Refractions of Civil Society in Turkey

Drawing on data from ethnographic fieldwork among civic activists and identifying a range of domestic and international socio-political contexts, Refractions of Civil Society in Turkey explores different perceptions of civil society in Turkey and pursues the general question of why civil society holds such power to move those who evoke it.

"A unique contribution to the study of Turkish civil society, deviating from the mainstream approaches in two important ways. First, Kuzmanovic eschews the use of civil society as a normative concept that can be populated with particular types of organizations, ideologies, or cultures. Second, she resists approaching civil society as a 'positive analytical term' that has definable boundaries vis-à-vis the state, market, and the family. . . This book will be a fascinating read not only for those interested in Turkey and Turkish civil society but also for those looking for a fresh conceptual approach to the study of civil society in general.' Journal of the Royal Anthropological Institute

"A book with great empirical richness . . . In contrast to most of the existing literature, Kuzmanovic approaches civil society as a concept that is constantly in the making, evoked, and brought to life in different contexts . . . The significance of civil society in Turkey lies for Kuzmanovic in the concept's power as a meaningful and empowering concept for individual actors. . . [This book] is an important contribution to a field that has been dominated by positivist-rationalist accounts of civil society." - Turkish Review

"Nonplussed by the cloying moralism of much of the existing literature, Daniella Kuzmanovic offers us a theoretically savvy discussion of the quest for social legitimacy and personal-existential authenticity that underlies the allure of civilsociety in Turkey. A must-read for anyone interested in the dynamics of change in a society which has often been forced into preconceived analytical straitjackets." - Umut Ozkirimli, Center for Middle Eastern Studies, Lund University, Sweden

"Kuzmanovic's beautifully written, carefully nuanced account of Turkish NGOs is a significant contribution to analyses of civil society. Kuzmanovic shows how understandings of civil society are historically placed, relational, and essentially contested concepts that make sense only when examined as things that are created through performance. This makes for a fascinating ethnography. But Refractions of Civil Society in Turkey is also a powerful corrective to the paucity of detailed work on Turkey, which amply makes a case for the importance of the region." - Catherine Alexander, University of Durham, UK

Daniella Kuzmanovic is an assistant professor of Turkish Studies at the University of Copenhagen.