Civil Society and Autocratisation - (Edinburgh Studies on Modern Turkey) by Bilge Yabanci (Hardcover)

About the Book

Offers a systematic account of the resilience of civil society under the pressure of autocratisation.

Book Synopsis

This book fills a significant gap in the extensive literature on autocratisation by offering theorisation of authoritarian institutional landscapes beyond partisan and formal institutions in light of novel empirical evidence. Focusing on Turkey, one of the most cited contemporary cases of autocratisation, this book documents the multifaceted transformation of civil society through the parallel mechanisms of cooptation, repression and contestation. Despite incessant attempts at taming through repression and controlling through cooptation, 'tactful contention'--a blend of vigorous advocacy, non-violent protests, occupations, campaigns, digital activism, and democratic innovations-- is non-negligible within civil society. This book offers a profound understanding of civil society's role as both a target and catalyst in autocratisation, essential for anyone interested in contemporary authoritarian trends and democratic resilience.

Review Quotes

Civil Society and Autocratisation challenges the notion of civil society as an inherently democratic force instead framing it as a contested space that states (authoritarian or not) actively manipulate to consolidate power. Bilge Yabancı's research on civil society's dual role--as both an instrument of control and a site of resistance -- provides essential insights into the dynamics of power with implications that extend far beyond the case of Turkey.--Kerem Öktem, University of Venice

Given the current wave of autocratising regimes, this is an important book for understanding what civil society is and what it still can do in countries moving away from democracy. In Turkey, where the government has coopted and repressed civil society, the author examines what remains autonomous and what works to contest antidemocratic forces. She identifies a variety of innovative, non-hierarchical, collaborative, off-street mobilisation practices as change agents that politicise everyday life and make us rethink the definition and practice of civil society.--Jenny White, Stockholm University Institute for Turkish Studies