In my latest podcast for Ahval’s Turkish Trends series, I spoke to Turkish political scientist Cengiz Aktar about his latest essay ” The Turkish Malaise – A Critical Essay,” in which he explains how Turkey was in a counter-process in terms of westernisation.

Aktar criticised those he called optimistic intellectuals who still believed in westernisation.

“Many Westerners still believe that Turkey is a normal country which can be reformed. They argue that all the misdeeds and wrongdoings of the present regime can be reversed, and Turkey can become a normal country,” he said.