The phenomenon of free-floating violence In post-1990s Turkey through two films by Serdar Akar: Gemide and Barda

Abstract

This thesis scrutinizes the main mechanisms underlying behind the emergence of the phenomenon of free-floating violence in post-1990s Turkey. On the basis of third-page news referred to as the concrete examples of this phenomenon, the nature of free-floating violence is characterized as being apolitical, reactive, arbitrary and unpredictable. Its definition goes beyond the boundaries of such types of violence as honor killing, family violence or violence against women. This distinction determines the central mission of the study, which is to gain an insight into every dimension of the new phenomenon. As a groundwork material, two films written and directed by Serdar Akar have been analyzed in a detailed manner. The findings of these analyses provide the essence of the chain of free-floating violence, which is comprised of three interlocked rings. The ring in the first order is the exclusionary ring in which the focus is on the micro-effects of the global and the neoliberal changes on the lives of ordinary people. Secondly, the discussion centers upon the arbitrariness ring which is mainly about the roles of illegitimate state violence, the impunity culture and the absence of law in determining the nature of free-floating violence in Turkey. Thirdly, the inner dynamics of male homosocial groups have been considered with a closer look into the aspects of collectivity and hierarchy in the homosociality ring. The locking-together of these three rings shows that free-floating violence is a complex and multidimensional phenomenon. The global – local – social group dynamics have merged and gave rise to the emergence of free-floating violence as a phenomenon of the post-1990s Turkey.