In the Aftermath of Gezi: Introduction

In the light of the last 2 years’ dramatic development in Turkey, the aftermath of the popular protests that started at Gezi Park in Istanbul in the summer of 2013 seems to be fading. What was celebrated as a sign of democratic maturity in a modern, prospective EU member state now may rather appear as an almost futile attempt to articulate visions of a pluralist political sphere in an increasingly repressive society. This introductory chapter argues, however, that Gezi was a liminal moment whose long-term implications remain to be revealed. In the prism of perspectives on Gezi that are presented in the anthology, this chapter dwells particularly on one reference point, which in the aftermath has attained renewed significance: the Ocalan crisis of 1998, which in an unexpected way were to impact both the Kurdish question and the relations between Turkey and the EU.