Rightful Resistance: A Discursive Third Realm?

Year 2018, Volume: 17 Issue: 1, 196 - 209, 31.01.2018

Sümeyye Sakarya

https://doi.org/10.21547/jss.314226

Abstract

This article aims to
bring a new angle to the literature by joining ‘rightful resistance’ of O’Brien
and ‘third realm’ of Huang. It questions whether rightful resistance is a third
realm or not. The main thesis is that rightful resistance is a discursive third
realm. This thesis is expounded in five parts. After the introduction of
‘rightful resistance’ in the first part; in the second part, civil society and
public sphere as first alternatives coming to mind are examined in terms of
applicability and conceptualization. It is argued that such applications and
conceptualizations have some difficulties preventing the accurate grasp of the
reality because of the historical baggage and ambivalent definitions of the
concepts. In the third part, Huang’s concept of ‘third realm’ is delineated. In
the fourth part, it is explained how rightful resistance constructs a third
realm. It is claimed that this is a discursive third realm since the
construction is realised through the discourse. Besides, feasibility of
rightful resistance’s operationalization is discussed. Fragmented
authoritarianism is suggested to make an efficient third realm for resisters
possible. In the last part, these arguments are demonstrated through the Wukan
Incident. In the conclusion, some potential criticisms are handled.

Keywords

Rightful Resistance, O’Brien, Third Realm, Huang, China, Wukan Incident

Meşru Direniş: Söylemsel Bir Üçüncü Alan?

Abstract

Bu çalışma, O’Brien’in Çin’deki bazı toplumsal hareketleri anlamak
için ürettiği “meşru direniş” kavramıyla, Huang’ın yine Çin’deki kamusal alan
tartışmalarında yeni bir yaklaşım olarak ortaya çıkardığı “üçüncü alan”
kavramlarını beraber okuyarak literatüre yeni bir bakış açısı getirmeyi
amaçlamaktadır. Bu bağlamda makale, meşru direnişin bir üçüncü alan olup
olmadığını sorgulamaktadır. Makalenin temel tezi, meşru direnişin söylemsel bir
üçüncü alan olduğudur. Bu argüman, makalede beş bölümde ele alınmaktadır. Girişten
sonraki ilk bölümde “meşru direniş” kavramı sunulmaktadır. İkinci bölümde sivil
toplum ve kamusal alan -akla ilk gelen alternatifler olarak-
uygulanabilirlikleri ve kavramsallaştırmaları açısından tartışılmaktadır. Bu
bölümdeki temel iddia bu tarz kavramsallaştırmaların ve uygulanmaların tarihi
mirasları ve net olmayan tanımlarından dolayı gerçeği anlamayı zorlaştıracaklarıdır.
Üçüncü bölümde, Huang’ın “üçüncü alan” kavramı ele alınmaktadır. Dördüncü
bölümdeyse meşru direnişin üçüncü alanı nasıl inşa ettiği izah edilmektedir. Bu
inşa söylem yoluyla gerçekleştirildiği için meşru direnişin söylemsel bir
üçüncü alan yarattığı iddia edilmektedir. Bunlara ek olarak, meşru direnişin işlevselliğinin
mümkünatı da tartışılmaktadır. Bu bağlamda, Çin’deki bölünmüş otoriterliğin
direnişçiler için işlevsel bir üçüncü alanı mümkün kıldığı iddia edilmiştir.
Son bölümde de bu argümanlar Wukan Vakasıyla örneklendirilmiştir. Makalenin
sonuç kısmındaysa bazı muhtemel eleştiriler ele alınmıştır.

Keywords

Meşru Direniş, O’Brien, Üçüncü Alan, Huang, Çin, Wukan Vakası

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