Author/Authors :
Guler, Hasan Usak Universitesi, Turkey , Tastan, Coskun Agri Ibrahim Cesen Universitesi - Sosyoloji Bolumu, Turkey
Abstract :
Since the 2011 general elections in Turkey, debates over a new constitution have remained hot in public agenda. This has kept alive people’s interest in the new constitution. People’s expectations have been expressed in different ways through country-wide studies. However, studies dealing with people’s expectations on local levels are less than few in numbers. To fill this gap to a certain extent, this study aims at finding out the expectations of people of an eastern province in Turkey, Agrl, from the new Turkish constitution. For this purpose, 30 in-depth interviews and 2 focus group interviews have been conducted. A group of people who can be defined as “leaders of public opinion” were chosen as the sample of the study. These people consisted in the leaders of main local NGO’s and professional chambers, who literally represent some 22.401 people (based on the membership criteria). Beside, the representatives of some sociological groups like “tribes” (“asirets”) and religious communities (jama’ats) were included in the interviews. The study shows that there is an expectation among the people that a new constitution will potentially solve the basic problems in the country. Because of this expectation, people believe that the new constitution should be made and brought into force as soon as possible. The study also shows that there are expectations about the forms and the contents of the new constitution: It should be brief, clear and understandable. Also, the respondents believe that it should focus on fundamental rights and freedoms, leaving other issues to the laws. The research, the final report of which has been submitted to the president of TBMM, Cemil Çiçek, takes a sociological point of view rather than a judicial approach.
