As a multidimensional concept which has been shaped cumulatively by various social scientists, social capital can be considered as an end-social product of the interplay between various factors such as trust, norms and civic networks. Together with all of its components, social capital is one of the biggest - if not the biggest- determinant of social cohesion. In this context, present paper aims to provide a discussion by applying analogic causality, social capital and social cohesion into the case of Turkey.
Turkey, as a social capital-low country, has been the stage of one of the most influential collective actions of our decade with the massive protests in Taksim Gezi Park, which reshaped the underlying social fractions within the country. After outlining the fundamentals of the concepts and events, the discussion will be further enriched with reflections on the driving factors of the protests and their relation with the country’s social structure.
Table of Contents
1. Introduction
2. Placing the Fundamentals: Social Capital, Social Cohesion and Trust
3. Gezi Parki Protests and Turkey
4. Relating Social Capital and Gezi Parki
5. Conclusion
Objectives & Core Themes
This paper examines the Gezi Parki protests in Turkey through the lens of social capital, social cohesion, and trust. It explores how the lack of these foundational societal elements contributed to the nationwide uprising and uses existing sociological theories to interpret the collective action as a response to governmental policies and perceived social alienation.
- The multidimensional nature of social capital and its role in social cohesion.
- The distinction between social trust and political trust within the Turkish context.
- An analysis of the Gezi Parki protests as a reaction to systemic social and political exclusion.
- Application of community and societal theories to explain the dynamics of the resistance movement.
- The relationship between economic progress and stagnant social metrics in emerging markets.
Excerpt from the Book
Relating Social Capital and Gezi Parki
It is this societal level of reaction that makes the Gezi Parki events interesting to analyze in terms of how it is linked to the overall trust level, social capital stocks and social cohesion status of Turkey. Gezi Parki Protests represented an outbreak of mistrust and discontent that the protesters felt towards the AKP government. In other words, it was an event that allowed the protesters to openly express "We do not want you and your policies" (Popp, 2013). Omni-Taksim was asking for an interactive-democracy which is not prisoned in the election boxes. This broader desire put all the discussions in a greater context. In this context, Delhey and Newton's (2003) work on the six theories of trust and related variables are particularly interesting for Turkish case as the study concludes that the community and societal theories work best in the low trust societies.
Both community and societal theories are applicable to the discussion when their variables are considered under the light of Gezi Parki Events (Figure 8). Omni-Taksim has been formed because of people's discontent with the increasing number of shopping malls surrounding the city(Dautaj, 2013). This can easily be linked to the variable about the size and the structure of the city. Protesters' objection towards the mainstream media for not covering the massive resistance movement, police brutality, the cyber warfare between AKP supporters and "others" are other factors that fit with the defined variables of societal and community theory. In its essence, the lack of performance in these variables and the general "otherization" were the factors that led a considerable proportion of the society to protest actively by crowding the streets.
Summary of Chapters
1. Introduction: Introduces the concept of social capital as a determinant of social cohesion and outlines the paper's intent to analyze the Gezi Parki protests in Turkey.
2. Placing the Fundamentals: Social Capital, Social Cohesion and Trust: Provides a theoretical framework by discussing definitions of social capital, the role of trust, and the connection between social cohesion and community health.
3. Gezi Parki Protests and Turkey: Examines the sociopolitical environment of Turkey, contrasting economic growth with low social trust and detailing the evolution of the Gezi Parki protests.
4. Relating Social Capital and Gezi Parki: Connects the theoretical frameworks of societal and community theories to the specific events of the Gezi Parki uprising, highlighting the role of public discontent.
5. Conclusion: Summarizes the findings, emphasizing the importance of trust and social capital while calling for further research into the multifaceted nature of the protests.
Keywords
Social Capital, Social Cohesion, Trust, Gezi Parki, Turkey, AKP, Societal Theory, Collective Action, Community Theory, Political Trust, Social Integration, Urban Uprisings, Polarization, Civil Society, Interactive-Democracy.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the central focus of this research paper?
The paper focuses on analyzing the Gezi Parki protests in Turkey by applying the sociological concepts of social capital, social trust, and social cohesion.
What are the primary themes discussed in the work?
The core themes include the impact of low social capital on cohesion, the distinction between political and social trust, and the sociocultural factors driving collective resistance against government policies.
What is the main research objective?
The objective is to provide a sociologically grounded explanation for the Gezi Parki protests, interpreting them as a consequence of societal gaps in trust and community integration.
Which methodology is employed to analyze the events?
The author uses an analogic causality approach, linking established sociological theories (specifically community and societal theories of trust) to the real-world events in Taksim Square.
What topics are covered in the main body of the text?
The main body covers the theoretical definitions of social capital, the comparative status of Turkey regarding international social metrics, and an analysis of the protests as an "interactive-democracy" movement.
Which keywords characterize this analysis?
Key terms include Social Capital, Social Cohesion, Trust, Gezi Parki, and Societal Theory.
How does the author characterize the role of the "saucepan" protests?
The author uses the "saucepan" rituals as an example of neighborhood-wide collective action that transformed local resistance into a nationwide phenomenon of reclaiming the city.
What conclusion does the author draw regarding Turkey’s social climate?
The author concludes that low levels of social trust and capital act as significant drivers for poor social cohesion, which directly contributed to the volatility observed during the Gezi Parki events.
- Quote paper
- Kaan Akkanat (Author), 2013, Social Capital of the Saucepan. An analysis of Turkish Social Capital in Light of the Gezi Park Protests, Munich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.hausarbeiten.de/document/292753
