[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
Elections’ Aftershocks and Constitutional Court’s Judgements
Erdoğan`s Missed Opportunity to Mix Islam and Democracy in Turkey “By winning the elections, Erdoğan appears to have won the battle for the moment,” writes Alexander Christie-Miller.
Five Reasons To Be Optimistic About Turkish Democracy After Local Elections Emre Kızılkaya argues that the AKP managed to create a perception that they scored a victory more decisive than it actually is.
A Post-Election Analysis Doğu Ergil elaborates on the causes of AKP’s electoral victory.
Why Were the Election Results Normal? Etyen Mahçupyan argues that the AKP is a social movement that has come from the periphery and tried to reconstruct the center over the last decade.
Why Does the AK Party Win? Hilal Kaplan asks how the AKP, which was said to polarize society, achieved a victory in all regions of Turkey.
March 30: A Sign of Spring Osman Can claims that the recent local elections were more than just an election.
Turkish Politics: The Road to Ghettoization Hatem Ete argues that the AKP finds itself unchallenged in its efforts to address the country`s chronic problems, since opposition parties are only able to tackle issues that represent a concern for their geographically isolated supporters.
The AK Party and the Elections Taha Özhan argues that “Turkey’s ‘unity’ is ensured by the AK Party’s constituents.”
Why Did Votes Not Flow Toward the CHP and the MHP? Hasan Kanbolat contends that political preferences adopted by Turks reflect their lifestyles, and Turkish society has some Eastern traits and reflexes.
Meet Turkey`s Youngest Mayor, A 25-Year-Old Female Former Political Prisoner The Huffington Post’s report on the youngest Kurdish mayor of Turkey.
Erdoğan’s Pyrrhic Victory Sinan Ülgen worries that Prime Minister Erdoğan will double down on domestic polarization to maintain his power.
A Pyrrhic or Real Victory for Erdoğan? Let`s hope, Ömer Taşpınar writes, Erdoğan will turn his polarizing electoral victory into a real one, addressing Kurdish discontent with a new sense of urgency.
Turkey`s Last Elections İhsan Dağı points out that the AKP has to win all the upcoming elections and maintain popular support in order to prevent legal charges of corruption against its leader.
A La Carte Democracy Will Not Work Cengiz Aktar dwells upon the political-sociological dimensions of the AKP’s policies.
Three Important Warnings on Turkish Politics Murat Yetkin draws attention to the warnings of Frank Ricciardione, the US ambassador to Ankara, and Adil Gür, the head of the A&G Research and Polling company in Istanbul.
Erdoğan Now at Odds with Constitutional Court Murat Yetkin points that the Constitutional Court (AYM) is subject to criticism by Erdoğan after its decision to lift the ban on Twitter.
Why Are They Criticizing the Constitutional Court over Twitter? According to Orhan Kemal Cengiz, Erdoğan`s reaction to the Constitutional Court tells us a lot about what lies ahead for Turkey.
The Responsibility of Being President Cafer Solgun contends that Erdoğan`s candidacy for presidential elections will raise serious concerns because of the qualities a president should have.
Podcast: Turkey’s Contested Election and Prime Minister Erdogan’s Uncertain Future Noah Blaser and Aaron Stein discuss post-election Turkey and the future of the peace process.
Podcast: Turkey’s Perception in Washington Yigal Schleifer and Aaron Stein discuss Turkey’s perception in Washington, and the prospects for a Turkish-Israeli rapprochement.
Erdoğan’s Quixotic Battle Against Social Media Semih İdiz writes that the Turkish prime minister’s battles with Twitter and YouTube undermine his international governmental credibility.
Recent Legal Developments In Turkey: Legislating Autocracy? The Bipartisan Policy Center’s (BPC) recent report on Turkey.
Turkey Losing Faith in the European Dream “Caught up in mounting internal conflicts, Turkey is gradually losing interest in its EU accession candidacy,” writes Senada Sokollu.
Turkey`s Friends: In Desperation “In Turkey,” Joost Lagendijk argues, “we need a new leadership that stops using anti-Western and anti-European rhetoric to strengthen its electoral position.”
Turkey in Europe: The Imperative for Change The Independent Commission’s third report on Turkey.
Syrian Policy, Sarin Allegations, and the Fall of Kassab
The Red Line and the Rat Line Seymour M. Hersh claims that Turkish intelligence service and military are behind the sarin gas attack in Syria.
Seymour Hersh, Claims That Turkish Intelligence and Military Were Behind the Sarin Gas Attack in Syria An interview with Seymour Hersh, showing that he stands by his claims.
Has Recep Tayyip Erdoğan Gone from Model Middle East "Strongman" to Tin-Pot Dictator? Robert Fisk recalls that the first to claim that the sarin gas had come from Turkey was the Syrian government.
Syria Special: There is No Chemical Weapons Conspiracy—Dissecting Hersh’s “Exclusive” on Insurgents Once More Scott Lucas argues against Seymour M. Hersh.
The Assad Regime, Sarin, and the Facts İbrahim Kalin argues that “Hersh mixes up information culled from different sources to write a highly imaginative script fit for a Hollywood feature film.”
Erdoğan’s Syria Policy Under Scrutiny (1)-(2) After Hersh’s piece, Cengiz Çandar writes that the claims that Erdoğan’s Syria policy is in jeopardy should no longer be dismissed as exaggeration.
Syria Allegations Sink Turkish Government Morale Barın Kayaoğlu contends that Hersh’s piece comes at a very bad time for the AKP government.
Fall of Kassab Will Be Costly for Turkey (1)-(2) Fehim Taştekin draws attention to the allegations that Turkey played a role in assisting opposition groups that took control of the Armenian-Syrian town of Kassab.
Armenian-Americans Blame Turkey for Kassab Invasion Pınar Tremblay writes that the attack on Kassab has raised new questions about Turkey’s support for Islamic groups fighting in Syria.
Turkey Losing Propaganda War Over Syrian Armenians Amberin Zaman writes that Turkey’s alleged collusion in the rebel takeover of a Syrian Armenian village has revived the ghosts of a bloody past.
Turkey, Syria, and Armenians in Context Nuray Mert points that the Turkish government is accusing the Armenian diaspora of using the Kasab incident as a hostile tool against Turkey.
Has Turkey Attacked Armenians in Syria? Verda Özer claims that there is a radical change in Turkey’s attitude toward minorities, involving Armenians who fled from the massacre in Kassab.
Syria: Kessab`s Battle and Armenians` History Vicken Cheterian argues that the takeover of Kassab highlights core aspects of Armenians` experience since the 1915 genocide.
Fourteen Days in Diyarbakir—Fourteen Photos of Amed—Fourteen Pieces on Tigranakert (1)-(2)-(3) Repair`s special correspondent MJM spent two weeks in Diyarbakır (Amed) to testify to the past, present, and future of the thousands of Armenians who used to live there before the genocide.
Turkey Admits Reyhanli Was Attacked by al-Qaeda Turkey’s Ambassador to the OSCE, Tacan Ildem, said the 11 May 2013 Reyhanli attack was carried out by al-Qaeda, Tülin Daloğlu reports.
Syrian Kurds Appeal for Help to Prevent Fall of Ain al-Arab As fighting intensifies between Kurdish groups and the ISIS, the YPG have called on all of Kurdistan to mobilize in support, Fehim Taştekin reports.
Other Pertinent Pieces
Release Ailing Convicts From Prisons Intellectuals, including Desmond Tutu, Noam Chomsky, and Immanuel Wallerstein, urge the Turkish government to release ailing convicts from prisons in a joint petition.
Turkey Should Reverse All Anti-Press Measures and Laws Committee to Protect Journalists’ (CPJ) open letter to the Prime Minister Erdoğan.
Chaldeans Demand Return to their Village in Turkey Turkish Chaldean families who immigrated abroad during the 1980 coup are demanding their village and property, Bahar Kilicgedik reports.
The Saudi-Turkey Cold War for Sunni Hegemony According to Abdulmajeed al-Buluwi, the current “cold war” in the Middle East has taken two forms: Shiite-Sunni wars and Sunni-Sunni conflicts.
Arab Buyers Boost Turkish Real Estate Market Riada Ašimović Akyol writes that Turkey’s real estate market is growing, fueled in part by interest from Arab and other foreign investment.
Turkey’s Africa Policies Blend Hard, Soft Power Fehim Taştekin draws attention to the ways that Turkey’s humanitarian initiatives in Africa are complemented by business and strategic policies as well.
A Broken Silhouette A collective blog, Stambouline, comments on Istanbul`s new Metro Bridge and the political battle over the city`s historic panorama.
Turkish-Azerbaijani Energy Relations Bülent Aras argues that Turkish-Azerbaijani relations are currently taking shape based upon energy relations.
Turkey`s Gülen Controversy Spills over to Azerbaijan Mina Muradova writes that the conflict between the AKP and the Gülen community has spread to Azerbaijan.
Turkish Schools Abroad Victims of AKP-Gülen Conflict Fehim Taştekin points out that the struggle between the AKP and the Gülen movement threatens more than two thousand Turkish schools abroad.
Russia and Turkey in Conflict (mis)Management in the Caucasus Pavel K. Baev claims that Turkey is the only country that is increasing its positions in the Caucasus, but remains reluctant to take on new responsibilities for managing conflicts.
Turkish
Elections’ Aftershocks and Constitutional Court’s Judgements
Seçim sonuçları (1)-(2) Tarhan Erdem analyzes the election results.
Hangi parti hedefine hangi ölçüde ulaştı? (1)-(2)-(3)-(4) Bekir Ağırdır analyzes the election results and speculates about the upcoming presidential elections.
İki Farklı Dönem, İki Benzer Süreç (DP-AKP) According to Tuncay Sur, the DP (Democrat Party) in 1946 and the AKP in 2014 got the majority of votes against the elitist mentality of the CHP.
Yolsuzluk iddiaları AKP seçmenini neden etkilemedi? The AKP electorate is aware of corruption allegations, but they perceive these allegations as a threat to their worldview and identity, argues Gülay Türkmen Dervişoğlu.
2014 yerel seçim değerlendirmesi-1: Genel Tablo Murat Paker analyzes each party`s electoral performance.
Seçimin Ardından: Jouissance Vaadi Olarak Politika Erdoğan Özmen argues that victim/oppressor rhetoric constitutes the backbone of the AKP’s politics.
Seçimin ardından aynaya bakmak Yıldız Ramazanoğlu criticizes the polarizing language, cynicism, and sense of political deadlock that has become salient in oppositional youth.
Geleneksel beyaz Türk dövme sezonu açıldı Commenting on criticisms about the CHP’s failure in the elections, Turgay Oğur argues that “traditional White Turk beating season” has started.
2. Cumhuriyet’e doğru I: Seçimin ardından hasar ziyan tespiti (1)-(2)-(3) Oya Baydar argues that Turkey is in a painful transformation towards the era of the second republic.
İktidarın oyu nasıl iner-çıkar? An interview with Ali Akarca about voting behavior in the wake of the corruption and bribery allegations.
Seçimler üzerine bir tahlil Doğu Ergil points that there has never been such widespread doubt and suspicion about fraud in elections.
Seçimin asıl galibi: Mütahitokrasi Ragip Zarakolu argues that the real winner of the elections is urban transformation and gentrification projects, which destroy Turkey’s historical and natural environment.
Seçim bitti, yağma kaldığı yerden başladı! Atilla Dorsay writes that immediately after the elections, the AKP facilitated destructive urban transformation projects in many cities.
Bilanço Ali Bayramoğlu analyzes Turkey’s foreign policy in the wake of the elections.
2014 yerel seçimlerinin kadınları Hüda Kaya comments on the success of women in local elections.
Seçim sonrası sancıları According to Temel İskit, it is hard to believe that Erdoğan would amend Turkey’s domestic and foreign policies, which Erdoğan himself has brought to a deadlock.
MHP’nin mütevazı kazanımları Sedat Ergin argues that the MHP’s performance in metropolises was weak, yet it gained a “humble but significant increase” in the rest of the country, except the southeast.
Muhalefet sorunu: Kırıkçının macunu Şükrü Hanioğlu contends that Turkey suffers from a lack of a strong opposition, which would work not through antagonisms but through alternative projects.
Mâkûl muhaliflere dostâne bir hatırlatma Süleyman Seyfi Öğüt calls oppositional parties to take action instead of “building cyber communities on Twitter.”
Hayal ve gerçek hakkında 11 paragraf “This struggle is a struggle to shake, to alert, to wake up the youth, and to make them break with the old paradigm,” Halil Berktay argues.
Geziciler güç istiyor Yüksel Taşkın argues that some youth groups involved in the Gezi Park uprisings are now considering joining the CHP to be more influential political actors.
Süreç Heval! Sırrı Süreyya Önder argues that, as opposed to the government’s timid steps in the peace process, the Kurdish movement has showed its absolute will for a ceasefire.
AKP planı Adil Bayram argues that the PKK has been an obstacle to the AKP’s plans about invalidating the Kurdish movement and stalling the Kurds.
Tuncel: Köşk için aday çıkarabiliriz In an interview with Sebahat Tuncel, the co-president of the HDP, she states they the party would field their own candidate for presidential elections.
Kayıt dışı siyaset, kayıt dışı din, kayıt dışı ekonomi İlhami Güler argues that the Gülen community operates as a mafiastic underground organization, which works against the government through informal politics, religion, and the economy.
Ricciardone: Fethullah Gülen`i değil, asıl önemli işleri konuşmak istiyoruz An interview with Francis Ricciardone, the US ambassador to Turkey, about elections and the Gülen-Erdoğan conflict.
Cemevleri ibadethane sayılmadıkça Oral Çalışlar criticizes the Presidency of Religious Affairs, since it does not consider cemevi as a places of worship.
Syrian Policy, Sarin Allegations, and the Armenian Question
Seymour Hersh `kimyasal saldırı` haberinin arkasında Seymour M. Hersh pursues his claim that the Turkish intelligence and military are behind the sarin gas attack in Syria.
Seymour Hersh Diken’e konuştu: MİT planladı, Jandarma Halep’e kadar kimyasal taşıdı An interview with Hersh on his allegations about Turkey’s use of sarin gas in Syria.
Adım sarine çıkmış, eyvah! Fehim Taştekin argues that Hersh’s claims about sarin gas cast light upon Turkey’s new role in US foreign policy.
Dikkat! Batı cephesinde yeni bir şey var Why do Hersh’s sources primarily target Hakan Fidan instead of Erdoğan, asks Cüneyt Özdemir.
Yazdı, yazdı, ne yazdı! Umur Talu argues that, since Turkey has always believed Hersh’s articles, ranging from Vietnam to Iraq, it would be difficult now to refute his claims about the sarin gas attack in Syria.
10 soruda Hersh’ün makalesi Tolga Tanış argues that Hersh’s claims do not rely on tangible facts.
Suriye`de kimyasal silah saldırısını Türkiye mi organize etti? According to Ceren Kenar, Syria and Russia may be behind Hersh’s claims.
Hangi `Kırmızı Çizgi` “Could the US’s real ‘red line’ be actually Erdoğan’s relationship with al-Qaeda?” asks Cengiz Çandar.
Seymour Hersh`ün haberi ve "Pennsylvania connection" (1)-(2) Ruşen Çakır argues that Turkey must cancel all of its direct and indirect relations with al-Qaeda in order to refute suspicions about it.
Hersh’e karşı çıkan ‘Brown Moses’ DİKEN’e konuştu: Sarini Türkiye tedarik etmiş olamaz Eliot Higgins argues against Hersh’s claims.
Other Pertinent Pieces
Soykırım, katliam, etnik temizlik:İnsanların canavarlaştığı anlar The new volume of Birikim is devoted to the questions of genocide, massacre, and ethnic cleansing.
Mega Istanbul A close examination of the contents, implementations, and after-effects of mega-projects designed for Istanbul by mapping these projects.
Nurculuğun devletleşmesi Mücahit Bilici writes that Nurculuk, a non-Islamic faith-based movement, is becoming a statist movement.
İsmail Beşikçi: Kürtler milliyetçi olmalıdır Author and sociologist İsmail Beşikçi defines the Kurdish question primarily as a question of state and land.
Özerk ve müdahil bir sosyal bilim için Emrah Göker comments on Cogito’s new volume on Pierre Bourdieu and the necessity of autonomous social sciences.
Dört alınyazısı. Müslümanlaştırılmış Ermeniler anlatıyor Ümit Kurt and Murad Uçaner relay four personal stories from Islamized Armenians.
Published on Jadaliyya
Digital Platforms, Analog Elections: How Civic Groups Are Trying to Bring Back Democracy in Turkey
Notes on Turkey`s Local Elections
Asylum and the Right to the City: Lessons from Turkey’s Syrian Guests and Other Urban Refugees
The Irrepressible Charm of the State: Dershane Closures and the Domestic War for Power in Turkey