Concluding Remarks

Abstract

This chapter argues that the authoritarian regime, anti-democratic rule and the politics of denial which has gone on for years not only leads to the continuation of the Armenian Question which stretches back more than a century, but it also creates a fundamental detachment of the Armenian community living in Turkey from the rest of society and results in Armenians distrusting state apparatus. The increasing level of Turkish nationalism inevitably leads to a sense of isolation and reaction among Armenians in Turkey. However, it also argues that in the case of the Armenian Question, elites, NGOs and intellectual activists have acted collectively, utilizing their resources to challenge hegemonic dominance and to promote political liberalization within Turkey. It concludes that the series of actions or strategies for the recognition of the genocide, urging the state apparatus to come to terms with the past atrocities against Armenians (non-Muslims in general), for fair trial over Dink’s assassination and for a change to more positive policies toward Armenians, should be understood under the conceptual framework of new social movement theories.