Abdullah Gul and the Making of the New Turkey

Drawing on original research, including in-depth interviews with President Abdullah Gul himself as well as his wife and close circle of colleagues and friends, this fascinating account offers a portrait of a man who has been at the heart of the political, economic, and cultural developments that have brought Turkey to international prominence in recent years. In 2002 Abdullah Gul’s democratically elected party gained power and challenged Turkey’s political and religious legacy. Shortly after, Gul became a key player in Turkey's attempts to receive an accession date for the European Union. In 2007 he became the first president of Turkey who was also a devout Muslim ? causing political commentators to hail his victory as a ?new era in Turkish politics” ? and he has since been a major figure in Turkey’s diplomatic relationships in the Middle East and international political arena.

An essential source for students of contemporary Turkish culture and society, Gerald MacLean’s absorbing account of this enigmatic individual is accessible to a wide circle of readers and throws light on important episodes of Turkey’s recent history.

Gerald MacLean is a professor of English Literature at the University of Exeter, the founder and codirector of Exeter Turkish Studies, and a Fellow of the Royal Asiatic Society and of the Royal Historical Society of London. He lives in Exeter, U.K.