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A Dissertation Proposal by James Pugel
Much theory and research attempts to untangle an explanation for differential participation in collective action, yet we are still left asking the basic question of why some individuals participate and others do not. When identities have been politicized and negatively implicated in societal conflicts, these explanations become even more complicated. In order to advance current integrative efforts that seek to explain variation of participation in environments of contested political liberalization, this research will be guided by two questions: Firstly, what factors lead to the politicization of ascribed identities in an environment of contested political liberalization? And secondly, for those individuals who do acquire a politicized identity under these circumstances, what factors contribute to influencing action on behalf of their politicized group? The Republic of Turkey’s engagement with a segment of its Kurdish population offers a specific account of contestation within a process of political liberalization. I have chosen this case not only because it has the potential for helping us to understand collective action through a framework social identity in contentious polities, but also because it is hoped that this study will aid the actual political competitors in finding an avenue for opening a space for dialogue and pursuing an agenda of rights expansion that both parties can come to terms with.