If You Didn't Become Turkish, You Became American (Book)

İsmet Özel’s book If You Cannot Be Turkish Then You Have Become American is a significant work in Turkish literature that occupies the intersection of the essay and poetry genres. The book consists of texts reflecting the author’s thoughts on Turkish identity, Turkey’s social and cultural structure, and the global system. It stands out as an original text addressing individual and collective identity searches within Turkish literature. Through Özel’s distinctive style and philosophical approach, the work assumes the character of a manifesto questioning the contradictions between Türkiye’s modernization process, Western influence, and Islamic identity. The book is composed of essays written in the essay format.

Content and Themes

The book begins with a critical perspective on the Western-centered cultural influences encountered during Türkiye’s modernization process. Özel does not define Turkish identity through a biological framework but instead examines it within a historical and spiritual context, emphasizing the role of Islam in Turkish society. One of the book’s central theses is the necessity of reconstructing Turkey’s original identity, which has been lost within the global capitalist system. In this context, the concept of “American” symbolizes Western cultural hegemony and the values imposed by consumer society. While the essay sections situate these issues within a theoretical framework, poetic passages add an emotional dimension. Particularly, the call to return to Turkey’s historical heritage and the proposal of resistance against the alienation imposed by the modern world form the core of the work.

Writing Process and Publication

If You Cannot Be Turkish Then You Have Become American was published in 2015 by Tiyo Yayınları as one of İsmet Özel’s works. The book was shaped by the author’s experiences in Turkish literary life since the 1960s and his contributions to the ideological debates of that era. The preparation of the book is the result of a meticulous research process grounded in Özel’s personal observations.

In this book, the author addresses Turkish society’s identity crisis, the cultural erosion brought about by integration into the capitalist world order, and the tension between Islamic values and modern life. The content reflects an intellectual evolution nourished by Özel’s early poetry collections (Geceleyin Bir Koşu, Evet, İsyan) and his essay writings (Üç Mesele). Published by Tiyo Yayınları, this work can be regarded as a summary of Özel’s intellectual world and holds an important place among Turkish literary works that explore themes of identity, belonging, and modernization.

Impact and Reception

The book occupies a unique position among Turkish literary works that engage with themes of identity, modernization, and Islamic values. It has generated discussions within 20th-century Turkish intellectual circles in the context of nationalism and Western critique. Particularly focused on Türkiye’s Islamic identity and anti-capitalist stance, the work has been examined not only in literary circles but also in sociology and history. When considered together with Özel’s other writings as a cohesive whole, the book is regarded as an essential source for understanding the relationship between Turkish identity and the modern world. The impact of the work has extended beyond literature, contributing to Türkiye’s cultural and political quests for identity.