The State and The Future of Democracy in Turkey

Toronto — 20 June 2013.

In recent years Turkey has been presented as a “model democracy” for the Middle East. In recent weeks, what started out as a protest against the conversion of a park to a shopping centre in Istanbul, has evolved into a national protest movement about democracy and grievances related to neoliberalism, unfettered urban development, repression of political dissent and free media, state intervention into personal lifestyles, disregard for constitutional rights and freedoms and police brutality. Escalating tensions threaten to deepen the pre-existing divides in the social fabric of Turkey and threaten any possibility of democratization in Turkey.

Panelists:

• Feyzi Baban, International Development Studies, Trent University (from Istanbul via Skype)
• Sabine Dreher, International Studies, York University, Glendon
• Mustafa Koc, Department of Sociology, Ryerson University