During the sessions of the "Democratic Transformation of the Republic in the Second Century Conference" held in Istanbul, discussions focused on the founding process of the Republic, a century-long democratization experience, and social transformation in the second century. The conference began with opening speeches by Gültan Kışanak and Rıza Türmen.
In the three sessions of the conference, historical narratives, social memory, nationalism, identities, and the Kurdish issue were examined from multiple perspectives. The founding story of the Republic, its possibilities, and those excluded were discussed.
The first session debated the social groups that remained invisible during the Republic's founding and democratization process. Erdoğan Aydın emphasized the need to reconsider established narratives about the Republic's foundation, drawing attention to the pluralistic nature of the First Assembly and the democratic spirit of the 1921 Constitution.
He stressed the importance of remembering the presence of Kurds, Alevis, and various social groups in the founding process. Hülya Osmanağaoğlu focused on the invisible experiences of women and feminist struggles throughout the Republic's history, underlining that the women's movement should be regarded not just as a social group but as a founding political subject.
Namık Kemal Dinç addressed the historical background of the Kurdish issue, highlighting the demand for Kurds to be recognized as equal and founding subjects. He stated that democratization is a common issue for the entire society and expressed the need for a new social contract.
Pakrat Estukyan drew attention to memory, reconciliation, and coexistence, emphasizing that making the past visible is essential for democratic communal life. The common emphasis in the session was the need for a new social consensus based on equal citizenship and pluralism in the Republic's second century. A century of loneliness: Nationalism, memory, and social polarization
The second session addressed social polarization, nationalism, memory, and democratization. Bekir Ağırdır stated that Turkey must discuss not only its past but also its current economic and social problems together. He described the Kurdish issue, poverty, and inequality as parts of the same whole, saying "the future cannot be built by competing over pains."
Ferhat Kentel noted that social relations have historically been shaped by fear and exclusion, highlighting the importance of mutual understanding for a democratic future. Noémi Lévy-Aksu pointed to the significance of memory studies in making experiences outside official historical narratives visible, emphasizing that memory is necessary not only for the past but also for restorative justice and democracy.
Serhun Al drew attention to rising authoritarianism and nationalist tendencies, stating that Turkey should move toward a pluralistic citizenship model. The session emphasized that a democratic future is only possible through confronting the past and recognizing differences. The Kurdish issue: The new century of a century-old problem
The third session focused on the past, present, and future of the Kurdish issue. Doğu Ergil stated that the Kurdish issue has still not been properly defined and emphasized that democratization and peace must be considered together. Ali Bayramoğlu highlighted that Kurds are a founding element in the regions they inhabit and should be subjects of democratic transformation.
Abbas Vali identified the security-focused approach as one of the biggest obstacles to a solution and pointed to the need for constitutional transformation. Feyza Akınerdem stressed that the peace process must be conducted not only with political actors but with all segments of society. Mesut Yeğen emphasized the need to move away from exclusivist understandings and highlighted the importance of equal citizenship and democratic negotiation.
Veysi Aktaş proposed a model based on the concept of "democratic integration," where different identities can coexist on the basis of equality. The common emphasis throughout the three sessions was that democratization, pluralism, equal citizenship, and coexistence must be redefined in the Republic's second century.
Participants expressed that Turkey's future can only be built through confronting the past and establishing an inclusive social contract. The academic calendar for the 2026-2027 school year has been announced.
