Revisiting civil society in Turkey
Author
Heper, M.
Yıldırım, S.
Date
2011-03Source Title
Southeast European and Black Sea Studies
Print ISSN
1468-3857
Electronic ISSN
1743-9639
Publisher
Routledge
Volume
11
Issue
1
Pages
1 - 18
Language
English
Type
ArticleItem Usage Stats
134
views
views
168
downloads
downloads
Abstract
In studies on civil society, there is a tendency to perceive it as an instrument for the transition from an authoritarian system of government to a democratic one. It is not taken as a societal entity in an already consolidated democracy that contributes to the making of public policies. This is also the case when it comes to studies on civil society in Turkey. Assuming that Turkey has a consolidated democracy, this article investigates the extent to which one comes across impediments to, prerequisites of, and the primary characteristics of civil society in this country. It arrives at the conclusion that at least in the Turkish case, one may not talk about the presence or absence of civil society; one may come across only some of its characteristics and not others. © 2011 Taylor & Francis.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Keywords
Transition to democracyConsolidated democracy
Contribution to policy-making
Civil society
Turkey