[This is a roundup of news articles and other materials circulating on Turkey and reflects a wide variety of opinions. It does not reflect the views of the Turkey Page Editors or of Jadaliyya. You may send your own recommendations for inclusion in each week`s roundup to turkey@jadaliyya.com by Sunday night of every week.]
English
Graft Crisis and Authoritarianism
An Orwellian Turkey? Ihsan Dağı argues that Turkey is becoming an “Orwellian state,” and that “big brother is watching, ruling, legislating, trying, rewarding, buying, selling, publishing.”
Myths and Facts About Turkey`s Gülen Movement Ertan Aydın, the senior advisor of Prime Minister Erdoğan, argues that there is no government restriction on media.
Gül Signs Turkey Internet Law Showing He’s No Erdoğan Rival According to Benjamin Harvey and Isobel Finkel, President Gül’s approval of new Internet law shows complete cooperation between Gül and Erdoğan.
Turkey’s Internet Crackdown The New York Times calls President Gül’s approval of the new Internet law an "authoritarian trend," which would create long-term costs to Turkey.
Calculating Cost: President Gül and Turkey`s Political Crisis Gareth H. Jenkins analyzes the costs and benefits of a possible intervention of President Gül into the political conflict between Erdoğan and Gülen.
Gülen’s Shadowy Network is a Formidable Enemy Bill Park writes about illegal wiretaps and press leaks that involve conversations of both Erdoğan and his family, and Fethullah Gülen.
A Hint of Desperation: Erdoğan’s Crackdown on Free Speech According to Svante E. Cornell, the new restrictive Internet law is authoritarian, but at the same time a sign of Erdoğan’s weakness.
Turkish Government Catches Same Old Illness Lale Kemal argues that the AKP is rooted in structural and historical undemocratic habits and authoritarianism that have shaped Turkey’s state mentality since the Republican era.
The Executive Will Monitor the Judiciary Taha Akyol points to the question of judicial independence, which would be threatened by the new bill on the Supreme Council of Judges and Prosecutors (HSYK).
Turkey’s New Intel Bill: Democracy or Police State? Murat Yetkin analyzes the new bill suggested by the AKP, which expands the authority and capacity of the National Intelligence Organization (MIT).
Second Round Kicks Off in Turkish File-Fights Murat Yetkin writes about leaked files and how Erdoğan tries to “save the day” by imposing bills on the Internet and judiciary.
Erdoğan`s Struggle Against "Communists" and "Non-Believers" (1)-(2) Orhan Kemal Cengiz analyzes how Erdoğan is building an authoritarian regime.
Economy
Turkey in Eye of Emerging Market Storm as Everything Goes Wrong at Once (1)-(2) Ambrose Evans-Pritchard argues that Erdoğan’s policies and the political turmoil are causing the failure of Turkey’s emerging markets.
Turkey Economic Model Faltering Victor Kotsev points out that Turkey’s economic model is faltering on high inflation and consumer debt.
Elections
How to Explain the AKP`s Resilience? Joost Lagendijk tries to find explanations for the capacity of the AKP to survive such political storm that would have ruined many careers elsewhere.
Turkey’s War on the Judiciary: Is Ankara Really Flouting International Concerns? Pınar Elman argues that the EU should not only implement international censure on Turkey, but should assist Turkey in establishing the rule of law and drafting a new constitution.
State-Funded Projects Fuel PM Erdoğan’s Local Election Campaign Özgür Korkmaz lists the state-funded projects that Erdoğan is using for his own party’s electoral campaign.
Why is the AKP Still Supported Despite Corruption? Etyen Mahçupyan analyzes why the Muslim community, even those who believe that the AKP has engaged in corruption, still supports Erdoğan.
The AK Party and December 17 According to Taha Özhan, voters support the AKP because they perceive it “as the only constructive and serious political actor.”
As Erdoğan’s Chances for Presidency Diminish Murat Yetkin speculates about the next presidential elections.
Foreign Policy
False Friends According to Michael J. Koplow, the US should “get tough with Turkey in a more systematic way, as it has with the Chinese arms deal, so that Turkey would become a reliable partner."
Bipartisan Letter to President Obama on Turkey Bipartisan letter to President Obama written by Ambassadors Abramowitz and Edelman, eighty-four US lawmakers, government officials, and experts about Erdoğan’s “autocratic actions and demagoguery.”
Obama`s Erdoğan Predicament Cengiz Çandar comments on the surprise phone conversation between Obama and Erdoğan after the letter written to Obama by 84 people.
"Cash Box" Crops up in Turkey’s Africa Opening Fehim Taştekin discusses what Turkey’s humanitarian aid to Somalia, which was delivered in boxes full of cash, tells us about Turkey’s Africa policies.
Why Was I Forced to Leave ORSAM? Hasan Kanbolat narrates his forced resignation from the Center for Middle Eastern Strategic Studies (ORSAM) upon the intervention of Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoğlu.
Syria War Sparks Turkish Alawite Anxiety Fehim Taştekin argues that the Syrian war has led Turkey’s Arab Alawites to embrace their Alawite and Arab identity.
Turkey’s Energy Strategy and its Role in the EU’s Southern Gas Corridor Erkan Erdoğdu analyzes Turkey’s role in the Southern Gas Corridor (SGC).
Armenia, Turkey Clash over Genocide at UN Security Council (includes video) Harut Hassounian writes about the discussion of the Armenian Genocide for the first time at the UN Security Council.
Russia`s Egypt Policy Confounds Turkey According to Sami Kohen, the recent rapprochement between Egypt and Russia has shown that Ankara’s Egypt policy needs revising to match the new realities.
The Armenians of the Middle East and Turkey Vahan Keshishian asks whether Turkey’s EU membership could be beneficial or harmful for the Armenians of the Middle East and Turkey.
The Devil is in the Domestic? European Integration Studies and the Limits of Europeanization in Turkey This special issue, edited by Başak Alpan and Thomas Diez, focuses on European integration.
Cyprus, Finally? Cengiz Aktar argues that the Cyprus debate ended up in a win-win situation.
Energy: Key to EU-Turkish Relations? David Koranyi and Nicolo Sartori argue that the EU and Turkey could benefit from closer cooperation in terms of energy security.
Kurdish Question
Why Erdoğan Cannot Deliver What Turkey`s Kurds Demand Yavuz Baydar asks whether the Kurds have any reason to believe Erdoğan any longer at all, after a fourteen-month-long peace process without any success.
Exploiting the Settlement Process Cafer Solgun accuses Erdoğan of exploiting the desires and hopes of Kurds for peace in order to avoid corruption and bribery charges.
Öcalan Extends Hand to Armenians Orhan Kemal Cengiz comments on Abdullah Öcalan’s letter to Armenians.
Turkey Defers to Baghdad on Oil from Iraqi Kurdistan Semih Idiz writes about Iraqi Kurdistan Regional Government Prime Minister Nechirvan Barzani’s “shuttle diplomacy” between Baghdad and Ankara to facilitate an agreement.
Other Pertinent Pieces
The Rise of Turkey: The Twenty-First Century`s First Muslim Power Scholar Soner Cağaptay’s The Rise of Turkey: The Twenty First Century’s First Muslim Power is a guide structured as a travelogue; each chapter opens on a different Turkish city and provides insights into Turkey’s transformations.
What is the West for the AKP? According to Burak Bilgehan Özpek, what the West means for the AKP—an enemy or a friend—is ultimately determined by what the West is for the opponents of the Islamists.
Container City Mac McClelland writes about a Syrian refugee camp in Turkey based on his observations and interviews with Syrian refugees.
Istanbul`s Homeless People Wilco Van Herpen writes about his encounter with a photographer and taxi driver, who take pictures of homeless people in Istanbul.
The End of "Endism" Analyzing the political conflict all over the world, Nuray Mert argues that secularism is an inseparable aspect of democracy.
The Myths of Gezi and the Turkish PM’s Failed "Inceptions" Cihan Çelik writes about Erdoğan’s efforts to criminalize the Gezi uprisings by claiming alleging links to the Gülen movement.
The Unbearable Heaviness of Being a Turkish Citizen According to Emre Erdoğan, Turks have an anxiety of the “potential enemy,” which is rooted in Turkey’s education system.
Turkish
Graft Crisis and Authoritarianism
Hukuk dışılığın olağanlaştırılması Haldun Gülalp writes that the graft crisis is a permanent state of exception.
Üçüncü Abdülhamid ya da AtaDindar Mücahit Bilici compares Erdoğan to Abdul Hamid II, the thirty-fourth Sultan of the Ottoman Empire, and labels him as “AtaDindar.”
Levent Gültekin’le AKP-Cemaat kavgası (1)-(2) An interview with Levent Gültekin on the recent power struggle between the AKP and the Gülen Community, and “new media.”
Bir değil, iki paralel Ohannes Kılıçdağı argues that “there is not a parallel state but parallel states.”
Yolsuzluk ve Sinizm Tanıl Bora explores the relationship between graft and cynicism.
Yolsuzluk iddiaları Erdoğan’ın işine mi yarıyor? (1)-(2)-(3) Ruşen Çakır asks whether graft allegations stand Erdoğan in good stead or not.
Napoleon`un 18 Brumaire`i, Erdoğan`ın 17 Aralık`ı (1)-(2) Cengiz Çandar argues that the truth cannot be hidden, and compares Napoleon’s 18 Brumaire to Erdoğan’s 17 December.
Siyasal İslamlaşma, laiklik, AB çapası, Siyasi denge, dış politika, vicdan Reflecting upon the graft crisis, Fuat Keyman points out to the faults of the government and the Gülen Community.
Üç öykü Ali Bayramoğlu argues that we have experienced three different stories since the 2000s—social, political, and governmental.
‘Rejimin Adı Ne?’ Ergin Yıldızoğlu answers the frequently asked question of these days: “what is the name of the regime?”
Toplumsal travma Yalçın Akdoğan, Erdoğan’s chief political advisor, argues that the graft crisis gave rise to social trauma and holds the Gülen Community responsible for it.
Hangi İslamcılık, hangi laiklik? Reflecting upon the recent debate over “the future of political Islam,” Ali Bulaç claims that the AKP has never been a political Islamic party.
Neleri unutmamızı istiyorsunuz? Yetvart Danzikyan asks the AKP and its proponents what they want us to forget.
Kabataş Event
Adım adım, didik didik Kabataş olayı Ümit Kıvanç analyses the Kabataş event step by step.
Kabataş Olayı Neden Bir "Kadının Beyanı Esastır" Uygulaması Değildir Kerem Altıparmak argues that the Kabataş event is not an instance of a priority of women’s statements about sexual harassment.
Erkin dili, kadının beyanı Karin Karakaşlı writes on “the language of power and women’s statements.”
Kabataş’taki kadını muktedirden korumak Selçuk Candansayar writes on protecting a woman who claims that she was exposed to sexual harassment in Kabataş during the Gezi uprising.
O kadın başörtlü olmasaydı (1)-(2)-(3) Ahmet Hakan asks Erdoğan “what if that woman were not veiled?” and reminds us of some other previous attacks against women.
Kurdish Question
"Eyvah Kürtler geliyor!" Ruşen Çakır criticizes the pro-Gülen columnists who often compare and contrast the government’s attitude towards the Gülen Community and the PKK, though they talk about democracy—for example, Ekrem Dumanlı and Bülent Keneş.
Kürtler, `yolsuzluk şaibesi` altındaki iktidara omuz verir mi? Cengiz Çandar asks whether the Kurdish Movement will support the government, which is in charge of the graft crisis.
Kürt barışı, yeni Türkiye demek The peace with Kurdish people implies a new Turkey, Oral Çalışlar propounds.
Roboski’deki günahınız temizlenmeyecek Ferhat Encü, who lost twenty-nine of his family members in the Roboski (Uludere) massacre, writes that the government cannot expiate the crimes it committed in Roboski.
Local Elections
30 Mart: Seçim sizin Al Jazeera Türk’s digital map prepared for the forthcoming local elections.
`Seçmen tepkili ama seçeneklere bakıyor` An interview with Bekir Ağırdır, general manager of the Konda Institute, on the graft crisis and local elections.
30 Mart seçimleri ve AKP Ömer Laçiner writes on “the 30 March local elections and the AKP.”
Siyaseti gelecekle birlikte düşünmek (1)-(2) Ferdan Ergut compares and contrasts Istanbul mayoral candidates as well as the AKP, CHP, and HDP.
Other Pertinent Pieces
Türkiye`de kültür çatışması ve son on yılda kültür-sanat politikası (9)-(10)-(11)-(12)-(13)-(14) The rest of the “Cultural Clash in Turkey and Politics of Culture and Art in the Last Decade” series.
Sosyal bilimler ve kadınların bilme biçimleri Nazan Üstündağ writes on “social sciences and women’s ways of knowing.”
21. yüzyılda yeni bir sosyal bilim: JİNEOLOJİ Gönül Kaya argues for a new social science in the twenty-first century—feminology.
Yolsuzluk düzenin kendisi oldu An interview with Şevket Pamuk on his recently published book, The Economic History of Turkey’s Last 200 Years (Türkiye’nin 200 Yıllık İktisadi Tarihi).
Türkiye’de Devlet, Demokrasi ve Toplumda Vasatlıkla Yüzleşme ve Bundan Çıkış Yolları 1 Erinç Yeldan’s report on the state, democracy, and mediocracy in Turkey.
Dekalog: Kemalist ilahiyat için bir ilmihal An interview with Osman Özarslan on his recently published book, The Decalogue: A Catechism for a Kemalist Theology (Dekalog: Kemalist İlahiyat için Bir İlmihal).
İslami düşüncedeki durağanlığı aşmak için… Sibel Eraslan comments on Nihat İnanç’s book, Madrassah Tradition and the Madrassah in the Modernization Process (Medrese Geleneği ve Modernleşme Sürecinde Medreseler).
Published on Jadaliyya
What’s Happening in Turkey? A Roundtable with the Turkey Page Editors
Kurt Meselesinde 2000’li Yillara Genel Bir Bakis
New JADMAG: “Resistance Everywhere”: The Gezi Protests and Dissident Visions of Turkey
Şimdi anladık mı Erdoğan’ın niye hiç kimseyi feda etmediğini?
Persian Translation of “Fugitive Markets and Arrested Mobilities: Gaziantep’s Iranian Bazaar”