Not yet registered?

You are now "Test Driving" Teachers' Domain

You may view up to 7 resources in this limited trial period.

You have 6 views remaining. Register now for unlimited free access and to download, share, and save resources. Learn More

About Registration:

Registering with Teachers' Domain is free and allows you to:

• View as many resources as you like
• Save, sort, and share resources using My Folders and My Groups
• Download resources to your desktop
• See standards correlations for your state

Thank you for "Test Driving" Teachers' Domain

You have viewed all seven resources permitted in this limited trial period. You may continue to browse the site, but to view, download, share, and save resources, you must register now. Registration is simple, safe, and free.

For more information:

Learn about our online Professional Development Courses, or review our Privacy Policy.

If you still have questions, please contact us.

Recommended for: Grades 9-12

Resource: Industry and Islam

Save to a folder

Cite This Resource

Media Type:
QuickTime Video

Length: 2m 21s
Size: 6.6 MB

Kayseri is a city in the center of Turkey that has recently experienced a wave of business development. Although Turkey’s founder, Mustafa Kemal Ataturk, thought that secular values were the key to his country’s development, the Kayseri Industrial Zone has been the site of great prosperity for a group of devout Muslim businessmen. These entrepreneurs helped establish a network of businesses centering around a 6,000-person mosque. In this video from Wide Angle, visit the Kayseri Industrial Zone and meet its president, Ahmet Hasyuncu.

Supplemental Media Available:

Middle East Map (GIF Image)

Turkey Map (JPEG Image)

Teachers' Domain, Industry and Islam, published August 22, 2008, retrieved on ,
http://www.teachersdomain.org/resource/wa08.socst.world.glob.industry/

Print Background Essay

In Turkey, a politically secular state with a 99.8% Muslim population (2007 figures), religious and secular institutions often go hand in hand. In the city of Kayseri, the rapid growth of factories in a new industrial zone ushered in growth in many other businesses and institutions, largest among them a 6,000-person mosque. In keeping with the teachings of the Koran, many of Kayseri's industrialists provide buses for their workers to attend Friday prayers.

Turkey is located in a part of the world that was once called the Near East. For centuries it was a link between Europe and Asia. Its main city, Istanbul (previously called Constantinople), was a trading, religious, and social hub. Both Christianity and Islam have had major influences on the development of Turkey's culture.

In the early 1900s Turkey experienced a period of rapid economic and social change. In 1923, Mustafa Kemal Atatürk, a popular leader in Turkey's military, declared the establishment of the Turkish Republic. He launched an aggressive program to modernize and secularize the country, which brought about many changes. Turkey has modernized its economy and is poised to become a member of the European Union. Simultaneously, religious and political leaders are working to preserve traditional Islamic aspects of Turkey's culture while embracing some of the West's attitudes and practices. Turkey's future stability and growth will be determined by how well it can incorporate the rich heritage of its past into its goals for future.

One of the industries that is confronted with this change is the garment industry. Some women in Turkey choose to wear traditional Islamic garb, while many others choose to wear non-traditional Western attire. What does this mean for business leaders in Turkey? What does it mean for female consumers? In the Turkey that is evolving, will there be room for both the past and the future?