RELIGION IN NEOLIBERAL TIMES: TECHNO-RELIGION OR RELIGIOSITY IN TURKIYE IN THE AKP ERA

Esma H. Celebioglu

Advisor: Alison Landsberg, PhD, Department of History and Art History

Committee Members: Peter Mandaville, Cortney (Hughes) Rinker

Online Location, TBD
December 02, 2025, 10:00 AM to 12:00 PM

Abstract:

This dissertation examines how neoliberal transformation and digitalization reshape religiosity and Muslim identities in contemporary Türkiye. Focusing on techno-religious (digital religious) objects such as Qur’an pen readers, prayer apps, and talking mugs, it explores how these technologies mediate the intersection of religion, economy, and politics under the Justice and Development Party (AKP). Drawing on Bruno Latour’s Actor-Network Theory (ANT), the study conceptualizes these digital objects as mediators that actively participate in transforming religious networks and practices. Rather than merely facilitating worship, they embody neoliberal values such as individualization, privatization, and self-management, thus contributing to the emergence of a market-oriented and individualized form of religiosity. Based on ethnographic fieldwork and interviews, the research shows that digitalization fosters new modes of Islamic practice while redefining piety and modernity.