Gezi Protests and Beyond

Contesting AKP Rule

CAPP (Centre for Administration and Public Policies)

School of Social and Political Sciences (Instituto Superior de Ciências Sociais e Políticas), Universidade de Lisboa

20-21 February 2014

Call for Papers

            The CAPP, a research centre affiliated with the School of Social and Political Sciences (Universidade de Lisboa), are organizing a two-day conference on protests in Turkey and their broad implications for the country.

            The protests, which began at the end of May against the destruction of one of the few remaining green spaces in Istanbul, Gezi Park, have not ceased since then and have taken different shapes. The dimension of these events has come as a surprise, not least because Turkey has been growing at an impressive rate, second to China only, a growth that coincides with the rule of the Justice and Development Party (AKP). Further, the party has made more progress towards EU accession and the settlement of the Kurdish issue than any other in the country’s history.

            The protests quickly turned against AKP rule, uniting improbable groups: secularists, LGBT groups, anti-capitalist Muslims, revolutionary Muslims, Alevis, Kurds, Kemalists, feminists. Protests have also acquired different and innovative shapes, such as the “standing man”, or the rainbow-coloured staircases.

            The protests have found international echo, as renowned personalities have condemned government repression. The EU accession process has also been affected, amid criticism coming from EU institutions and also from the United States.

            The repercussions on the domestic level are also of particular significance. In 2014, Turkey will witness local and presidential elections. The government’s response to the protests has led to an apparent split within the AKP and its support basis.

             Possible themes include, but are not limited to:

- AKP rule;

- forms of protest;

- civil society in Turkey;

- protest organization;

- Turkey’s democratization process;

- implications for EU accession;

- protesters’ demands;

- who are the protesters;

- the Kurdish peace process;

- the government’s response to protests;

- political implications of the protests: AKP divisions, the upcoming elections;

- the response of the opposition political parties to protests.

            The goal of the conference is, therefore, to shed light on the significance and implications of the protests in Turkey, in the wider context of the country’s democratization process.

If you are interested in participating, please send a 500 word abstract to isabela_davidova@yahoo.com by October 31, 2013. We acknowledge receipt of all emails and will reply to all. If you do not receive a reply, please resend your abstract. Please include the following in your email:

-          Author name;

-          Affiliation;

-          email address;

-          abstract in Word format;

-          a short CV.

Acceptance notices will be sent by November 8, 2013.

In case your abstract is accepted, a draft paper of around 8000 words is due two weeks prior to the beginning of the conference. We intend to compile an edited volume with the best papers for publication in an international reference publisher.

There is no fee for this conference. Please note that we are unable to provide any financial help to participants.

Any additional queries should be sent to isabela_davidova@yahoo.com.

Related articles

• Turkey’s reaction to Gezi Park protests was ‘brutal’, says Amnesty (irishtimes.com)
• EU to restart Turkey membership talks in move to encourage reforms (theguardian.com)
• This is just a beginning: Gezi resistance and the legitimacy crisis of the AKP government! (unreportedtoday.com)
• TOLGAY: The irony of “justice and development” (yaledailynews.com)
• Turkey: A House Divided (jewishpress.com)
• İstiklal (marshallpolo.com)
• EU Urges Reopening Of Stalled Membership Talks With Turkey, Despite Failures – Analysis (eurasiareview.com)