Military sociology without sociology: a study on the turkish case

Cover Page

Cite item

Full Text

Open Access Open Access
Restricted Access Access granted
Restricted Access Subscription Access

Abstract

This article explores the reasons behind the late development of military sociology in Türkiye and a limited contribution of sociologists within this interdisciplinary field. The distinctive nature of Turkish civil-military relations has largely been studied by political scientists, while sociological analysis of the military’s interaction with society has remained underdeveloped. A historical examination utilizing primary and secondary sources indicates that this lack of interest is due to the closed nature of the military to research, a distorted relationship of sociology with domestic politics and its unfortunate association with communism, and the relative apathy of Turkish sociologists. However, recent initiatives aimed at institutionalizing military sociology in Turkish universities – such as the introduction of graduate courses and postgraduate programs in 2018 – hold promise for the future of this discipline despite ongoing challenges related to restrictions on research permits.

Full Text

Restricted Access

About the authors

B. Ateş

Turkish National Defence University

Author for correspondence.
Email: barisates@gmail.com

Dr. Sci. (Sociol.), Associate Professor, the Military Sociology Department

Turkey, İstanbul

References

  1. Ateş B. (2020) Askeri Sosyoloji: Kuruluş, Gelişim ve Gelecek Üzerine Bir Değerlendirme. Türk Savaş Çalışmaları Dergisi. Vol. 1. No. 1: 53–74. (In Turk.)
  2. Ateş B. (2021) Askeri Sosyoloji. In: Savaş Çalışmaları El Kitabı. Ed. by M. Uyar. İstanbul: Kronik Kitap: 173– 210. (In Turk.)
  3. Ateş B. (2023) “Military Innovation and Turkish Society: Toward a Post-Heroic Warfare?”. In: Military Innovation in Türkiye: An Overview of the Post-Cold War Era. Ed. by B. Ateş. London: Routledge: 171–187.
  4. Ateş B. (2024). Turkish Military Sociology: Exploring the Evolution of an Early Starter but Latecomer. Armed Forces & Society. No. 0(0): 1–27. doi: 10.1177/0095327X241246276.
  5. Ateş B., Libel T. (2024) Committed to its Founding Principles: Fifty Years of Armed Forces & Society Journal. Armed Forces & Society. No. 0(0): 1–17. doi: 10.1177/0095327X241296827.
  6. Başgöz İ., Wilson H. E. (1968) Educational Problems in Turkey 1920–1940. Indiana University Publications.
  7. Başpınar A. (2012) Sosyolojinin Konusu Olarak Ordu ve Asker: Askeri Sosyoloji. İstanbul University Journal of Sociology. Vol. 3. No. 24: 279–314.
  8. Ben-Ari E., Levy Y. (2014) Getting Access to The Field: Insider/outsider perspectives. In: Routledge Handbook of Research Methods in Military Studies. Ed. by J. Soeters, P. M. Shields, S. Rietjens. London: Routledge: 9–18.
  9. Berkes N. (1936) Sociology in Turkey. American Journal of Sociology. Vol. 42, No. 2: 238–246.
  10. Birand M. A. (1986) Emret Komutanım. İstanbul: Milliyet Yayınları. (In Turk.)
  11. Bozdemir M. (1982) Türk Ordusunun Tarihsel Kaynakları. Ankara: SBF Yayınevi. (In Turk.)
  12. Bulut Y. (2021) Türk Sosyolojisinin Kısa Tarihi. İstanbul: Alfa. (In Turk.)
  13. Çetik M. (1998) Üniversitede Cadı Kazanı: 1948 DTCF Tasfiyesi ve Pertev Naili Boratav’ın Müdafaası. İstanbul: Tarih Vakfı Yurt Yay. (In Turk.)
  14. Demirel T. (2009) Türk Silahlı Kuvvetleri’nin Toplumsal Meşruiyeti Üzerine. In: Bir Zümre, Bir Parti: Türkiye’de Ordu. Ed. by A. İnsel, A. Bayramoğlu. İstanbul: Birikim Yayınları: 345–379. (In Turk.)
  15. Eken H. (2006) Toplumsal Cinsiyet Olgusu Temelinde Mesleğe İlişkin Rol ile Aile İçi Rol Etkileşimi: Türk Silahlı Kuvvetlerindeki Kadın Subaylar. Selçuk Üniversitesi SBE Dergisi, Vol.15: 247–279. (In Turk.)
  16. Ergin O. (1977) Türk Maarif Tarihi, İstanbul: Eser Matbaası. (In Turk.)
  17. Erker Ş. G. (1939) Ordu Sosyolojisi Yolunda Bir Deneme. Vol. 1. İstanbul: Bürhaneddin Matbaası. (In Turk.)
  18. Görgün-Baran A. (2008) Birsen Gökçe. In: Türkiye’de Sosyoloji. Vol. 2. Ed. by Ç. Özdemir. Ankara: Phoenix: 371–424. (In Turk.)
  19. Gürcan M. (2016) Opening the blackbox: The Transformation of the Turkish Military (Publication no: 430384) [Doctoral Dissertation, Bilkent University].
  20. Gürcan M. (2018) A Snapshot of the Blackbox: A 2015 Survey of the Turkish Officer Corps. Turkish Studies. Vol. 19. No. 1: 97–117.
  21. Güreli N. (1991) Astsubaylar. İstanbul: Milliyet Yayınları. (In Turk.)
  22. Handbook of the Sociology of the Military. (2006) Ed. by G. Caforio. 1st edition. New York: Springer.
  23. Hirsch E. (2005) Anılarım. Ankara: TÜBİTAK Yayınları. (In Turk.)
  24. Huntington S. P. (1957) The Soldier and The State. The Theory and Politics of Civil-Military Relations. Cambridge: Belknap.
  25. Janowitz M. (1982) Consequences of Social Science Research on the U. S. Military. Armed Forces & Society. Vol. 8. No. 4: 507–524.
  26. Jenkins G. (2001) The Military and Turkish Society. The Adelphi Papers. Vol. 41. No. 337: 9–20.
  27. Karpat K. (1970) The Military and Politics in Turkey, 1960–1964: A Socio-Cultural Analysis of a Revolution. The American Historical Review. Vol. 75. No. 6: 1654–1683.
  28. Kayalı K. (2021) Türk Düşünce Dünyasında Yol İzleri, İstanbul: İletişim Yayınları, 7th ed. (In Turk.)
  29. Kışlalı A. T. (1974) Türk Ordusu Toplumsal Kökeni Üzerinde Bir Araştırma. Ankara Üniversitesi SBF Dergisi. Vol. 29. No. 2: 89–105. (In Turk.)
  30. Kuloğlu C. (2005). The Turkish Military Academy from a Gender Perspective. In: Military Missions and Their Implications Reconsidered: The Aftermath of September 11th. Ed. by G. Caforio, G. Kümmel. Amsterdam: Elsevier, 575–582.
  31. Lybyer A. H. (1913) The Government of the Ottoman Empire in the Age of Suleiman the Magnificent. Cambridge: Harvard University Press.
  32. Military Sociology: A Guided Introduction. (2023) Ed. by W. Scott W. et al. London: Routledge.
  33. Obraztsov I. V. (2019) The Institutionalization of Military Sociology: The Russian Path of Gains and Losses. Journal of Political & Military Sociology. Vol. 46. No. 1: 124–163.
  34. Özcan A., Çelebi S. (2023) Soldier as an Example of a Special Law Enforcement Force: Forest Protection General Command (1937–1945). Amme İdaresi Dergisi. Vol. 56. No. 3: 19–33.
  35. Özdağ Ü. (1991) Ordu – Siyaset İlişkisi, Atatürk ve İnönü Dönemleri. Ankara: Gündoğan Yayınları. (In Turk.)
  36. Safi P. (2023) Millî İstihbarat Teşkilâtı 1826–2023. İstanbul: Kronik Kitap. (In Turk.)
  37. Sayılan F., Yıldız A. (2009) The historical and political context of adult literacy in Turkey. International Journal of Lifelong Education. Vol. 28. No.6: 735–749.
  38. Şenses B. (2021) Türk Ordusunun Siyasi Kökleri 1883–1960. Çanakkale: Paradigma Akademi. (In Turk.).
  39. TÜİK. (2022) İstatistik Göstergeler, 1923–2022. Ankara, Türkiye İstatistik Kurumu. (In Turk.)
  40. Türk A. (1988) Sosyoloji ve Psikolojinin Askerlik Mesleğindeki Yeri ve Önemi. Bursa: Işıklar Askeri Lisesi Yay. (In Turk.)
  41. Uyar M. (2005) Brothers in Arms: Turkish Officers in the Çanakkale (Dardanelles) Campaign. Paper presented to the Conference Gallipoli in Retrospect 90 Years on, Onsekiz Mart University International Conference, Çanakkale, 21–23 April.
  42. Uyar M., Varoğlu A. K. (2008) In Search of Modernity and Rationality: The Evolution of Turkish Military Academy Curricula in a Historical Perspective. Armed Forces & Society. Vol. 35. No. 1: 180–202.
  43. Uyar M., Erickson E. (2009) A Military History of the Ottomans: From Osman to Atatürk. California Praeger.
  44. Ülken H. Z. (2008) Dünyada ve Türkiyede Sosyoloji Araştırmaları. İstanbul: Kitabevi Yay. (In Turk.)
  45. Ünsaldı L., Geçgin E. (2019) Sosyoloji Tarihi, Dünya’da ve Türkiye’de. Ankara: Heretik Yayınları. (In Turk.)
  46. Varoğlu A. et al. (2005) The Turkish Military in Transition. In: Military Missions and Their Implications Reconsidered: The Aftermath of September 11. Ed. by G. Caforio, G. Kümmel. Amsterdam: Elsevier: 551–594.
  47. Yılmaz H. (2013) Becoming Turkish / Nationalist Reforms and Cultural Negotiations in Early Republican Turkey (1923–1945). New York: Syracuse University Press.
  48. YÖKTEZ (2024) Turkish Council of Higher Education Thesis Center. URL: https://tez.yok.gov.tr/UlusalTezMerkezi/tezSorguSonucYeni.jsp.

Supplementary files

Supplementary Files
Action
1. JATS XML
Download

Copyright (c) 2025 Russian Academy of Sciences