Research Article

From Faith to Prosperity: The Relationship Between Increasing Secularisation in Türkiye and Sustainable Development Goals

Number: 19 May 31, 2026
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From Faith to Prosperity: The Relationship Between Increasing Secularisation in Türkiye and Sustainable Development Goals

Abstract

Secularisation, a multidimensional process that refers to the transformation of religion’s position in the social, political and cultural spheres of modern societies, has long been debated in sociological literature. In this context, data from the sixth wave (2010–2014) and seventh wave (2017–2022) of the World Values Survey (WVS) are examined. The Inglehart–Welzel culture map created with these data evaluates secularisation within the framework of the traditional–secular-rational (vertical) and survival–self-expression (horizontal) axes. The findings show that Türkiye experienced a significant shift towards secular-rational values on the vertical axis between WVS 6 and WVS 7; however, no significant transformation occurred in terms of self-expression values on the horizontal axis. The study discusses the findings obtained by Inlgelhart-Welzel in a relational framework with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) “People” dimension, namely SDG 1 (No Poverty), SDG 2 (Zero Hunger), SDG 3 (Good Health and Well-being), SDG 4 (Quality Education) and SDG 5 (Gender Equality) within a relational framework. Accordingly, the increase in secularisation in Türkiye in the first quarter of the 21st century appears to follow a trajectory that coincides with indicators related to the human dimension of sustainable development.

Keywords

Ethical Statement

In this research article, ethics committee permission was not required as the data were not obtained using survey or interview techniques.

References

  1. Alev, Ç. (2005). Modernity, Islam, and secularism in Turkey: Bodies, places, and time. University of Minnesota Press.
  2. Asad, T. (2003). Formations of the secular: Christianity, Islam, modernity. Stanford University Press.
  3. Awass, O. (2023). Reconceptualizing secularization and secularism: The value-inversion theory. Critical Historical Studies, 10(1). https://doi.org/10.1086/724272
  4. Azak, U. (2010). Islam and secularism in Turkey: Kemalism, religion and the nation state. I.B. Tauris.
  5. Bauman, Z. (2007). Consuming life. Polity Press.
  6. Berger, P. L. (1967). The sacred canopy: Elements of a sociological theory of religion. Anchor Books.
  7. Berger, P. L. (Ed.). (1999). The desecularisation of the world: Resurgent religion and world politics. Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing.
  8. Blanton, M. (2025). Institutional decline and resilient belief: Understanding secularization in Latin America. Socius: Sociological Research for a Dynamic World, 11.

Details

Primary Language

English

Subjects

Sociology of Religion, Economic Sociology

Journal Section

Research Article

Publication Date

May 31, 2026

Submission Date

February 1, 2026

Acceptance Date

April 18, 2026

Published in Issue

Year 2026 Number: 19

APA
Garan, Ö. (2026). From Faith to Prosperity: The Relationship Between Increasing Secularisation in Türkiye and Sustainable Development Goals. İmgelem, 19, 374-402. https://doi.org/10.53791/imgelem.1879520
AMA
1.Garan Ö. From Faith to Prosperity: The Relationship Between Increasing Secularisation in Türkiye and Sustainable Development Goals. İMGELEM. 2026;(19):374-402. doi:10.53791/imgelem.1879520
Chicago
Garan, Özcan. 2026. “From Faith to Prosperity: The Relationship Between Increasing Secularisation in Türkiye and Sustainable Development Goals”. İmgelem, nos. 19: 374-402. https://doi.org/10.53791/imgelem.1879520.
EndNote
Garan Ö (May 1, 2026) From Faith to Prosperity: The Relationship Between Increasing Secularisation in Türkiye and Sustainable Development Goals. İmgelem 19 374–402.
IEEE
[1]Ö. Garan, “From Faith to Prosperity: The Relationship Between Increasing Secularisation in Türkiye and Sustainable Development Goals”, İMGELEM, no. 19, pp. 374–402, May 2026, doi: 10.53791/imgelem.1879520.
ISNAD
Garan, Özcan. “From Faith to Prosperity: The Relationship Between Increasing Secularisation in Türkiye and Sustainable Development Goals”. İmgelem. 19 (May 1, 2026): 374-402. https://doi.org/10.53791/imgelem.1879520.
JAMA
1.Garan Ö. From Faith to Prosperity: The Relationship Between Increasing Secularisation in Türkiye and Sustainable Development Goals. İMGELEM. 2026;:374–402.
MLA
Garan, Özcan. “From Faith to Prosperity: The Relationship Between Increasing Secularisation in Türkiye and Sustainable Development Goals”. İmgelem, no. 19, May 2026, pp. 374-02, doi:10.53791/imgelem.1879520.
Vancouver
1.Özcan Garan. From Faith to Prosperity: The Relationship Between Increasing Secularisation in Türkiye and Sustainable Development Goals. İMGELEM. 2026 May 1;(19):374-402. doi:10.53791/imgelem.1879520