Turkish Military Sociology: Exploring the Evolution of an Early Starter but Latecomer

Abstract

This article explores the reasons for the late development of Turkish military sociology. Although the relationship between the Turkish military and society has some unique characteristics, it has received little attention from sociologists. The existing literature primarily focuses on the narrow field of civil-military relations conducted by political scientists and includes minimal sociological research on the military. Based on historical analysis using primary and secondary sources and interviews, this shortcoming is due to the politicization of sociology and even equating it with communism, the denial of research permits due to bureaucratic secrecy, the sacred position of the military in the eyes of society, and the partial apathy of Turkish sociologists. The institutionalization of Turkish military sociology after the 2016 coup attempt is promising, but restrictions on research permits remain challenging for its future. Building a solid military sociology literature without critically assessing the existing research would also be problematic.