Conspiracy Theory in Turkey ― Democracy, Protest and the Modern State

Turkey is witnessing an era of political upheaval. From the Gezi protests in 2013 to the attempted military coup of 2016, the concept of "post-truth" plays a significant role in Turkish politics today. In the chaos of conspiracy theories, hidden enemies and post-coup purges, the unreal merges with the real, fueling political repression and anti-government sentiment alike.

Julian de Medeiros here analyzes the many unfolding challenges of Erdogan's New Turkey, and shows how a fixedly Turkish-style of "post-truth" has taken root. Examining the relationship between conspiracy theory and 'post-truth', this book sheds light on the strategies of political paranoia that threaten to undermine the success of Turkey's democratic model. De Medeiros argues that both the Gezi protests and the failed coup attempt need to be considered alongside the emerging anti-democratic and conspiratorial tendencies of an increasingly authoritarian Turkish government. As Turkish democracy continues to evolve with breath-taking speed and unpredictable outcomes, de Medeiros shows how the rise of paranoid politics in Turkey constitutes part of a global trend towards post-truth narratives. He situates Turkish democracy as subject to a global resurgence of strongman leadership and antagonistic populism.

Conspiracy Theory in Turkey presents the very first critical account of the Turkish model of a "post-truth politics." Through a counter-intuitive analysis of conspiracy theory and paranoid politics, this book disentangles the real from the unreal and chronicles the emergence of post-truth in Turkey today.

Julian de Medeiros is an assistant lecturer in international relations at the University of Kent, from where he holds a Ph.D. He previously worked as a research assistant at the Institute of Social and Cultural Anthropology at the University of Freiburg.