A Socio-Legal Analysis of the Right to Conscientious Objection in Turkey

Abstract

Arguably, existing literature has hitherto offered no socio-legal analysis of conscientious objection in the context of Turkey. Most studies have focused either on the legal or on the sociological aspects of conscientious objection. As such, the impacts of social norms on the legal process remain largely neglected. This research, therefore, offers a socio-legal analysis of conscientious objection, with a particular focus on the domestic law’s compatibility with international standards and the impacts of militarism on society. It takes interviews as a method to explore the cultural tools maintaining the compulsory military service. The findings of the research illustrate that the military’s influence is the product of Turkey’s specific cultural, social, and political structures.