Turkey has undergone a series of upheavals in its political regime from the mid-19th century. This book details the most recent change, locating it in its broader historical setting. Beginning with the Justice and Development Party’s rule from late 2002, supported by a broad informal coalition that included liberals, the book shows how the former Islamists gradually acquired full power between 2007 and 2011. It then describes the subsequent phase, looking at politics and rights under the amorphous new order.This is the first scholarly yet accessible assessment of this historic change, placing it in the larger context of political modernisation in the country over the past 150 years.
Necati Polat is Professor of International Relations at the Middle East Technical University, Ankara, where he teaches on theories of international politics, international law, and the philosophy of social sciences. He is the author of International Relations, Meaning and Mimesis (2012).
Preface; Introduction; Part I: Change; 1. What Changed?; 2. Run Up to Change; 3. Trials; 4. Resistance to Change; Part II: After Change; 5. Context; 6. Gezi Protests; 7. Media Engineering; 8. Anything Goes?; 9. Peace at Home; 10. Everyday Atrocities; Conclusion; Notes; Bibliography; Index.
Cogently argued and rich in illustrative detail, this important book eloquently describes the mimetic nature of Turkey’s renewed descent into authoritarianism under the AKP. Essential reading about a country once touted as a democratic model for others to follow.'