Competing Roles of the Police and the Army? A Historical Analysis of the Turkish Case

Ayfer Genc Yilmaz

doi:10.31374/sjms.44

Competing Roles of the Police and the Army? A Historical Analysis of the Turkish Case

Scandinavian Journal of Military Studies

Volume 3 (2020): Issue 1

By: Ayfer Genc Yilmaz

Open Access

|Nov 2020

Abstract

This paper explores how the Turkish case speaks to the contemporary discussions regarding the relations between the police and the military. These discussions have been at the forefront of newly emerging literature which has fundamentally focused on explaining the evolution of the police-military relations in a Western context, seen from a global perspective. This paper, on the other hand, suggests that besides global trends, internal power struggles among security institutions should also be taken into consideration. Turkey provides a unique case for such research as it has experienced a long period of military involvement in domestic issues; yet, this military tutelage is effectively challenged by the civilianization process currently conducted by the political power. This paper investigates the political evolution of these two institutions during the period from 1980 up until now. The conclusion, it claims, is that there are competing rather than blurring boundaries between these two institutions.

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