Article Version of Record

Examining prejudice reduction through solidarity and togetherness experiences among Gezi Park activists in Turkey

Author(s) / Creator(s)

Acar, Yasemin Gülsüm
Uluğ, Özden Melis

Abstract / Description

Prejudice reduction research has focused on reducing negative regard as a means to improve relations between various groups (e.g., religious, ethnic, political). Though positive regard between groups may be created, these forms of contact and common identification do not alter policy orientations of advantaged groups toward disadvantaged ones. Rather than intergroup contact, it is suggested that a collective action model of prejudice reduction (Dixon, J., Levine, M., Reicher, S., & Durrheim, K. (2012). Beyond prejudice: Are negative evaluations the problem and is getting us to like one another more the solution? Behavioral and Brain Sciences, 35, 411-425) would create ties between disadvantaged groups to work toward beneficial policy change. We seek to show that the Gezi Park protests in Taksim, İstanbul functioned as an intergroup phenomenon, requiring the cooperation of a number of disadvantaged groups (e.g., feminists, Kurds) working together to improve the status of all present. In a series of interviews with 34 activists from the Gezi Park protests, participants were to reflect on their individual and group-based experiences during their time in the Gezi Park protests. Data indicate that although a few groups remained distant or disconnected during the protests, a common ground was achieved such that some participants were able to overcome past prejudices. Data also indicate that through group perceptions and individuals’ descriptions of events, groups who had previously not been able to cooperate were able to work and stick together at Gezi. Results also imply, in line with Dixon et al. (2012), that if disadvantaged groups work together, they might change the position of their groups and improve each group’s disadvantaged position via collective action.

Keyword(s)

intergroup relations prejudice reduction collective action solidarity protest

Persistent Identifier

Date of first publication

2016-05-24

Journal title

Journal of Social and Political Psychology

Volume

4

Issue

1

Page numbers

166–179

Publisher

PsychOpen GOLD

Publication status

publishedVersion

Review status

peerReviewed

Is version of

Citation

Acar, Y. G., & Uluğ, M. (2016). Examining prejudice reduction through solidarity and togetherness experiences among Gezi Park activists in Turkey. Journal of Social and Political Psychology, 4(1), 166–179. https://doi.org/10.5964/jspp.v4i1.547
  • Author(s) / Creator(s)
    Acar, Yasemin Gülsüm
  • Author(s) / Creator(s)
    Uluğ, Özden Melis
  • PsychArchives acquisition timestamp
    2018-11-26T12:45:29Z
  • Made available on
    2018-11-26T12:45:29Z
  • Date of first publication
    2016-05-24
  • Abstract / Description
    Prejudice reduction research has focused on reducing negative regard as a means to improve relations between various groups (e.g., religious, ethnic, political). Though positive regard between groups may be created, these forms of contact and common identification do not alter policy orientations of advantaged groups toward disadvantaged ones. Rather than intergroup contact, it is suggested that a collective action model of prejudice reduction (Dixon, J., Levine, M., Reicher, S., & Durrheim, K. (2012). Beyond prejudice: Are negative evaluations the problem and is getting us to like one another more the solution? Behavioral and Brain Sciences, 35, 411-425) would create ties between disadvantaged groups to work toward beneficial policy change. We seek to show that the Gezi Park protests in Taksim, İstanbul functioned as an intergroup phenomenon, requiring the cooperation of a number of disadvantaged groups (e.g., feminists, Kurds) working together to improve the status of all present. In a series of interviews with 34 activists from the Gezi Park protests, participants were to reflect on their individual and group-based experiences during their time in the Gezi Park protests. Data indicate that although a few groups remained distant or disconnected during the protests, a common ground was achieved such that some participants were able to overcome past prejudices. Data also indicate that through group perceptions and individuals’ descriptions of events, groups who had previously not been able to cooperate were able to work and stick together at Gezi. Results also imply, in line with Dixon et al. (2012), that if disadvantaged groups work together, they might change the position of their groups and improve each group’s disadvantaged position via collective action.
    en_US
  • Publication status
    publishedVersion
  • Review status
    peerReviewed
  • Citation
    Acar, Y. G., & Uluğ, M. (2016). Examining prejudice reduction through solidarity and togetherness experiences among Gezi Park activists in Turkey. Journal of Social and Political Psychology, 4(1), 166–179. https://doi.org/10.5964/jspp.v4i1.547
    en_US
  • ISSN
    2195-3325
  • Persistent Identifier
    https://hdl.handle.net/20.500.12034/1409
  • Persistent Identifier
    https://doi.org/10.23668/psycharchives.1797
  • Language of content
    eng
  • Publisher
    PsychOpen GOLD
  • Is version of
    https://doi.org/10.5964/jspp.v4i1.547
  • Keyword(s)
    intergroup relations
    en_US
  • Keyword(s)
    prejudice reduction
    en_US
  • Keyword(s)
    collective action
    en_US
  • Keyword(s)
    solidarity
    en_US
  • Keyword(s)
    protest
    en_US
  • Dewey Decimal Classification number(s)
    150
  • Title
    Examining prejudice reduction through solidarity and togetherness experiences among Gezi Park activists in Turkey
    en_US
  • DRO type
    article
  • Issue
    1
  • Journal title
    Journal of Social and Political Psychology
  • Page numbers
    166–179
  • Volume
    4
  • Visible tag(s)
    Version of Record