ABSTRACT
Marginality is generally defined in relation to a normative centre. However, beyond the perception of the group’s marginality remain historical processes and social stratification. Since the foundation of the Turkish Republic in 1923, when the Turkish nation was defined as Turkish and Muslim the issue of marginality has been at the root of a deep insecurity concerning cultural identity and what it means to be Turkish. The “democratic opening” offered by the AKP had sought to redress some of these issues. However, new definitions of “margin” have been created with state recognition of a sharp differentiation between supporters of the AKP and those who have opposed its policies in the course of protests throughout Turkey. As the outer limit of social acceptability is redefined by the state, being “marginal” in Turkey today has acquired political overtones that define belonging in terms of ideological convergence. This chapter is an attempt to examine this new “marginality” in the aftermath of Gezi.
