Doesn’t distinguishing itself from the environment lead the Gülen Movement into conflicts?
The Gülen Movement has learned to distinguish itself from the environment without leading to isolation from it or conflict. It does not cut itself off from society. It is the relational dimension of the collective identity of the Gülen Movement that helps to form unity within the collective actor, not any attempt to remain distinct from the surrounding society.
The Gülen Movement as collective actor is able to recognize the effects of its action and meanings. It attributes these effects to itself and exchanges them with others. Because of the effects of its action and meanings, the Gülen Movement is able to establish relationship, links and bonds through services with the wider public. This also facilitates the solidarity that binds individuals to each other; this auto-identification and differentiation of the actor from others then brings about the exchange of social and mutual recognition with other collective actors.
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