İlber Ortaylı's commentary on the rise of violence in Turkey: 'Purely suburban criminality'

On the first episode of 'Muhabbet Kralı' with Okan Bayülgen and İlber Ortaylı on tv100, İlber Ortaylı answered a question regarding the recent increase in news reports about violence against women and children in Turkey.

Ortaylı explained the events as a result of the population explosion.

"OUR VIOLENCE IS SUBURBAN CRIMINALITY"

Stating, "Our violence is purely suburban criminality," Ortaylı noted that the social problems experienced are linked to the emerging "suburban" (varoş) culture. Reminding the audience of the war process in the Middle East, Ortaylı said, "Our violence is purely suburban criminality. It is wrong to think that a society with this is ready for a consistent, proper, and organized war."

"THE DYNAMISM OF THE VILLAGE WAS LOST IN THE SUBURBS"

Drawing attention to the motto from the early years of the Republic, "The peasant is the master of the nation," Ortaylı stated that during his own university years, half of the country's population was urban and half was rural.

Emphasizing that as a result of migration from villages to cities, the habits of "following things that will not happen and not being interested in things that will happen" have become dominant, Ortaylı stated that the dynamism of the village was lost in the suburbs and pointed out that young people have their own separate language and customs.

Touching upon the lack of communication between young people and those older than them, Ortaylı said that there is no attempt at integration by the youth in this regard, and therefore, tendencies toward bullying have also increased.

News Source : 12punto