Municipal Politics in Turkey
There is a large and growing literature on Turkish politics in general, and the AKP in particular. However, local government and party organisation, although very important topics, are strikingly understudied.
The book compares local politics in two Central Anatolian cities, Konya and Eskiehir, ruled by different governmental parties, the AKP in Konya and the CHP in Eskiehir. The research analyses how national political parties adapt to local contexts (culture of everyday politics) and how they seek to influence local culture (politics of everyday culture). By examining how municipal politics is practiced on a daily basis, it illuminates more fundamental aspects of Turkish politics such as political mobilisation, establishing links between voters and politicians, various practices of decision-making and the role of civil society. All of these have been critical for the AKPs continuous electoral success since 2002. The findings are based on over one and a half years of fieldwork in the two cities, as well as over 50 interviews with national and local political actors. The main fields of research are mayoral biographies; municipal practices, particularly with regard to welfare and service provision, the cooperation with other municipal actors as political parties or civil society organisations; urban planning activities; and cultural policy. The study helps to comprehend more fundamental aspects of Turkish politics such as political mobilisation, the establishing of links between voters, municipalities and parties as well as decision-making processes.
Municipal Politics in Turkey fills a gap in existing literature by illuminating fundamental aspects of Turkish politics, such as political mobilisation, the establishing of links between voters, municipalities and parties as well as decision-making processes. It will be a valuable resource for students and scholars interested in Turkish Politics and political parties, municipal/local politics and comparative politics.
Charlotte Joppien is managing director of the Trkei Europa Zentrum at Hamburg University. Her work focuses on Turkish domestic and municipal politics, political culture, political mobilisation, political Islam and cultural policy.
Routledge Studies in Middle Eastern Politics
For a full list of titles in the series: www.routledge.com/middleeaststudies/series/SE0823
70 Arab Regionalism
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71 The Kurdish Issue in Turkey
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72 The Turkish Deep State
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73 Koreans in the Persian Gulf
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74 The Europeanization of Turkey
Ali Tekin and Aylin Gney
75 Turkeys Kurdish Question
H. Akin Unver
76 The Israeli Conflict System
Harvey Starr and Stanley Dubinsky
77 Political Violence and Kurds in Turkey
Mehmet Orhan
78 The Europeanization of Turkish Public Policies
Ali Tekin and Aylin Gney
79 Diasporic Activism in the IsraeliPalestinian Conflict
Svenja Gertheiss
80 Israels Military Operations in Gaza
Marouf Hasian, Jr.
81 The Turkish AK Party and its Leader
Edited by mit Cizre
82 Democratic Consolidation in Turkey
Edited by Cengiz Erisen and Paul Kubicek
83 Saudi Arabian Foreign Relations
Rene Rieger
84 Kurdish Politics in Turkey
Seevan Saeed
85 Minority Rights in Turkey
Gzde Yilmaz
86 Municipal Politics in Turkey
Local Government and Party Organisation
Charlotte Joppien
First published 2018
by Routledge
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2018 Charlotte Joppien
The right of Charlotte Joppien to be identified as author of this work has been asserted by her in accordance with sections 77 and 78 of the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988.
All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reprinted or reproduced or utilised in any form or by any electronic, mechanical, or other means, now known or hereafter invented, including photocopying and recording, or in any information storage or retrieval system, without permission in writing from the publishers.
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British Library Cataloguing in Publication Data
A catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library
Library of Congress Cataloging in Publication Data
Names: Joppien, Charlotte, author.
Title: Municipal politics in Turkey : local government and party
organisation / Charlotte Joppien.
Other titles: Routledge studies in Middle Eastern politics ; 86.
Description: Milton Park, Abingdon, Oxon : Routledge, 2018. |
Series: Routledge studies in Middle Eastern politics ; 86
Identifiers: LCCN 2017020328| ISBN 9781138713710 (hbk) |
ISBN 9781315198217 (ebk)
Subjects: LCSH: Municipal governmentTurkeyKonya. | Konya
(Turkey)Politics and government21st century. | Municipal government
TurkeyEskisehir. | Eskisehir (Turkey)Politics and government
21st century. | Political partiesTurkeyHistory21st century. | AK Parti
(Turkey) | Cumhuriyet Halk Partisi (Turkey)
Classification: LCC JS6949.K66 J66 2018 | DDC 320.8/509561dc23
LC record available at https://lccn.loc.gov/2017020328
ISBN: 978-1-138-71371-0 (hbk)
ISBN: 978-1-315-19821-7 (ebk)
Typeset in Times New Roman
by Wearset Ltd, Boldon, Tyne and Wear
Many friends and colleagues have made great contributions to this book. Two of them, William Hale and Elise Massicard, deserve my gratitude more than anyone else. Not only have they accompanied me during all stages of the study and publication but are examples of scholarly expertise, impartiality, and modesty. In times where academia becomes more and more competitive they are a reminder that we always gain more when we share. I would further like to mention the kindness of Fikret Adaman, Birol Akgn, Andr Bank, Ula Bayraktar, Akif ukurayr, Sema Erder, Benjamin Flhr, Aye Gner, Metin Heper, Onur nal, Aya nce, Zeynep Kadirbeyolu, Ruen Kele, nder Kutlu, Kerem ktem, Sabri Sayar, Ali Eref Turan and Jenny B. White to share their knowledge and time with me. Prior to the submission of my PhD, Moritz Corbelin brought the content into a visually appealing form, Mariske Westendorp helped in many practical ways as my Australian outpost.
I am greatly indebted to the financial funding I received, and which allowed for an extensive period of fieldwork of over one and a half years. A research scholarship was provided by the Orient Institut Istanbul from April to December 2011. I would like to thank its director Raoul Motika for his supervision and support, further all staff at the OII for an inspiring, instructive and very happy time there. I felt honoured to have remained connected to the institute as a research affiliate until 2015. An International Macquarie University Research Excellence Scholarship (iMQRES) supported my research from 2012 till 2015. The time at an Australian university gave many new insights and a new perspective on Turkey. I would like to thank my PhD supervisors Chris Houston and Jaap Timmer for their support and guidance during that time. In 2013 I received a TBTAK research scholarship by the Turkish state and was affiliated to the Istanbul Policy Centre of Sabanc University, Istanbul. Korel Gymen and Fuat Keyman not only helped in organisational matters but more importantly shared their municipal experiences with me. Geographically I finished this thesis where it began, at Hamburg University. I would like to thank the whole staff at TrkeiEuropaZentrum, but particularly Yavuz Kse for providing the space and tranquility to finish the last chapters of my PhD and his many useful comments on the final manuscript. I would further like to thank Emma Tyce and Joe Whiting who were supportive and understanding editors during the preparation of it.
