The Specter and Reality of Corruption in State and Civil Society: Privatizing and Auditing Poor Relief in Turkey

Isik, Damla

doi:10.1215/1089201x-1545363

Cited by 8 publications

(2 citation statements)

References 27 publications

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“…While the AKP resorts to selective delivery of services and perks to certain segments of society, arguments with religious connotations (e.g. fate, ordeal by God) are used to justify poverty (Cosar & Yegenoglu, 2009;Isik, 2012). Besides, a new conservative middle class has thrived financially thanks to clientelism and patronage.…”

Section: A Bridge Over the Enduring Cleavages: Fusion Of Class Politics With Islamic Social Justicementioning

confidence: 99%

Civil Society and Latent Mobilisation Under Authoritarian Neoliberal Governance

Yabancı

2021

Authoritarian Neoliberalism and Resistance in Turkey

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This chapter reflects on the impact of Turkey’s authoritarian neoliberal governance on the transformation of civil society with a particular focus on latent counter-mobilisation. The first section focuses on how Adalet ve Kalkınma Partisi (Justice and Development Party, AKP) has transformed civic space through a selective approach that switches between repression and facilitation. The AKP represses autonomous and dissident organisations and activists through judicial harassment and new regulations while facilitating the growth of a government-oriented civil society sector (GONGOs). The GONGOs fulfil two aims: softening the immediate effects of the state’s withdrawal from social provision and generating bottom-up consent for authoritarian neoliberal governance. The second section analyses resistance against the AKP’s authoritarian neoliberalism by focusing on the case of a unique social movement, Müslüman Sol hareket (Muslim Left movement), which fuses class politics with Islamic social justice. Based on insights from original fieldwork and interviews with activists conducted in 2018–2019 in Turkey, the discussion demonstrates that the syncretic amalgamation of socialism with Islamic justice has emerged at the unexpected intersections of ideologies and everyday experiences and challenges simultaneously the AKP’s neoliberal exploitation, instrumentalisation and politicisation of religion, and authoritarian governance.

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Section: A Bridge Over the Enduring Cleavages: Fusion Of Class Politics With Islamic Social Justicementioning

confidence: 99%

Civil Society and Latent Mobilisation Under Authoritarian Neoliberal Governance

Yabancı

2021

Authoritarian Neoliberalism and Resistance in Turkey

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“…For example, since the early 1990s, much of scholarly concern has focused on the "weakness" of civil society in Turkey. Key debates have focused on the types, quality, and effectiveness of CSOs, investigated the impact of the Europeanization process, and have sought to uncover the nature of state-civil society relations and to highlight prospects for democratization (Diez et al 2005;Kadıoğlu 2005;Kuzmanovic 2012;İçduygu 2011;Işık 2012;Şimşek 2004;Turam 2004;Yılmaz 2005;Zihnioğlu 2013). Nevertheless, the ways in which state-civil society relations have been governed by shifting notions of Turkey's national heritage has not been examined in depth.…”

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confidence: 99%

Civil Society’s History: New Constructions of Ottoman Heritage by the Justice and Development Party in Turkey

Zencirci¹

2014

ejts

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VAKIFAS INTENT AND PRACTICE: CHARITY AND POOR RELIEF IN TURKEY

Isik¹

2014

Int. J. Middle East Stud.

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Through ethnographic and archival research conducted in Istanbul and Izmir, this article examines the dynamics and regulation of charitable giving in contemporary Turkey. The article is based on interviews I conducted with the volunteers, employees, and aid recipients of three civil society organizations that rely on charitable giving to fund their projects, which center on helping the poor and providing aid during and after wars and other disasters. I document how religious ideals of anonymous charitable giving for the sake of giving, without expectation of return, are closely intertwined with anxiety over finding a worthy charitable association and recipient. In doing so, I focus on vakıf as both a concept and a practice that gives meaning to charitable giving in Turkey. The increasing desire to document, define, and categorize the deserving poor as a way to justify the intent to give and to receive goes against the anonymity and immediacy of giving, thus riddling intent with ethical contradictions. I argue that attention needs to be paid to the intent, practice, and various forms of giving, and not just to the effects and outcomes of charity.

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The Specter and Reality of Corruption in State and Civil Society: Privatizing and Auditing Poor Relief in Turkey

Abstract: 5 7 C o m p a r a t i v e S t u d i e s o f S o u t h A s i a , A f r i c a a n d t h e M i d d l e E a s t V o l . 3 2 , N o . 1 , 2 0 1 2 d o i 1 0 .1 2 1 5 / 1 0 8 9 2 0 1 x -1 5 4 5 3 6 3 © 2 0 1 2 b y D u k e U n i v e r s i t y P r e s s

Cited by 8 publications

References 27 publications

Civil Society and Latent Mobilisation Under Authoritarian Neoliberal Governance

Civil Society and Latent Mobilisation Under Authoritarian Neoliberal Governance

Civil Society’s History: New Constructions of Ottoman Heritage by the Justice and Development Party in Turkey

VAKIFAS INTENT AND PRACTICE: CHARITY AND POOR RELIEF IN TURKEY

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