Dr Demet Aslı Çaltekin - Refusing Militarism: Conscientious Objectors and Masculinity in Turkey

War and militarism often play a central role in the construction of dominant, ‘desirable’ ideas about masculinity. So what happens when men refuse to take part in the militarisation of society, and become conscientious objectors? Dr Demet Aslı Çaltekin has researched this with people who have conscientiously objected against compulsory military service in Turkey. 

We were planning to interview Demet before the horrific earthquakes in Turkey and Syria took place, and she very kindly agreed to speak to us about the impact and response, amidst the mixture of emotions that many feel at present. Whilst the main focus of media and popular attention is rightly on the disaster and its aftermath, it is also an opportunity to highlight some of the other complex issues at the heart of Turkish society. We therefore talk with her not only about her research on militarism, but also how the feminist movement in Turkey has been creatively campaigning against femicide and violence against women.

Demet is an Assistant Professor in Criminal Law and Criminal Justice in the Law School at Durham University. She has recently written a book called ‘Conscientious Objection in Turkey: A Socio-legal Analysis of the Right to Refuse Military Service’, published by Edinburgh University Press.

• Find out more about Demet’s research: https://www.durham.ac.uk/staff/demet-a-caltekin/
• Follow her on Twitter: https://twitter.com/DemetCaltekin
• Order her book, and save 30% with the discount code NEW30: https://edinburghuniversitypress.com/book-conscientious-objection-in-turkey.html
• Read her 2022 article, ‘Women’s organisations’ role in (re)constructing the narratives in femicide cases: Şule Çet’s case’: https://doi.org/10.3390/laws11010012

Please consider donating to organisations in Turkey/Syria undertaking relief efforts in response to the earthquakes: 

• UK Disasters Emergency Committee: https://www.dec.org.uk/appeal/turkey-syria-earthquake-appeal
• Turkish Red Crescent: https://www.ifrc.org/article/turkiye-and-syria-earthquakes-ifrc-response-date
• INARA – International Network for Aid and Assistance: https://inara.org
• White Helmets Syria: https://www.whitehelmets.org/en/

In this episode we cover the following topics:

• The impact of the earthquakes
• The relief efforts and the national and international response
• What military service in Turkey involves
• What led Demet to do this research, and think differently about militarisation
• The conscientious objectors who took part in her research and their motivations
• How Turkish society responds to people who conscientiously object
• The right to conscientious objection, and its legal and social consequences
• How militarism and nationalism fit into Turkish history
• What militarism and refusing to participate in it has to do with masculinity
• How and why Turkish women engage in conscientious objection
• Parallels with militarism in British society
• The value of a socio-legal approach, and working to change the law
• The war in Ukraine and refusing to fight
• Femicide in Turkey and the feminist movement’s response 
• Challenges facing women’s civil society organisations in Turkey
• The Turkish government’s withdrawal from the Istanbul Convention, and backlash against gender equality

Further reading/listening:

• Cynthia Enloe’s 2016 book, ‘Globalization and Militarism: Feminists Make the Link’: https://rowman.com/ISBN/9781442265455/Globalization-and-Militarism-Feminists-Make-the-Link-Second-Edition
• Now and Men episode 11 with Prof Paul Higate, ‘Militarism and Military Masculinities: Why Do They Matter?’: https://now-and-men.captivate.fm/episode/paul-higate
• Now and Men episode 8 with Prof Bob Pease, ‘Masculinities, Climate Change, and Men’s Relationships with Nature’: https://now-and-men.captivate.fm/episode/climate-change