turkey’s domestic and foreign policies and to a power struggle with secular-Kemalist elites in the state and society. How are the United States and Germany, the biggest donors of foreign and development assistance to Turkey, dealing with these conflicts? Cemal Karakas studies the reactions of both countries and considers in how far the USA and Germany are facing trade-offs between showing respect for the democratic self-determination of the Islamic government parties and pursuing their own national interests. He concludes by presenting recommendations to “western” promoters of democracy for dealing with Turkey and other Muslim states.weiterlesen