Citizenship and Identity in Turkey: From Atatürk’s Republic to the Present Day
Author(s): Basak Ince (Author)
Publisher: I.B. Tauris
Publication Date: 26 April 2012
Language: English
Print length: 304 pages
ISBN-10: 1780760264
ISBN-13: 9781780760261
Book Description
Is Turkish nationalism simply a product of Kemalist propaganda from the early Turkish Republic or an inevitable consequence of a firm and developing ‘Turkish’ identity? How do the politics of nationalism and identity limit Turkey’s progression towards a fuller, more institutionalised democracy? Turkish citizenship is a vital aspect of today’s Republic, and yet it has long been defined only through legal framework, neglecting its civil, political, and social implications. Here, Basak Ince seeks to rectify this, examining the identity facets of citizenship, and how this relates to nationalism, democracy and political participation in the modern Turkish republic. By tracing the development of the citizenship from the initial founding of the Republic to the immediate post-World War II period, and from the military interventions of the 1960s, 1970s and 1980s to the present day, she offers in-depth analysis of the interaction of state and society in modern Turkey, which holds wider implications for the study of the Middle East.
Editorial Reviews
Review
Citizenship and Identity in Turkey is a timely analysis of the ways in which conceptions of citizenship in Turkey have changed from the founding of the Republic in 1923 to the present. The main contention of this book is that because of the specific contingencies of its evolution in a self-consciously nationalist and dirigiste state, the Turkish notion of citizenship is inadequate to contemporary realities and needs to be rethought. It represents a distinct and welcome contribution to the field because it explains how citizenship in Turkey implies belonging to a national community based on loyalty to the state/nation, as opposed to a strictly legal status. –Professor Benjamin Fortna, Department of History, School of Oriental and African Studies (SOAS), University of London
Citizenship and Identity in Turkey goes to the heart of the contemporary debate on the nature of citizenship in Turkey and provides a comprehensive and concise overview of the main debates on citizenship. At a time when the meaning of citizenship and identity is contested all around the world, this volume makes a significant contribution to the literature by examining the legal, civil, political, and social dimensions of citizenship while also discussing the complex relationship of citizenship with nationalism, democracy, and political participation. This erudite and well-researched book is essential reading for anyone involved in the field of citizenship and Middle East politics. –Professor Ergun Özbudun, Center for Studies in Society and Politics, Faculty of Law and Political Science, Bilkent University, Ankara
This well-researched and comprehensive book very usefully comes up with the suggestion of placing emphasis on democratic values and human rights as a means of successfully grappling with Turkey s long lingering saga in question. This book is likely to make an important contribution to the theory and practice of ethnic troubles . –Professor Metin Heper, Provost, Bilkent University, Ankara
About the Author
Basak Ince is Instructor of Political Science at Bilkent University. Educated at Bilkent University and the London School of Economics (LSE), University of London, she holds a PhD in Politics from SOAS, University of London.
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