Political prison culture in Turkish prisons: From the ward to the F type system

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Tezin Türü: Yüksek Lisans

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

Tezin Onay Tarihi: 2017

Tezin Dili: İngilizce

Öğrenci: ELİF YAĞMUR KARAGÖL

Danışman: Çağatay Topal

Özet:

In this study, the reciprocal relationship between prison architecture and prison culture is analyzed within the context of the transition from the ward system to the high security F type prison system. The analysis is fed by the prison culture discussions; the internal deprivation of Gresham Sykes and Erwing Goffman; and the external impact of James B. Jacobs, Donald Cressey and John Irwin. During the research process, the in-depth interviews were conducted with the former political prisoners. By assuming that there are variances in the practices and ideas of different political organizations, the existing common values and behavior patterns in the prisons were emphasized in the study. At the end of the research, it was observed that the pre-prison political culture found an opportunity to continue and to strenghten in the conditions of the ward system. The political power also referred to the prisons as a source of public opposition. Within this context, the transformation in the prison system can be interpreted as a better administration of the hostility against the State. The prisoners tried to maintain the political culture within the conditions of the F type prisons. The state of equilibrium of the ward system is to be re-established according to the new conditions by the political prisoners.