This document summarizes the development of popular culture in Turkey from the founding of the Turkish Republic in 1923 to present day. It discusses how Ataturk modernized Turkey and influenced early popular culture. American influence increased in the 1960s-70s through economic partnerships and consumer goods. Television became dominant in the 1980s and hypnotized the working class. Today, class distinctions are sharp and media serves a small elite while violence rises.

1. SOCIOLOGY OF
POPULAR
CULTURE
SOC 210 – 2ND CLASS
POPULAR CULTURE IN TURKEY

2. HISTORICAL DEVELOPMENT OF
POPULAR CULTURE IN TURKEY
• Turkish Republic was founded in 1923, and Turkish
society entered very quickly into a modernization
process.
• The first president of Turkish Republic, Mustafa Kemal
Atatürk, made radical changes and renewal in
every field of society in order to modernize the
society.
• Latin alphabet, modern education systems, local
governance systems modeled from Europe, new
economical systems, new agriculture methods, etc..

3. POLITICAL EVENTS THAT INFLUENCED
POPULAR CULTURE IN TURKEY
• 1923- Republic was found, one party regime.
• 1946- Turkey moved to multi-party political
regime.
• 1946- American president Missouri visited
İstanbul and Turkish markets opened to
American goods.
• 1960- First Military coup happened.
• 1971- Military coup
• 1980- Military coup
• 2001- Conservative party came to power

4. 1930s TURKEY

5. 1930s TURKEY
• The main subject of all magazines and
newspapers was Atatürk and his successes.
• They called Atatürk as- National Chief and
Timeless (Ebedi) Chief.
• There was a creation of perception about
Atatürk, to make all the society know him,
believe him and love him.
• The aim was to adapt intellectuals and
middle class people into new ideologies.

6. 1930s and 1940s in TURKEY
• During 1930s and 1940s, when there was only one
party on government in Turkey, the government
ideology was to make people believe that there is
no class issue, no class struggle, no bourgeoise, and
all the society is equal under nationalist ideology.
• Nationalism was the core to keep society together.
• In the newspapers of 1946-1947, the writers are
trying to create an awareness in the society for
democratization.
•

7. 1930s and 1940s in TURKEY
• Western style life is too much encouraged and
people were motivated to live like Europeans.
• In every magazine Western life style is mentioned as
superior and as a must be.
• Woman issue was very specially written and women
were encouraged to dress modern, get education
and contribute in social life.
• Magazines and newspapers were serving as
educators, awakening agnets for the society.

8. ENTERANCE OF AMERICAN POPULAR CULTURE IN
TURKISH SOCIETY, 1960 S AND 1970S
• After Democrat Party was founded in 1946, they
pursued good relations with America.
• In 5 April 1946, American President Missouri visited
İstanbul with his fleet.
• Just after 7 days of that, Turkish government
demanded 500million dollar debt.
• In September of the same year, Turkish lira
devaluated.
• In December, communist intellectuals got arrested,
some communist parties got closed.

9. ENTERANCE OF AMERICAN POPULAR CULTURE IN
TURKISH SOCIETY, 1960 S AND 1970S
• On July 1948, America-Turkey Financial Partnership
Agreement had been signed and on 1950, the
financial help of America to Turkey was around 180
million dollars.
• There happened to be a big boom in economy
with the arrival of American products on markets in
Turkey.
• Not only Turkish society was surrounded with
American products, but also Turkish army was
modernized with American weapons.
• According to American authorities, Turkey should
leave statism, and start private enterprise.

10. ENTERANCE OF AMERICAN POPULAR
CULTURE IN TURKISH SOCIETY, 1960 S
AND 1970S
• While Turkey was aiming to be an industry
country when it was founded by Atatürk,
now with Marshall aid from America, the aim
became for Turkey to be Europe’s
agriculture country.

11. CLASS FORMATION IN
TURKISH COMMUNITY
• The magazines and newspapers of 1950-
1970 years, were serving newly rich people
of Turkey and their curiosity about Europe
and America.
• Classes in the society became more obvious
in these years.
• Anti-communism articles, the rise of sexual
issues, more enjoyable cultural articles and
daily diverting publishments were main
topics of 1950-1970 years magazines and
newspapers in Turkey.

12. 1970-1990s TURKEY
• Turkey’s dependent capitalism raised.
• The military coups supported Turkish
bourgeois and working class’s union rights
were suspended.
• Media, TV, radio and newspapers were
disorienting middle class people by new
product advertisements, easy payment
methods, installment sales and encouraging
them to consume more.

13. 1970-1990s TURKEY
• After 1980s, television culture became so dominant.
• TV was the only entertainment element for working class
and little bourgeois and it was hypnotizing them, thus
preventing them to think and act accordingly.
• The working class and middle class people of Turkey
never had the chance to be interested in high culture
issues as art, literature, books etc. and has been
occupied by television. So, the gap between
intellectuals, bourgeois and them had been enlarged.
• They could only be interested in folk culture which
comes by traditions and popular culture which spread
by television.

14. TURKEY TODAY
• Dominant media groups are under control of rich
families and most of the publishments serve a very
small percentage of Turkish society.
• Turkish society is so dominant on television and
hypnotized by 3 hour tv series every night.
• Education publishments are very less.
• Newspapers are perceived as biased through
political ideologies.
• Class distinctions are very sharp and prominent.
• Violance is increasing in family, on streets, in daily
life.