Year: 2024
Type: article
Abstract: The concept of social cleavage provides a basic framework of analysis that explains the dynamics of social cleavage in historical, economic, cultural and political processes. The theory of social cleavage developed by Lipset and Rokkan has been effective in explaining the ideological orientations and voter behavior of political parties, especially in Western Europe, through center-periphery, state-church, rural-urban and class-based cleavages. This theory emphasizes the role of social conflict axes in shaping political structures.In the context of Turkey, center-periphery relations, religious cleavages, rural-urban conflicts and class-based cleavages combine with local dynamics specific to the modernization process to form the basic axes of political and social structure. The tension between the secular center of the Republic and the conservative demands of the periphery has been an important driving force of political competition and social transformation.With the impact of globalization and digitalization, social cleavages have entered an economic and cultural transformation process beyond national borders. Despite the opportunities provided by digital technologies, digital inequalities lead to new social conflicts. In this context, the concept of social cleavage continues to be a powerful theoretical framework for understanding both historical processes and for analyzing the complex dynamics of the present. Understanding these dynamics provides important clues about the future shaping of social and political processes.
Source: DergiPark (Istanbul University)
Author: Çelik, Devrim Barış
Institutions: Ankara University, Ankara Sosyal Bilimler Üniversitesi
Language: English
Field: Social Sciences
Domain: Social Sciences
Open Access status: green
OpenAlex ID: W4407007212