Turkey’s Presidential Spokesperson İbrahim Kalın talked to TRT World Research Centre on wide ranging issues concerning the relationships between the West and the Islamic world from a historical perspective.
After delivering a keynote speech at the panel “A Century Later: The Great War” held by TRT World Research Centre in cooperation with Bahçeşehir University’s Civilization Studies Centre in Istanbul on January 18, 2018 Kalin answered various questions regarding today’s most pressing issues in an exclusive interview with TRT World Research Centre. The interview touched upon issues such as the Palestinian question, and the recent upsurge of Islamophobic and xenophobic discourse – with a particular focus on the historical critical junctures that have affected the trajectory of the ensuing events.
Questions:
From a historical perspective, what is your take on the relationship between the West and the Islamic world, and more specifically what would you say is the repercussion of WWI on this relationship today?
In which way has WWI influenced the political, social and intellectual understanding of the Islamic world? How have Muslims reconciled their traditional faith with the ideas that emerged and consequently influenced their thought regarding the West, Islam and each other?
What are the historical roots and milestones that have made the Palestine Issue so intractable?
There has been a rise in Islamophobic, xenophobic and populist discourse in the Western world. What do you think are the causes of this?
Is the Islamophobic, xenophobic and populist discourse pulling the world into further chaos?
How can differences among civilizations be managed in a way that can provide a peaceful and stable coexistence?
