Türkiyeli Orta Sınıf Seküler Gençlerde Kültürel, Politik, Duygusal Dönüşüm ve Yurt Dışına Göç Fikri

Abstract

This study aims to examine the results of the change Turkey has recently gone through in the lives of Turkish middle class secular youth and why the desire to immigrate increased in the recent years. While Turkey is going through one of the biggest political and social changes in history under the ruling of Justice and Development Party (AKP), an intense act of turning conservative, polarisation, and turning authoritarian is being carried out and social, cultural and political fields are being completely altered. The aforementioned changes and alterations induce cultural political and emotional responses in middle class, secular, opponent youth. These responses are addressed by focusing on different themes. First of these is the arising feelings as a result of the changes and experiences in the country and the loss of feeling of belonging in the secular wing. Second, lending an ear to young adults’ experiences, thoughts, feelings and sharing of what kind of a subjectivity they’ve developed in high-intensity moments like Gezi Resistance, July 15th Coup Attempt, bombed attacks, elections or daily and social lives. Another theme is examining the traditional, unconventional and passive resistance forms, conjured in response by the secular community against the discourse and politics put into effect in AKP’s term. All the covered themes and exploration topics unveils the content of living as a secular opponent young adult to the power party, and depending on what dynamics and motives the desire to immigrate rises. As the final of the study, it is expected that the secular youth living with heavy mental, emotional and psychological burden will be heard and tell their story.