PapersFlow Research Brief
Turkey's Politics and Society
Research Guide
What is Turkey's Politics and Society?
Turkey's Politics and Society refers to the political, social, and economic transformations in Turkey, marked by the rise of the AKP, increasing authoritarianism, Islam's role in public life, the Kurdish question, neoliberal policies, gender politics, nationalism, European integration efforts, and civil society dynamics.
This field encompasses 69,960 works examining Turkey's shift from tutelary democracy to competitive authoritarianism under the AKP since 2002. Key themes include Islamist politics, modernization ambiguities, and voter alignments in authoritarian contexts. Analyses draw on historical foundations like Kemalist certainties and modern gender-religion tensions.
Topic Hierarchy
Research Sub-Topics
AKP Hegemony and Electoral Authoritarianism
Scholars analyze Justice and Development Party's electoral strategies, media control, and institutional capture sustaining competitive authoritarianism. Comparative studies with hybrid regimes are central.
Kurdish Question and Conflict Resolution
Research examines PKK insurgency, peace processes, decentralization reforms, and identity politics in Turkey's Kurdish regions. Ethnographic and security studies predominate.
Islamization of Public Sphere in Turkey
This sub-topic investigates secularism erosion, headscarf politics, religious education expansion, and Islamist civil society under AKP. Historical and sociological analyses trace neoliberal piety intersections.
Gender Politics and Feminism in Turkey
Studies cover conservative gender regimes, domestic violence laws, Istanbul Convention withdrawal, and Islamist vs. secular feminist mobilizations. Intersectional approaches highlight class and ethnicity.
Turkey Europeanization and Accession Stagnation
Researchers assess EU-driven reforms, identity shifts, and backlash post-2005 negotiations, including refugee deals and Cyprus disputes. Elite surveys and public opinion data are key.
Why It Matters
Turkey's politics and society influence regional stability, European Union relations, and global migration patterns through its authoritarian consolidation and identity debates. Esen and Gümüşçü (2016) in "Rising competitive authoritarianism in Turkey" document the AKP's 2015 election manipulations, including media control and judicial interference, which sustained power amid 49% vote share while eroding democratic institutions. Magaloni (2006) in "Voting for Autocracy" parallels this with PRI's electoral facade in Mexico, showing how such regimes divide oppositions, as seen in Turkey's fragmented civil society and Kurdish tensions. Göle (1996) in "The Forbidden Modern" highlights Islamist veiling among educated women, impacting gender policies and public life in a NATO member state bridging Europe and the Middle East.
Reading Guide
Where to Start
"The Emergence of Modern Turkey" by Lewis (1969), as it provides the foundational historical context for understanding Turkey's Western-oriented emergence and modern political structures essential before tackling AKP-era shifts.
Key Papers Explained
Lewis (1969) in "The Emergence of Modern Turkey" establishes historical modernity, which Bozdogan and Kasaba (2011) in "Rethinking Modernity and National Identity in Turkey" extend to 1990s ambiguities and Islamist rises via Keyder and Gulalp. Göle (1996) in "The Forbidden Modern" builds on this by analyzing Islamist veiling among modern women. Esen and Gümüşçü (2016) in "Rising competitive authoritarianism in Turkey" apply these identity tensions to AKP's post-2002 regime, paralleling Magaloni (2006) in "Voting for Autocracy" on electoral authoritarian survival.
Paper Timeline
Most-cited paper highlighted in red. Papers ordered chronologically.
Advanced Directions
Current analyses focus on AKP's post-2015 consolidation through 2017 referendum powers and 2018 executive presidency, extending Esen and Gümüşçü (2016) evidence of media and judicial capture, though no recent preprints detail post-2023 electoral dynamics.
Papers at a Glance
| # | Paper | Year | Venue | Citations | Open Access |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | The Rights of Others | 2004 | Cambridge University P... | 2.0K | ✕ |
| 2 | Party Systems and Voter Alignments | 2017 | — | 1.8K | ✕ |
| 3 | Voting for Autocracy | 2006 | Cambridge University P... | 1.5K | ✕ |
| 4 | Elections Under Authoritarianism | 2009 | Annual Review of Polit... | 1.1K | ✕ |
| 5 | Credible Power-Sharing and the Longevity of Authoritarian Rule | 2008 | Comparative Political ... | 1.1K | ✕ |
| 6 | The Emergence of Modern Turkey | 1969 | Die Welt des Islams | 932 | ✕ |
| 7 | The Forbidden Modern | 1996 | University of Michigan... | 773 | ✓ |
| 8 | The Dark Side of Democracy | 2004 | Cambridge University P... | 760 | ✕ |
| 9 | Rethinking Modernity and National Identity in Turkey | 2011 | University of Washingt... | 703 | ✕ |
| 10 | Rising competitive authoritarianism in Turkey | 2016 | Third World Quarterly | 691 | ✕ |
Frequently Asked Questions
What defines competitive authoritarianism in Turkey?
Competitive authoritarianism in Turkey emerged after the AKP's 2002 rise, replacing tutelary democracy with elections marred by media dominance, judicial purges, and opposition suppression, as evidenced in the 2015 elections. Esen and Gümüşçü (2016) in "Rising competitive authoritarianism in Turkey" detail how the AKP secured 49% of votes through unequal competition. This regime allows multiparty contests but ensures incumbents' advantage via state resources.
How does Islam influence modernity in Turkish society?
Islam shapes modernity in Turkey through university-educated women adopting Islamist veiling, challenging secular norms. Göle (1996) in "The Forbidden Modern" examines these shifts as responses to modernization pressures. This dynamic reflects tensions between religious revival and Kemalist secularism.
What role do elections play under Turkish authoritarianism?
Elections under Turkish authoritarianism maintain regime longevity by co-opting elites and dividing oppositions, similar to historical cases. Gandhi and Lust (2009) in "Elections Under Authoritarianism" argue they signal loyalty rather than enable turnover. In Turkey, AKP's strategies mirror Magaloni's (2006) "Voting for Autocracy" analysis of PRI's clockwork polls.
How has Turkey's national identity evolved?
Turkey's national identity grapples with Kemalist modernities and Islamist rises since the 1990s. "Rethinking Modernity and National Identity in Turkey" (2011) by Bozdogan and Kasaba covers ambiguities from Keyder's 1990s assessment to Gulalp's modernization-Islamist links. Lewis (1969) in "The Emergence of Modern Turkey" traces Western-oriented emergence amid ongoing tensions.
What sustains authoritarian rule in Turkey?
Authoritarian rule in Turkey persists via credible power-sharing with loyal coalitions, preventing defections. Magaloni (2008) in "Credible Power-Sharing and the Longevity of Authoritarian Rule" explains dictators' commitments to supporters. AKP's approach aligns, bolstered by electoral facades per Magaloni (2006).
Open Research Questions
- ? How do power-sharing mechanisms within the AKP coalition prevent elite defections amid economic pressures?
- ? In what ways do Islamist gender practices reshape civil society under competitive authoritarianism?
- ? How might European integration failures exacerbate Kurdish-nationalist conflicts?
- ? What voter realignments sustain AKP dominance despite authoritarian consolidation?
- ? How do neoliberal policies intersect with religious nationalism in public life?
Recent Trends
The field documents AKP's shift to competitive authoritarianism since 2002, with Esen and Gümüşçü highlighting 2015 elections' irregularities amid 69,960 total works, though growth data over five years remains unavailable and no preprints or news from the last year specify further changes.
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