Imagining an Alternative Turkey

This book explores how resistance movements in Turkey, particularly since the 2013 Gezi Park uprising, have shaped and been shaped by global practices of imagining alternatives to authoritarianism. Originating from local environmental concerns, Gezi rapidly evolved into a nationwide and transnational movement, inspiring new forms of dissent and solidarity. The book examines how Gezi and its aftermath resonate across local, national, and global politics, revealing a paradox: as the Turkish government intensified its authoritarian grip, the movement also sparked justice-oriented, grassroots movements aligned with transnational social and environmental struggles.

 Drawing on the legacies of the Arab Spring, Occupy Wall Street, and other global movements, the book investigates how Gezi reimagined political alternatives through affective repertoires of embodied memory and the creation of physical and digital spaces for collective action. Framed by reflective and restorative nostalgia and ecologies of care, the book explores how communities in Turkey and its diaspora rehearse new ways of living together, preserving subversive memories and fostering resistance in experiential, affective ways.

 At its core, the book asks: How do localized acts of resistance challenge authoritarianism and reimagine global justice, even as regimes adapt to suppress them? By focusing on Turkey’s globalizing publics, it demonstrates how localized resistance transcends borders, gaining broader significance and inspiring solidarity. The chapters, written by international scholars, connect theoretical frameworks to original case studies, offering critical tools for understanding social movements, performance, and cultural politics. 

 This book is an essential resource for scholars, activists, and readers interested in the interplay of resistance, authoritarianism, and the global imagination of justice. It provides both historical depth and contemporary relevance, illuminating over a decade of resistance in Turkey and its implications for global struggles.