Description
‘Here is a useful, detailed and up-to-date primer on the Justice and Development Party (AKP) years in Turkey. Waldman and Caliskan list with blow-by-blow clarity the chronology of events as President Erdogan pushed the army’s monopoly on power aside and his government built up its popular achievements. The book also shows how Turkish authoritarianism works, the price paid by the free press, the rise and fall of the AKP’s dream of “strategic depth” in the region and the opportunity and tragic failure of its efforts to solve the country’s Kurdish problem.’ — Hugh Pope, the International Crisis Group’s Director of Communications & Outreach, and author of Turkey Unveiled: A History of Modern Turkey
‘This is a wonderful portrayal of the Turkey that has emerged under Erdogan and his party. It is an elaborate account of the weakening prospects for democracy and can be read as an illuminating prelude to the possibility of total regime change, which may yet be upon us.’ — Nuray Mert, columnist for Hurriyet Daily News and lecturer in Economics at Istanbul University
‘This highly topical book provides an important guide to understanding Turkey’s democratic challenges today — the media, the role of the military, civil society, human rights, domestic and class politics, and more. In a very accessible manner it highlights the major issues, relationships, and events key to understanding this complex state. Waldman and Caliskan engage the reader in the language, background, and explanations needed to grasp the political tests of Turkey’s democracy. Not just a good read, but perfectly timed!’ — Lenore Martin, Professor of Political Science at Emmanuel College and Associate of the Center for Middle Eastern Studies, Harvard University
‘A timely and accessible work that greatly contributes to our understanding of Turkey’s current conjuncture. The narrative is compelling and backed by an impressive array of empirical material, and the book undoubtedly constitutes one of the best efforts to provide a coherent and “holistic” critical discussion of the impact of the AKP’s dominance in Turkish politics for the past couple of decades.’ — Spyros Sofos, Lecturer in Middle Eastern Politics, Lund University, and author of Islam in Europe: Public Spaces and Civic Networks