The 1968 Student Movement in Turkey

Abstract

This text examines the global impact of the 1968 student movement and, in particular, its unique development in Turkey from a historical perspective. It emphasizes that, unlike similar movements in the West, the actions in Turkey were not limited to democratic demands but had an anti-imperialist character aimed directly at changing the political power structure and the established order. The article details the process by which Turkish youth evolved from demands for academic reform to an anti-imperialist and revolutionary political stance. It focuses on the social structure of the movement, the environment of freedom offered by the 1961 Constitution, and its role in the political polarization of the period. Furthermore, it examines the spiral of violence that the actions turned into, the path leading to the 1971 Turkish military memorandum, and the social memory created through the symbolic figures of the process. Finally, the documents analyze this generation's ideological transformation in the history of the Turkish left and the different academic interpretations of it today. In conclusion, the article defines this period as both a social turning point and a legacy that is still mystified or harshly criticized today and in need of in-depth research.