Deepening Polarization in Turkish Society: the Impact of Political Actors on Public Opinion

Abstract

Recent research shows that polarization trends are on the rise in Turkey (Konda 2010; BİLGESAM 2014; Erdoǧan 2016; Kadir Has University Turkey Research Center 2017). There are different patterns of polarization in Turkish social and political structure, while its consequences reveal themselves in the political rhetoric, media discourse and voting behavior. There is not much research done in social sciences with regard to the research of polarization and its underlying factors in Turkey. To be able to assess the impact of polarization on the lives of Turkish citizens, the research community may need to focus on the role of different variables influencing the public opinion on this issue. Accordingly, the current study seeks to fill the gap in the social sciences literature in English on social and political trends in Turkey which may be perceived to be very different by other nations. Research on political and social trends in Turkish public opinion has been conducted since 2010 by Kadir Has University Turkey Research Center. The survey's objective is to reveal public opinion on the most important current issues in the country; politics, economics; foreign policy; Kurdish issue; terror; 15th July Coup Attempt; identities and social Relations; change in Turkey, and voter preferences. The data was collected via face to face interviews. The sample included 1000 respondents, representative of the country's population, aged 18 and above, residing in the city centers of 26 cities in Turkey.