Doruk Işıkçı from South Africa!
Hi everyone,
I am Doruk Işıkçı. I received my bachelor’s degree in the International
Relationship Department of Ankara University Political Science Faculty and
master’s degree in Political Science and International Relations at TOBB
University. Currently, I do conduct my Ph.D. research on the role of civil
society organisations (CSOs) in the nation-building process of South Africa. In
this regard, while I conduct three case studies through participant
observation, data collection from the official statements, and interviews in
the targeted CSOs, I also employ survey-based research as complementary data in
the various parts of South Africa.
My interest in South Africa dates to my bachelor’s degree when I had
worked as an intern at the Institute of African Studies of Ankara University.
The most important contribution of this process in which several activities and
events had been held was making a network with the scholars who study Africa in
Turkey. Over the years, my interest in South Africa that starts as a curiosity
has turned into a passion and shaped my reading preferences. Particularly,
identity politics and the process of nation-state construction have formed my
focus. Moreover, a literature review on identity politics and the process of
nation-state construction shows that South Africa has the potential to be a
challenge in terms of nationalism theories, therefore, allows investigating
many theories and ideas. Then, another question started fascinating me: How
accurate is a definition that regrades the power of nationalism to nation-state
institutions? What is the role of civil society initiatives, which are
considered to be an essential sign of democratization processes?
Considering the relatively recent history and socio-economic
problems of South Africa, I problematize the highly cited and regarded concept
of civil society and its role in creating a shared public sphere, establishing
harmony amongst different ethnic, cultural, and racial groups, and contributing
to the vision of a united nation (in South Africa and elsewhere). Therefore, I
am examining how, and why – if at all – civil society organisations engage with
diversity, social cohesion, and hence democratic values, tolerance, and trust. Thus,
my main aim in this study is to review the problems of South Africa from
another perspective by including the theories of nationalism in the equation
between civil society and democracy.
Thus, it is investigated how the empirical reflections of various
theoretical debates and normative claims on nationalism and civil society in
South Africa through case studies and surveys. I focus on CSOs in three chosen
areas: right-oriented CSOs, sports organisations, charitable organisations. While
all three areas are considered vital domains of the South African civil society
in the media as well as academia, each area has presented another variant of
the theoretical discussions.
Unfortunately, similar to what happened globally, my work that I
started in December 2019 was interrupted by the pandemic and the ongoing
lockdown regulations announced in March 2021 although the conditions were relaxed.
Especially in the first year of the pandemic, I had to postpone my fieldwork
due to the strict curfew rules. Moreover, during my preliminary fieldwork and
pilot, which I started in November 2020, I became infected and had to take
another break.
However, by presenting the first studies made in July 2021 to my
department, I received my approval both on the content of the study and on
ethics. As of September 2021, I have started my fieldwork on charitable
organisations in the Western Cape region. Thus, I both experience what it is
like to be in civil society as a volunteer, and I get more in-depth information
about the subject from the participants by making interviews. At the same time,
I am trying to determine the main trends in these areas by applying a 93-item
survey to the CSOs in these three civil society domains.
For both my studies and your questions on South Africa, please
contact me: dorukisikci@gmail.com
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