DOCSLIB.ORG

The Making of Conservative Habitus: the Case of an Upper- Middle Class Neighborhood in Ankara

Total Page：16

File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb

Download full-text PDF Read full-text

Load more

THE MAKING OF CONSERVATIVE HABITUS: THE CASE OF AN UPPER- MIDDLE CLASS NEIGHBORHOOD IN ANKARA A THESIS SUBMITTED TO THE GRADUATE SCHOOL OF SOCIAL SCIENCES OF MIDDLE EAST TECHNICAL UNIVERSITY BY AKSU AKÇAOĞLU IN PARTIAL FULFILLMENT OF THE REQUIREMENTS FOR THE DEGREE OF DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY IN THE DEPARTMENT OF SOCIOLOGY MARCH 2017 Approval of the Graduate School of Social Sciences Prof. Dr. Tülin Gençöz Director I certify that this thesis satisfies all the requirements as a thesis for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy. Prof. Dr. Sibel Kalaycıoğlu Head of Department This is to certify that we have read this thesis and that in our opinion it is fully adequate, in scope and quality, as a thesis for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy. Assoc. Prof. Dr. Fatma Umut Beşpınar Supervisor Examining Committee Members Prof. Dr. Hayriye Erbaş (Ankara Uni., SOC) Assoc. Prof. Dr. Fatma Umut Beşpınar (METU, SOC) Assoc. Prof. Dr. Tahire Erman (Bilkent Uni., ADM) Assoc. Prof. Dr. Fahriye Üstüner (METU, ADM) Assoc. Prof. Dr. Mustafa Şen (METU, SOC) I hereby declare that all information in this document has been obtained and presented in accordance with academic rules and ethical conduct. I also declare that, as required by these rules and conduct, I have fully cited and referenced all material and results that are not original to this work. Name, Last name : Aksu Akçaoğlu Signature : iii ABSTRACT THE MAKING OF CONSERVATIVE HABITUS: THE CASE OF AN UPPER- MIDDLE CLASS NEIGHBORHOOD IN ANKARA Akçaoğlu, Aksu Ph.D., Department of Sociology Supervisor: Assoc. Prof. Dr. Fatma Umut Beşpınar March 2017, 233 pages This study examines the transformation of the conservative fractions of middle classes following the transformation of the Islamist conservatism in Turkey. Based on an ethnographic study which was conducted in Çukurambar, it investigates the impacts of political transformation over the everyday lives of the actually existing conservative agents. The inquiry begins with triadic break with the comonsensical definitons of conservatism. Benefiting from the relational sociology of Pierre Bourdieu, it constructs an empirical definition of the bodily conservatism. Second, it inerrogates the history of political struggles which impact on the making of bodily conservatism in Turkey, and introduces the concept of symbolic polarization. The concept habitus constitutes both topic and ethnographic tool of the study. Following Wacquant into the field, the study applies to the observant participation as the method for the production of the data. In the first analysis chapter, the study examines the socio-spatial transformation of Çukurambar. Following that, it focuses on the transformation of the conservative middlebrow taste by dissecting the emergence of the choice of elegant and religiously proper. Lastly, it investigates how conservative middle classes construct inner world and social world. Keywords: Conservatism, Habitus, Çukurambar, Life-style, Ethnography. iv ÖZ MUHAFAZAKAR HABİTUSUN OLUŞUMU: ANKARA’DA BİR ORTA-ÜST SINIF MAHALLESİ ÖRNEĞİ Akçaoğlu, Aksu Doktora, Sosyoloji Bölümü Tez Yöneticisi: Doç. Dr. Fatma Umut Beşpınar Mart 2017, 233 sayfa Bu çalışma, Türkiye’de orta sınıfların muhafazakar fraksiyonlarının, AKP’nin kurulmasıyla somutlaşan İslamcı muhafazakarlıktaki değişime paralel deneyimlediği dönüşümü konu alıyor. Çukurambar’da gerçekleştirilmiş etnografik bir araştırmayı temel alan çalışma, muhafazakarlığın siyasi dönüşümünün muhafazakar failler üzerindeki etkilerini inceliyor. Çalışma ilk olarak muhafazakarlığa dair üç yaygın kanaatten kopuyor. Pierre Bourdieu’nün ilişkisel sosyolisinden yararlanan çalışma bedensel muhafazakarlığın ampirik tanımını geliştiriyor. Bunu takiben, Türkiye’de bedensel muhafazakarlığın teşkiline etki eden siyasi mücadeleler tarihi inceleniyor ve sembolik kutuplaşma kavramı tanıtılıyor. Habitus kavramı çalışmanın hem konusunu hem de yöntemsel aracını teşkil ediyor. Wacquant’ın saha deneyimini takiben gözlemci katılımcılık veri üretme yöntemi olarak kullanılıyor. Çalışma ilk analiz bölümünde Çukurambar’ın sosyo-mekansal dönüşümünü inceliyor. Bunu takiben, zarif ve dinen makbul tercihin oluşumu tartışılarak muhafazakar orta sınıf beğenisinin geçirdiği dönüşüm tartışılıyor. Çalışma son olarak, muhafazakar orta sınıfların mevcut nesnel koşullarda içsel dünyalarını ve toplumsal dünyayı nasıl inşa ettiklerini inceliyor. Anahtar Kelimeler: Muhafazakarlık, Habitus, Çukurambar, Hayat Tarzı, Etnografi. v To My Family vi ACKNOWLEDGMENTS I wish to express my deepest gratitude to my advisor, Assoc. Prof. Dr. Fatma Umut Beşpınar for her continuous guidance, advice, criticism and encouragements throughout the study. I have learned a lot from Assoc. Prof. Dr. Mustafa Şen not only about the research object but also about friendship. Prof. Dr. Hayriye Erbaş stimulated me to examine the emprical data in a detailed manner. Assoc. Prof. Dr. Tahire Erman helped me to concive the parallelism between neoliberalism and urban transformation in Ankara. I benefited from the criticism of Assoc. Prof. Dr. Fahriye Üstüner on the history of conservatism in Turkey. Loïc Wacquant helped me to deepen my research by inviting me to Berkeley. I learned a lot from his celebrated Bourdieu Boot Camp. I would like to thank to Tanıl Bora for his encouraging and stimulating e-mails. This dissertation was not written in ideal conditions. I was lucky enough to have loving people during the difficult times. I am indebted to my family for their continuous encouragement. I am grateful to my wife, Müge, for her firm belief, support and love. This study could never be completed without her patience and insigthful comments. I would like to thank to my friends Alaattin, Ersin, Serkan, Arda, and Zafer for their support throughout difficult times. I am also indebted to the research assistants of METU Sociology. This study was supported by National Scholarship Program for PhD Students (2211- A) and International Research Fellowship Program (2214-A) of The Scientific and Technological Research Council of Turkey (TÜBİTAK). vii TABLE OF CONTENTS PLAGIARISM……………………………………………………………………….iii ABSTRACT ................................................................................................................ iv ÖZ ................................................................................................................................. v DEDICATION……………………………………………….………………………vi ACKNOWLEDGMENTS .......................................................................................... vii TABLE OF CONTENTS ......................................................................................... .viii LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS…………………………………………………..……xi LIST OF FIGURES………………………………………………………………....xii CHAPTER 1. INTRODUCTION .................................................................................................... 1 1.1 The Blurry Separation of Islamism and Conservatism Reconsidered ................ 5 1.2 From Ideas to Dispositions: The Conservatism of Conservative Agents ........... 9 1.3 From Center Periphery Analysis to Relational Sociology................................ 13 1.4 Plan of Chapters................................................................................................ 18 2. THEORETICAL CONSTRUCTION OF CONSERVATISM AS A RESEARCH OBJECT ..................................................... 21 2.1 The Sociology of Pierre Bourdieu and Construction of Research Object ........ 21 2.2 The Inner Logic of Pierre Bourdieu’s Sociological Theory ............................. 23 2.3 Social World Constructed: Topological Social Space and Homologous Symbolic Space ................................................................................. 27 2.3.1 The Objectivist Moment of Object Construction ....................................... 28 2.3.2 The Subjectivist Moment of Object Construction ..................................... 32 2.4 Critiques of Pierre Bourdieu’s Sociology and Critique of Critiques ................ 36 2.5 Re-Considering Conservatism with Bourdieu .................................................. 39 2.6 Walking with Bourdieu in the Streets of Çukurambar ..................................... 41 3. POLITICAL STRUGGLES AND SYMBOLIC POLARIZATION: THE SOURCES OF BODILY CONSERVATISM ................................................... 44 3.1 Introduction ...................................................................................................... 44 viii 3.2 Political Legitimacy Crisis and Transformation of Conservatism in Turkey... 45 3.3 The Properties of Political Field in Turkey and the Construction of AKP ...... 51 3.4 The Social Reproduction of the Political Divisions: The Symbolic Polarization ..................................................................................... 57 3.4.1 Islamist Conservatism and Rising Collective Orthodoxy .......................... 61 3.4.2 The Rule of AKP and the Collapse of Collective Orthodoxy.................... 64 3.5 Conclusion ........................................................................................................ 65 4. METHODOLOGY ................................................................................................. 66 4.1 Participant Objectivation: The Emergence of a Curiosity and the Selection of Research Field .............................................................................. 68 4.2 The Pains of Entering the Field and Determination of the Research Method .. 71 4.3 Conservative Habitus as a Research Topic and Tool ......................................
Recommended publications
  • CRITICAL THEORY and AUTHORITARIAN POPULISM Critical Theory and Authoritarian Populism

    CRITICAL THEORY and AUTHORITARIAN POPULISM Critical Theory and Authoritarian Populism

    CDSMS EDITED BY JEREMIAH MORELOCK CRITICAL THEORY AND AUTHORITARIAN POPULISM Critical Theory and Authoritarian Populism edited by Jeremiah Morelock Critical, Digital and Social Media Studies Series Editor: Christian Fuchs The peer-reviewed book series edited by Christian Fuchs publishes books that critically study the role of the internet and digital and social media in society. Titles analyse how power structures, digital capitalism, ideology and social struggles shape and are shaped by digital and social media. They use and develop critical theory discussing the political relevance and implications of studied topics. The series is a theoretical forum for in- ternet and social media research for books using methods and theories that challenge digital positivism; it also seeks to explore digital media ethics grounded in critical social theories and philosophy. Editorial Board Thomas Allmer, Mark Andrejevic, Miriyam Aouragh, Charles Brown, Eran Fisher, Peter Goodwin, Jonathan Hardy, Kylie Jarrett, Anastasia Kavada, Maria Michalis, Stefania Milan, Vincent Mosco, Jack Qiu, Jernej Amon Prodnik, Marisol Sandoval, Se- bastian Sevignani, Pieter Verdegem Published Critical Theory of Communication: New Readings of Lukács, Adorno, Marcuse, Honneth and Habermas in the Age of the Internet Christian Fuchs https://doi.org/10.16997/book1 Knowledge in the Age of Digital Capitalism: An Introduction to Cognitive Materialism Mariano Zukerfeld https://doi.org/10.16997/book3 Politicizing Digital Space: Theory, the Internet, and Renewing Democracy Trevor Garrison Smith https://doi.org/10.16997/book5 Capital, State, Empire: The New American Way of Digital Warfare Scott Timcke https://doi.org/10.16997/book6 The Spectacle 2.0: Reading Debord in the Context of Digital Capitalism Edited by Marco Briziarelli and Emiliana Armano https://doi.org/10.16997/book11 The Big Data Agenda: Data Ethics and Critical Data Studies Annika Richterich https://doi.org/10.16997/book14 Social Capital Online: Alienation and Accumulation Kane X.
  • Turkish Conservatives and Cyprus in Foreign Policy in the Context of Constructivist Theory and Identity; 1960-1980 Era

    Turkish Conservatives and Cyprus in Foreign Policy in the Context of Constructivist Theory and Identity; 1960-1980 Era

    TURKISH CONSERVATIVES AND CYPRUS IN FOREIGN POLICY IN THE CONTEXT OF CONSTRUCTIVIST THEORY AND IDENTITY; 1960-1980 ERA A THESIS SUBMITTED TO INSTITUTE OF SOCIAL SCIENCES OF YILDIRIM BEYAZIT UNIVERSITY BY BURAK BINARCI IN PARTIAL FULFILLMENT OF THE REQUIREMENTS FOR THE DEGREE OF MASTER IN THE DEPARTMENT OF INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS AUGUST 2014 PLAGIARISM I hereby declare that all information in this thesis has been obtained and presented in accordance with academic rules and ethical conduct. I also declare that, as required by these rules and conduct, I have fully cited and referenced all material and results that are not original to this work; otherwise I accept all legal responsibility. Name, Last name : Signature : iii ABSTRACT TURKISH CONSERVATIVES AND CYPRUS IN FOREIGN POLICY IN THE CONTEXT OF CONSTRUCTIVIST THEORY AND IDENTITY; 1960-1980 ERA BINARCI, BURAK MASTER THESIS OF DEPARTMENT OF INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS SUPERVISOR PROF. DR. MUSTAFA SITKI BILGIN AUGUST-2014, 118 PAGES Nearly all analysis of Turkish Foreign Policy in Cold War era has been made with rational approaches which are Realist/neo-realist power politics-based, up until today. Analyses are excluded from social factors as culture, value and history etc… However, Constructivist Theory of International Relations make an analysis by giving meaning to rational parameters as power, structure, anarchy, interest etc… by emphasising social construction process and putting forward Identity concept. Constructivist Theory claim that it is true way to evaluate realities with their all social aspects in contrary to rational theories. Besides, when Alexander Wendt, who is the most important name of theory, examines state acts in international politics, he uses state identity internationally.
  • Conservative Party Strategy, 1997-2001: Nation and National Identity

    Conservative Party Strategy, 1997-2001: Nation and National Identity

    Conservative Party Strategy, 1997-2001: Nation and National Identity A dissertation submitted for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy , Claire Elizabeth Harris Department of Politics, University of Sheffield September 2005 Acknowledgements There are so many people I'd like to thank for helping me through the roller-coaster experience of academic research and thesis submission. Firstly, without funding from the ESRC, this research would not have taken place. I'd like to say thank you to them for placing their faith in my research proposal. I owe a huge debt of gratitude to Andrew Taylor. Without his good humour, sound advice and constant support and encouragement I would not have reached the point of completion. Having a supervisor who is always ready and willing to offer advice or just chat about the progression of the thesis is such a source of support. Thank you too, to Andrew Gamble, whose comments on the final draft proved invaluable. I'd also like to thank Pat Seyd, whose supervision in the first half of the research process ensured I continued to the second half, his advice, experience and support guided me through the challenges of research. I'd like to say thank you to all three of the above who made the change of supervisors as smooth as it could have been. I cannot easily put into words the huge effect Sarah Cooke had on my experience of academic research. From the beginnings of ESRC application to the final frantic submission process, Sarah was always there for me to pester for help and advice.
  • Pol-101 A: Introduction to the Political Right Professor Matthew Mcmanus Whitman College, Department of Politics Mcmanusm@Whitma

    Pol-101 A: Introduction to the Political Right Professor Matthew Mcmanus Whitman College, Department of Politics Mcmanusm@Whitma

    Pol-101 A: Introduction to the Political Right Professor Matthew McManus Whitman College, Department of Politics [email protected] or [email protected] Office: Maxey 127 Phone Number: 509-522-4426 Course Description and Philosophy The objective of this course is to provide students with an introduction to the political right. In popular discourse political right is an ambiguous and fascinating end of the political spectrum, including everything from staunch traditionalists to defenders of classical liberal freedoms, bigots and libertarians. Variously described as conservative, reactionary, or simply right wing the political right is currently dominant in many parts of the world and therefore understanding it is vital to grasping contemporary politics more generally. Our analysis will be both exegetical and critical. We will be examining primary texts from different perspectives on the political right and examining their commonalities and discrepancies. This class will also be critical, so we will be assessing the strengths and weaknesses of these respective positions from alternate political standpoints. By the end of this course students will be able to: • Critically discuss and evaluate a number of prominent perspectives on the political right • Distinguish between competing right wing positions • Offer defenses and critiques of the political right • Apply their understanding to events in the contemporary world This course is interdisciplinary and dialogical. While everyone-including myself!-has their own convictions on these topics we should be open minded about changing our perspective where warranted. It is also expected that students will be highly involved in raising questions and points of interest to propel the classes’ conversation forward.
  • The Crisis of European Politics Iain Murray Vice President for Strategy

    The Crisis of European Politics Iain Murray Vice President for Strategy

    The Crisis of European Politics Iain Murray Vice President for Strategy Competitive Enterprise Institute Remarks delivered at the Heritage Foundation event, The Future of the EU: Understanding the Roots of Political Fragmentation in Europe , January 12 th 2017. It may seem odd that at a panel sponsored by America’s leading conservative think tank, the Heritage Foundation, I am going to take as my text in discussing the crisis of European politics, F.A. Hayek’s essay, “Why I am not a Conservative.” Yet I think many of the insights the great Nobel laureate delivered in 1960 when he penned his piece are vital to understanding what is happening in Europe today. It is my contention that much of what is called European populism is actually a phenomenon of resurgent nationalist conservatism thanks to separate crises in the continent’s two other dominant ideologies – socialism and liberalism. Yet that is not something American conservatives should necessarily cheer, and, indeed, European conservativism is itself going through a crisis of its own, one that may have lessons for American conservatives. Before I explain further, I should first of all state that European conservativism is, and always has been, different from Anglo-American conservativism. For the Anglo-American conservative, our heritage is liberty. Anglo-American conservatives defend economic freedom, political freedom, and civil liberties. It was two great conservatives – William Wilberforce and Abraham Lincoln – who ended the slave trade and freed slaves in America. The American Revolution was a conservative revolution, aimed at protecting ancient rights from arbitrary power. Conservatives today look back at our heritage and says that those old freedoms must be protected.
  • Inheriting the Yugoslav Century: Art, History, and Generation

    Inheriting the Yugoslav Century: Art, History, and Generation

    Inheriting the Yugoslav Century: Art, History, and Generation by Ivana Bago Department of Art, Art History and Visual Studies Duke University Date:_______________________ Approved: ___________________________ Kristine Stiles, Supervisor ___________________________ Mark Hansen ___________________________ Fredric Jameson ___________________________ Branislav Jakovljević ___________________________ Neil McWilliam Dissertation submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy in the Department of Art, Art History and Visual Studies in the Graduate School of Duke University 2018 ABSTRACT Inheriting the Yugoslav Century: Art, History, and Generation by Ivana Bago Department of Art, Art History and Visual Studies Duke University ___________________________ Kristine Stiles, Supervisor ___________________________ Mark Hansen ___________________________ Fredric Jameson ___________________________ Branislav Jakovljević ___________________________ Neil McWilliam An abstract of a dissertation submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy in the Department of Art, Art History and Visual Studies in the Graduate School of Duke University 2018 Copyright by Ivana Bago 2018 Abstract The dissertation examines the work contemporary artists, curators, and scholars who have, in the last two decades, addressed urgent political and economic questions by revisiting the legacies of the Yugoslav twentieth century: multinationalism, socialist self-management, non- alignment, and
  • The Conservative Agenda for Constitutional Reform

    The Conservative Agenda for Constitutional Reform

    UCL DEPARTMENT OF POLITICAL SCIENCE The Constitution Unit Department of Political Science UniversityThe Constitution College London Unit 29–30 Tavistock Square London WC1H 9QU phone: 020 7679 4977 fax: 020 7679 4978 The Conservative email: [email protected] www.ucl.ac.uk/constitution-unit A genda for Constitutional The Constitution Unit at UCL is the UK’s foremost independent research body on constitutional change. It is part of the UCL School of Public Policy. THE CONSERVATIVE Robert Hazell founded the Constitution Unit in 1995 to do detailed research and planning on constitutional reform in the UK. The Unit has done work on every aspect AGENDA of the UK’s constitutional reform programme: devolution in Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland and the English regions, reform of the House of Lords, electoral reform, R parliamentary reform, the new Supreme Court, the conduct of referendums, freedom eform Prof FOR CONSTITUTIONAL of information, the Human Rights Act. The Unit is the only body in the UK to cover the whole of the constitutional reform agenda. REFORM The Unit conducts academic research on current or future policy issues, often in collaboration with other universities and partners from overseas. We organise regular R programmes of seminars and conferences. We do consultancy work for government obert and other public bodies. We act as special advisers to government departments and H parliamentary committees. We work closely with government, parliament and the azell judiciary. All our work has a sharply practical focus, is concise and clearly written, timely and relevant to policy makers and practitioners. The Unit has always been multi disciplinary, with academic researchers drawn mainly from politics and law.
  • The New Liberalism in Global Politics: from Internationalism to Transnationalism

    The New Liberalism in Global Politics: from Internationalism to Transnationalism

    Foreign Policy Research Institute E-Notes A Catalyst for Ideas Distributed via Email and Posted at www.fpri.org March 2011 THE NEW LIBERALISM IN GLOBAL POLITICS: FROM INTERNATIONALISM TO TRANSNATIONALISM By James Kurth James Kurth, Senior Fellow at FPRI, is the Claude Smith Professor of Political Science at Swarthmore College. His FPRI essays can be accessed here: http://www.fpri.org/byauthor.html#kurth . The final collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991 brought a definitive end to the Cold War. It also brought an end to an international system defined by two superpowers and the beginning of a new global system defined by only one, the United States. The prevailing American ideology of international affairs—its literal worldview—had long been liberal internationalism, and the United States promptly proceeded to reshape global affairs according to its precepts. Now, two decades after its beginning, the global ascendancy of the United States and its ideology seems, to many observers, to be approaching its own end. It is an appropriate time, therefore, to review and reflect upon the course of liberal internationalism over the past two decades and, in particular, to discern what its recent transformation into liberal transnationalism may mean for America’s future. A TALE OF TWO DECADES The 1990s were certainly a good decade for liberal internationalism. It was the era of the New World Order, the Washington Consensus, neo-liberal regimes, humanitarian intervention, universal human rights, global governance, and, of course and most famously, globalization. The greatest military and economic power and sole superpower—the United States—vigorously promoted liberal internationalism.
  • Consensus for Mussolini? Popular Opinion in the Province of Venice (1922-1943)

    Consensus for Mussolini? Popular Opinion in the Province of Venice (1922-1943)

    UNIVERSITY OF BIRMINGHAM SCHOOL OF HISTORY AND CULTURES Department of History PhD in Modern History Consensus for Mussolini? Popular opinion in the Province of Venice (1922-1943) Supervisor: Prof. Sabine Lee Student: Marco Tiozzo Fasiolo ACADEMIC YEAR 2016-2017 2 University of Birmingham Research Archive e-theses repository This unpublished thesis/dissertation is copyright of the author and/or third parties. The intellectual property rights of the author or third parties in respect of this work are as defined by The Copyright Designs and Patents Act 1988 or as modified by any successor legislation. Any use made of information contained in this thesis/dissertation must be in accordance with that legislation and must be properly acknowledged. Further distribution or reproduction in any format is prohibited without the permission of the copyright holder. Declaration I certify that the thesis I have presented for examination for the PhD degree of the University of Birmingham is solely my own work other than where I have clearly indicated that it is the work of others (in which case the extent of any work carried out jointly by me and any other person is clearly identified in it). The copyright of this thesis rests with the author. Quotation from it is permitted, provided that full acknowledgement is made. This thesis may not be reproduced without my prior written consent. I warrant that this authorisation does not, to the best of my belief, infringe the rights of any third party. I declare that my thesis consists of my words. 3 Abstract The thesis focuses on the response of Venice province population to the rise of Fascism and to the regime’s attempts to fascistise Italian society.
  • Politics of Conservatism in Turkey

    Politics of Conservatism in Turkey

    Turkish Studies ISSN: 1468-3849 (Print) 1743-9663 (Online) Journal homepage: http://www.tandfonline.com/loi/ftur20 Politics of Conservatism in Turkey Ersin Kalaycioğlu To cite this article: Ersin Kalaycioğlu (2007) Politics of Conservatism in Turkey, Turkish Studies, 8:2, 233-252, DOI: 10.1080/14683840701312211 To link to this article: https://doi.org/10.1080/14683840701312211 Published online: 16 May 2007. Submit your article to this journal Article views: 706 View related articles Citing articles: 21 View citing articles Full Terms & Conditions of access and use can be found at http://www.tandfonline.com/action/journalInformation?journalCode=ftur20 Download by: [SOAS, University of London] Date: 06 December 2017, At: 05:42 Turkish Studies Vol. 8, No. 2, 233–252, June 2007 Politics of Conservatism in Turkey ˘ ERSIN KALAYCIOG[ve]br LU Faculty of Economics and Administrative Sciences, Isik University, Istanbul, Turkey TaylorFTUR_A_231122.sgm10.1080/14683840701312211Turkish1468-3849Original20078kalaycie@isikun.edu.tr2000000JuneDr ErsinKalaycıo[gbreve] and& StudiesArticle Francis (print)/1743-9663Francis 2007 Ltd lu (online) ABSTRACT The 1990s have witnessed growing electoral support for parties to the right of the political spectrum in Turkish politics. As the political left shrunk, the political gravity in electoral and party politics shifted toward the Islamic revivalist and ultra-nationalist Turkish parties. This article examines the nature of this ideological shift, with special focus on the politics of conservatism. The findings of major survey research conducted in April–May 2006 on the sociopolitical orientations and values of Turkish voters are utilized to delineate the characteristics of conservative voting behavior. A major finding of this survey is that most voters tend to support a conservative party such as the Justice and Development Party (Adalet ve Kalkınma Partisi, AKP) out of expected economic benefits rather than purely ideo- logical beliefs.
  • Is There a Turkish Islam? the Emergence of Convergence and Consensus

    Is There a Turkish Islam? the Emergence of Convergence and Consensus

    Journal of Muslim Minority Affairs, Vol. 24, No. 2, October 2004 Is There a Turkish Islam? The Emergence of Convergence and Consensus M. HAKAN YAVUZ Abstract This paper attempts to demonstrate that it is not only the universal principles of Islam that ground our everyday actions, but also the practical and immediate issues which we confront. Although Islam provides a universal set of principles to make life meaningful, I shall argue that these principles are vernacularized and localized in specific narratives. By offering seven diverse zones of Islam, I seek to bring this critical and dynamic distance into the forefront to understand that there is no universal model or a single highway to salvation but, instead, there are multiple ways of being and becoming a Muslim. In the first part of the paper, I seek to disaggregate the concept of ‘Islamic or Muslim world’ by identifying seven diverse competing and conflicting ‘zones’ of political Islam, each characterized by their conversion pattern, colonial legacy, type of nationalism and by the state–society relations and political economy that factor into these evolving separate zones. At the same time and under certain political conditions, one also sees the emergence of consensus and similar ‘public opinion’ across zones on various issues. After identifying the features of three of the seven zones (Arab, Persian and Turkish), the paper focuses on Sufism, the frontier legacy of the Ottoman state, and on the tax-based economy and the expanding political opportunity spaces, to account for the construc- tion of Islamic knowledge and practices in the Turkish zone.
  • Nuancing the Voter Landscape: Radical Right and Radical Left Constituencies in Europe Alexandru Filip

    Nuancing the Voter Landscape: Radical Right and Radical Left Constituencies in Europe Alexandru Filip

    Nuancing the Voter Landscape: Radical right and radical left constituencies in Europe Alexandru Filip Dahrendorf Forum IV Working Paper No. 08 25 February 2019 About the Author Nuancing the Voter Landscape: Alexandru Filip is a Dahrendorf Forum Postdoctoral Fellow at the Hertie School of Governance, Berlin. He completed his PhD on Radical right and radical left constituencies Eurosceptic influence over mainstream parties at the Bremen International Graduate School for Social Sciences. He focuses on in Europe European politics, integration, and populist political actors. Author email: [email protected] The Dahrendorf Forum The Dahrendorf Forum is a joint initiative by the Hertie School of Governance, the London School of Economics and Political Science, and Stiftung Mercator that recognises expert knowledge and public debate can each benefit from mutual exposition. The Dahrendorf Team generates and disseminates social science research that is both policy relevant and of the highest standard. The researchers concentrate on impacting high-level policymakers and practitioners close to the centres of political action and decision-making. Acknowledgements I would like to thank Helmut K. Anheier, Andrea Römmele, Josefin Graef, Benjamin Martill, and Hallie Detrick for their input and support. This paper was made possible by their valuable comments and feedback. Contact: Hallie Detrick, [email protected] Nuancing the Voter Landscape: Radical right and radical left constituencies in Europe Abstract How do the voters of radical right and radical left parties compare? Building on previous work that explores the differences between radical constituencies, this paper seeks to elaborate upon existing models by accounting for the effects of welfare chauvinism, identity, and culture/new politics (GAL–TAN).