Ontological Insecurity in Aysmmetric Conflict: Promise of an Agonistic Peace in Turkey's Kurdish Issue?

Dr. Bahar Rumelili from Koc University and Dr. Ayse Betul Celik from Sabanci University will present research in a workshop hosted by the Dept of International Relations on Friday, Nov 18 (12:40-2:30) at AB2 345. Language is English. Open to the public.

Abtract: Ethnic conflicts are often impregnated with a myriad of security concerns. Apart from multiple forms of violence, concerns about the maintenance of distinct collective identities (Roe 2004) intensify ethnic conflicts and hamper peace efforts. These concerns make ontological security theory, which focuses on the security that individuals and collectives derive from the continuity and stability of their being (Giddens 1991; Kinnvall 2004; Mitzen 2006; Steele 2005, 2008; Zarakol 2010; Croft 2012; Malksoo 2015) a valuable starting point in the analysis of such conflicts. This article contributes to the recent literature on ontological security in conflict studies (Mitzen 2006; Kay 2012; Rumelili 2015a), by empirically investigating, through a case study of Turkey’s Kurdish issue, how ontological asymmetry complicates peace processes. We also argue that one of the notable shortcomings of the 2009-15 peace process has been its inattentiveness to the concerns of ontological security and failure to facilitate opportunities for an agonistic peace.