@article{2018,title={SECULARIZATION IN RELIGIOUS COMMUNITIES: THE CASE OF NUR COMMUNITY},abstractNode={According to the discourse of secularization, which is extreme positivist reading of modernity, the dimensions of secularization in the daily lives of the religious communities that were thought to lose their social base along with the modern period but revealed an exact opposite situation, in particular Nurju followers, and how they interpret secular modernity constitute the subject of the research. Nurju followers have been separated into different subgroups within themselves and they also continue to be separated. The sub-groups that are believed to be compatible with the general doctrine of Nur community were discussed in our study. It was attempted to pay attention to choose interviewers from different age, occupation, education, city and groups in terms of reflecting the entire community. Only men could be interviewed because of the facts that the community has a structure that is generally composed of men and that it was difficult to reach female members. The qualitative research method was used as the most appropriate method for our research. Since we could not predict how big our sample would be at the beginning of the research, the theoretical sampling method developed by Glaser and Strauss providing data collection was used up to the stage (saturation point) where the answers given by interviewers began to repeat each other. In this sense many Nurju members were interviewed; however, the opinions of 29 people were considered sufficient. The interviewees within the scope of the research were reached through 'snowball sampling', in other words, through familiar individuals or references. The most obvious places where the members of the community are secularized and experience different frustrations are the cities. For this reason, we conducted in-depth interviews with the members of the community in the cities where modernity is experienced most intensely. Our interviews in Istanbul were held with the members of Nur community who formed a new group under the name of Şekercihan Association that separated from Yeni Asya, and our interviews in Manisa were held with the members of Nur community from many provinces of Turkey who participated in 'Risale-i Nur Reading Program' that is organized every year by Manisa/Soma Science and Culture Foundation İlim ve Kültür Vakfı (Science and Culture Foundation). Other interviews were held in Şanlı Urfa, Mardin and Gaziantep provinces by going to the residential address of interviewees. In-depth interviews were held in a period of 2 months (July-August) in the summer of the year 2017. We also had the opportunity to observe how they conduct religious conversations, how they interact with each other, their daily lives and perspectives in the reading programs we participated and in schoolhouses/associations we visited. In conclusion, although Nurjus attempt to take a serious stand against secular modernity, it can be said that this usually remains at the discourse level and that they are involved in a relationship that becomes increasingly deeper and complex with secular modernity in practice. It was seen that the Nurjus conducted secularization and fulfillment of religious duties together.},author={Mehmet Salih ÖKTEN},year={2018},journal={The Journal of Academic Social Science Studies}}