How some Seemingly Moderate Political Elections Results may Redirect a State’s Historical Course, from the Top Down to the Transformation of National Growth and Socio-Cultural Development Patterns: Turkey’s Political Reforms over the Last Decades as an Ideal Paradigm of Multi- Faceted National Re-Orientation

Abstract

This paper discusses a model for identifying and evaluating how the critical changes in the politics of a state impact its socio-economic life. Political transitions of this magnitude may stem out of elections results, but they are not limited to governmental reforms, since they further create a historical rift between the former and the latter status. They definitely initiate regime turnovers, geostrategic reorientation and shifts of geopolitical axes, but they also transform the national growth and socio-cultural development structures and features.The case study chosen refers to Turkey’s political transformation over the last decades; it is considered an ideal paradigm for testing the relevant research questions due to the extent and depth of the revolutionary changes triggered by the Islamic or the so called neoottoman political parties taking over power and overthrowing the long-lasting status quo of kemalism. The consequences of the before mentioned political shift are being examined in correlation with certain statistical indicators like students’ enrolment in the education system. The statistics are projected over a time series covering previous and current status. Then they are mapped via a Geographic Information System on a regional spatial context towards more comprehensive visual representation and further interpretation of the structural changes indicated.

The Geo-economic Gravity Systems as a Tool for the Analysis of Socio-Economic Polarization in a Society: Country Case Study and Geographic Information Modelling Explain Long-term Transformation Potential towards Increased Regional Attractiveness and Efficiency

“…All reported p values were two-tailed. Statistical significance was set at p<0.05; analyses were conducted using STATA statistical software (version 9.0) (Karkazis, Baltos and Balodis 2018). Fig.…”

A Risk-based Assessment of Road Networks: Country Case-study and a Wide Range of Applications Covering from Logistics Operations and Security Controls to Regional Geo-economic Development

“…They launch geo-cultural and geostrategic reorientations, but also transform the daily life of the citizens in terms of prosperity, safety, security and quality of life. The case study of Turkey's political transformation over the last approximately twenty years, ignited by the Islamic or the so called neo-ottoman political parties prevailing over the long lasting Kemalist tradition, offers an ideal environment for testing hypotheses of politics and society interactions, based on the factual findings about the consequences of the institutional re-arrangements establishing the new Islamic political order (Karkazis, Baltos, & Balodis, 2018).…”

“…Regional Elections results presented on the NUTS 2 territorial unit basis. Red (or dark grey for b/w images) and green (or light grey) colors reflect kemalist and pro-Islamic majority votes respectively (Karkazis, Baltos & Balodis, 2018).…”

Γεω-Οικονομικές Και Γεω-Στρατηγικές Δυναμικές

“…Ο κονστρουκτιβισμός ισχυρίζεται ότι η πολιτισμική και πολιτιστική ταυτότητα διαδραματίζει ουσιαστικό ρόλο στον καθορισμό των συμφερόντων των κρατών. Υπογραμμίζει δε τη σημασία και τον ρόλο των νομικών κανόνων, των υλικών δομών και της κουλτούρας στη διαμόρφωση των πολιτικών αποφάσεων (Karkazis, Baltos, & Balodis, 2018b).…”

“…Για να κατανοήσουμε τις βαθιές αλλαγές που συμβαίνουν στην τουρκική εξωτερική πολιτική ελήφθη και πάλι υπόψη η προσέγγιση του κονστρουκτιβισμού, ο οποίος θεωρεί ότι οι διεθνείς σχέσεις είναι κοινωνικά κατασκευασμένες και επικεντρώνουν στη συνείδηση των πολιτών για τη θέση τους στις διεθνείς σχέσεις, ως εκ τούτου η πολιτισμική και πολιτιστική ταυτότητα διαδραματίζει ουσιαστικό ρόλο στον καθορισμό των κρατικών συμφερόντων. Υπογραμμίστηκε δε η σημασία και ο ρόλος των νομικών κανόνων, των υλικών δομών και της κουλτούρας στη διαμόρφωση των πολιτικών αποφάσεων (Karkazis et al, 2018b). Σε αυτή τη λογική πραγματοποιήθηκε αναδρομή στους αιώνες της Οθωμανικής Αυτοκρατορίας που αποκρυστάλλωσαν πολιτικά ήθη τα οποία εκ νέου αναδύονται, επηρεάζουν αλλά και ερμηνεύουν τις τρέχουσες εξελίξεις.…”