Encounters with Death and Corpses in Disaster Times (The February 6 Earthquakes in Turkey)

Abstract

This study explores how dead body management was organized after the Kahramanmaraş earthquakes on February 6, 2023, in Türkiye, Turkey, using Actor-Network Theory (ANT). The research employed a qualitative, multi-method approach, including document analysis, field observations, discourse analysis, and in-depth interviews. 18 interviews with personnel from the Presidency of Religious Affairs (PRA) mainly served as tools for network tracing to identify key actors, actants, and organizational mechanisms, rather than as sources of individual stories. The results show that the PRA became the essential point in organizing the deceased through translation processes, supported by delegated flexibility and religious legitimacy. Material constraints, such as the condition and number of bodies, time pressure, and infrastructural damage, significantly influenced decision-making. The study also finds that volunteerism is socially valued but insufficient for the professional and emotionally intense task of managing dead bodies. By mapping the networked relationships involved in post-disaster death practices, this study emphasizes the importance of established protocols, inter-institutional collaboration, ethical standards for suspending rituals, psychological support for staff, and clear data-sharing processes. It presents a new ANT-based view of disaster governance and enhances understanding of how dead bodies serve as key actors in crisis management.

Keywords

• Earthquake
• The Organization of the Dead Body
• Actor-Network Theory
• Presidency of Religious Affairs
• Türkiye

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