Embedding the prefigurations of the Gezi protests

Abstract

Square movements signify the formation of a new subjectivity and an alternative politicization, which borrows yet transforms aspects of previous protest waves. Mobilized over a rejection of insecurities, exclusions and inequalities imposed by the governmentality model of neoliberalism, square movements combine new social movements’ demands for liberty, autonomy, self-expression and authenticity with economic and political justice concerns, particularly those expressed by the Global Justice Movement. They have formed inclusive, participatory, decentralized and leaderless protest camps where a plurality of individuals express their indignation and prefigure alternative networks of trust and solidarity through performative practices while preserving diversity. This paper analyses processes of identity construction and frame building in the “free space” of the Gezi protest. Based on 65 in-depth interviews and 30 months of participant observation, I argue that alternative networks building on cognitive, emotional and relational transformations at the Gezi encampment continue to exist in the aftermath of the protests. I show that even though the Gezi protest itself phased out, the new subjectivity and politicized identities have not vanished, but rather have become embodied in the post-Gezi protests and everyday life practices such as food collectives, city gardens, citizen initiatives and issue-specific movement networks.