Turski sekularizam je oduvijek bio jedinstven, jer je Mustafa Kemal Ataturk uveo niz reformi kao bi se vjera i njeno prakticiranje podveli pod okrilje centralizirane države -- što je bilo mimo koncepta i prakse sekularizma (odnosno odvojenost crkve od države) kakvi postoje na Zapadu.
Turkish secularism has always been unique because Mustafa Kemal Ataturk instituted a number of reforms to bring religion and its practice under the vestiges of a centralised state -- something that went beyond the concept and practice of secularism (i.e. separation of church and state) as instituted in the West.