In search of disability rights: citizenship and Turkish disability organizations

Abstract

Criticizing modern citizenship’s emphasis on the ‘nation’ as a homogeneous body of citizens, recent citizenship conceptions draw attention to diverse group identities and their differentiated rights‐claims. By way of scrutinizing different disability organizations, this paper analyzes the struggles by people with disabilities in Turkey and examines whether these could be perceived as claims to new forms of citizenship. It argues that due to the institutional, political, cultural and historical specificities of Turkey, most non‐governmental organizations maintain relations of patronage with state actors. Far from initiating a rights‐based discourse, their activities cannot be perceived within recent citizenship frameworks. Yet, parallel to Turkey’s accession process to the EU and technological developments, alternative forms of organizing started emerging at the virtual level. These are the harbingers of a relatively more rights‐based discourse.

Keywords:

• citizenship
• disability organizing
• rights claims
• Turkey

Notes

1. Newspaper reporting shows that TSD’s president Şükrü Boyraz has been occasionally criticizing current and previous governments for not accomplishing pre‐election promises, refusing their requests to meet up with government officials, being eager only to grant mercy to people with disabilities, and ‘shedding hollow tears’ when disability is debated (see for example ‘Engelliler Yok Sayılıyor’ [People with disabilities are ignored], Bianet, 23 May 2003; ‘Sakatların Topluma Karışması Hala Çok Zor’ [It is still very hard for people with disabilities to be included within society], Bianet, 5 December 2005; ‘Eşit ve Engelsiz Yaşam Talebi’ [Right to an equal and unobstructed life], Birgün, 13 May 2008).

2. ‘We are all Armenian, we are all Hrant’ has been the motto of various groups who wanted to protest Dink’s assassination, and give support to his family and friends.

3. This is not to deny that at a personal level, Islam plays a significant role as a source of relief and inner‐peace. The quotation below from the Disabled and their Friends Platform exemplifies this aspect: ‘After an accident … I lost everything and started everything anew. In my darkest moments I found consolation in prayer. I was relieved psychologically… I realized that faith was essential for the soul’ (Pseudonyme: ipekezgi, 1 March 2009).