What is it about?
This chapter explores the 2013 Gezi protests in Turkey as a rare moment when people stepped outside the usual divisions of political life. People with different backgrounds and beliefs came together to defend a shared space, express themselves and imagine living together differently. I examine how Gezi briefly opened possibilities for freedom and dialogue, and how attempts to fit the protests into familiar political categories could obscure what made them distinctive.
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Why is it important?
Gezi shows how people can practise democracy by sharing public space, listening to one another and questioning who has the authority to shape their lives. Its significance extends beyond its immediate political outcomes. Even a brief opening can reveal possibilities for solidarity and freedom in a deeply divided society.
Perspectives
I was there and witnessed thousands of young, peaceful protesters facing a massive police presence. What struck me was their determination to create a space where they could speak freely, meet others and engage in dialogue. Their coming together went beyond support for any particular political party: it expressed a desire to have a say in their lives and their city. That experience shapes my understanding of Gezi as a rare opening in which people began to discover what they could create together.
Dr Spyros Sofos
Simon Fraser University
Read the Original
This page is a summary of: Alone in the City: Gezi as a Moment of Transgression, January 2017, Springer Science + Business Media,
DOI: 10.1007/978-3-319-51853-4_5.
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