Political Violence in Turkey, 1975-1980

This book examines the period of political violence in Turkey between 12 March 1971 and 12 September 1980. It sets out a close analysis of the tactics used by the various protagonists in the conflict, showing how they took over public institutions, the first of which was the police. This book challenges the myth of a ''strong'' Turkish state viewed as authoritative and autonomous from society, instead reflecting a state that was unable to contain the political mobilisation actually taking place. In the book, Benjamin Gourisse analyses the structure, mobilisation, and strategies of antagonistic radical political groups caught up in this dynamic of violence, including the far-left organisations and the Nationalist Movement, comprising the Nationalist Movement Party and its satellite organisations. Gourisse demonstrates that from 1975 to 1980, the state was never "out of play". Quite the contrary, in fact, for its institutions, together with the practices, beliefs, and representations of their members and users, were central to the processes constituting the crisis.>

Préface
An analysis of the role and function of the Turkish state in the conflict between far-right and far-left militias before the 1980 coup d'état.

Auteur

Benjamin Gourisse is Professor of Political Science at Sciences Po Toulouse, France. His research focuses on the political sociology of contemporary Turkey, including state sociology, political parties, the armed forces, and state-society relations. He co-edited Order and Compromise. Government Practices in Turkey from the Late Ottoman Empire to the Early 21st Century (2015) and is the author of numerous peer-reviewed journal articles.

Contenu
Acronyms and Abbreviations Introduction Interpretations of the Turkish crisis The supposed symmetry in actors' positions and resources The supposed autonomization of violence The State supposedly knocked out of play Questions and hypotheses Plan of the book 1. The State at stake The State's limited autonomy Socio-economic transformations (1960-1980) The restructuring and deadlock of institutional politics Maintaining order in practical terms 2. Movements in conflict The radical left The nationalist far right 3. The accumulation and circulation of resources Dissimilar economic ressources Institutionnal fashioning and activist cultures Political identities and the uses to which they were put 4. Capturing resources and politicizing the State Acceding to governement as a way to obtain State positions Politicizing institutions the law and order sector Replacing the public authorities 5. The spread of protest movement Mobilizations specific to education sector Multi-sector protest movements 6. The escalation in violence The timeframes of violent exchanges The geographical distribution of violent interaction Social profiles of the activists and victims Chapter 7. The effects of violence on political contests Activities of physical violence and their benefits The uses and effects of violence the Kahramanmaras massacre Violence as a means of legitimizing the military coup Conclusion Outline chronology of the events (1961-1980) Bibliography