Social Policy and Social Integration of Turkey

Abstract

아시아 국가 중 기존 연구에서 배제된 비주류 국가의 사회정책과 사회통합의 특징을 파악하고 관계에 대한 이해를 도모하고자 마련 - 터키는 OECD 국가 중 국내 연구자들의 사회정책 분석에서 소외된 사례이지만 경제적 수준 등 여타의 조건에서 비교가 유용한 국가로 판단되고, 터키는 과거 주 연구대상국가의 종교적 배경과 달리 이슬람 전통의 국가여서 사회문화적, 종교적 특성에 대한 분석에 이점을 가지며 국가 간 비교연구의 외연을 확대하는 데 있어 의미가 있는 사례임. - 터키의 사회적 배경에 대한 이해, 해당국가의 사회정책의 구성과 특징을 분석, 해당국가의 사회통합과 관련 이슈에 대한 검토를 하고, 그리고 이들 간의 관계를 고찰함.

The purpose of this study is to analyze the characteristics of social policy and social cohesion in Turkey, an Asian country which has been left undiscussed in existing comparative studies for welfare regime. Most of the existing research about social policy and social integration has focused on Europe and the UK and the US. For the last 10 years, East Asia also has been brought into comparative perspectives. However, it was not easy to gain knowledge about the Islamic community. Under these circumstances, this study analyze the social policy and social integration of Turkey as a exceptional case. This study could detect the conservative corporatist features in Turkish social policy. In Turkey, the family and kin play key role in social support, and the state runs social policy focusing social insurance for the insider group. The social expenditure is low and the public support for the poor is undeveloped. But the state transfers the duty of social security to families and NGOs, and the voluntary sector has traditionally been an important agent in community support. Support by the state has not been regarded as a protection of citizenship. In addition, the neo-liberalism is being strengthened with the EU membership process, which is unusual for a Middle-Eastern country. The level of social cohesion in Turkey is higher than in South Korea. Turkey's strong social cohesion seems an unlikely consequence for a country with weak social policies. This can be explained in terms of the Islamic traditions in Turkey. Especially of its authoritarian regime and community mutual support managed by NGOs which have kept social cohesion strong. Considering existing studies about welfare regime, this study concludes that the general explanatory logic could be applied to Turkey. However, to understand new countries, these religion, culture and history should be examined. Understanding of the specificity of these would be a way to a general theory about social policy and social cohesion. The purpose of this study is to analyze the characteristics of social policy and social cohesion in Turkey, an Asian country which has been left undiscussed in existing comparative studies for welfare regime. Most of the existing research about social policy and social integration has focused on Europe and the UK and the US. For the last 10 years, East Asia also has been brought into comparative perspectives. However, it was not easy to gain knowledge about the Islamic community. Under these circumstances, this study analyze the social policy and social integration of Turkey as a exceptional case. This study could detect the conservative corporatist features in Turkish social policy. In Turkey, the family and kin play key role in social support, and the state runs social policy focusing social insurance for the insider group. The social expenditure is low and the public support for the poor is undeveloped. But the state transfers the duty of social security to families and NGOs, and the voluntary sector has traditionally been an important agent in community support. Support by the state has not been regarded as a protection of citizenship. In addition, the neo-liberalism is being strengthened with the EU membership process, which is unusual for a Middle-Eastern country. The level of social cohesion in Turkey is higher than in South Korea. Turkey's strong social cohesion seems an unlikely consequence for a country with weak social policies. This can be explained in terms of the Islamic traditions in Turkey. Especially of its authoritarian regime and community mutual support managed by NGOs which have kept social cohesion strong. Considering existing studies about welfare regime, this study concludes that the general explanatory logic could be applied to Turkey. However, to understand new countries, these religion, culture and history should be examined. Understanding of the specificity of these would be a way to a general theory about social policy and social cohesion.