The transformation in habitus in an exchangee village in the Black Sea Region of Turkey


Tezin Türü: Doktora

Tezin Yürütüldüğü Kurum: Orta Doğu Teknik Üniversitesi, Fen Edebiyat Fakültesi, Sosyoloji Bölümü, Türkiye

Tezin Onay Tarihi: 2015

Öğrenci: İLHAN ZEYNEP KARAKILIÇ DAĞDELEN

Danışman: HELGA İDA RİTTERSBERGER

Özet:

This dissertation aims to construct theoretical and conceptual framework to describe and explain the dynamics of the exchangee habitus and the interrelatedness of the exchangee habitus, the social memory of the population exchange and identification processes of the exchangees. These multidirectional relations among the concepts of habitus, social memory and identification processes constitute the main theoretical framework and the conceptualization of these relations is examined by introducing the exchangee habitus. The construction is employed to analyze the case of Sarıdünya village in Samsun, populated by the exchangees from Greece to Turkey in 1923 as a result of Lausanne Peace Treaty. Tobacco production, the main economic activity of the villagers, provided for a nest for social memory and distinctive daily practices. In order to understand dynamics of the exchangee habitus and to provide a holistic picture of the case, the study is based on a field work that spanned in the summer of 2011 including qualitative research methods. According to the main conclusions of the study, first, there emerges specific exchangee habitus as a result of the interrelation among (1) the social memory of the population exchange and the homeland; (2) continuous tobacco production for the decades and (3) the villager‟s daily encounters with nonexchangee people. Second, according to the villagers‟ intensity of identification with the exchangee habitus, there are three different groups among the villagers were identified: conscious but indifferent, interested, and committed villagers. The dissertation contributes to the literature on the population exchange with its originality and holistic perspective.