The anthropology of centre-right politics in everyday life in Turkey (1980–2002)

This article aims to reexamine centre-right politics in Turkey during the 1980–2002 period through a holistic ethnographic lens, focusing on the anthropology of everyday life. The rise and fall of the centre-right is conceptualized as a meaningful cultural world constructed and then dissolved in the daily lives of ordinary people. The analysis of this cultural structure is conducted through three anthropological pillars: the ‘big family’ construct based on kinship metaphors that position the leader as ‘father’ or ‘sister’; the ‘get-things-done’ ritual performed by the politician as an intermediary within the state bureaucracy; and the sanctity of the ‘middle ground’ discourse that offers a protective ground to different segments. Drawing on in-depth interviews, analysis of political leaders, and the interpretation of various symbols, this article aims to make an original anthropological contribution to the literature on Turkish politics by adopting a ‘bottom-up’ approach that traces the trajectory of the centre-right through the strengthening and weakening of voters’ ties to this cultural world.