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Abstract

Can Arab Spring lead to a democratic transformation in the Middle East? What kind of a process will be necessitated by transition from oppressive and totalitarian regimes of the Middle East to the democratic ones? Is transition from oppressive and totalitarian regimes to the democratic ones a situation that will be possible through an uprising or a revolution? While democracy requires having a democratic culture rather than just accepting a regime, to what extent is the Middle East inclined to this culture? What are the priorities of the local community? It is known that in some countries ethnic and national demands take precedence of democracy and democratic demands. For instance, the most important priority of Kurds in Syria is their recognition as a national entity and their participation to Syrian government whereas Sunni Muslims in Syria essentially want to put an end to the

Keywords

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ARAP BAHARI, SURİYE VE DEMOKRATİK DÖNÜŞÜM BEKLENTİLERİ

Öz

Arap Baharı Ortadoğu’da demokratik bir dönüşüme yol açabilir mi? Ortadoğu’daki baskıcı ve totaliter rejimlerden demokratik yönetimlere geçiş nasıl bir süreci zorunlu kılmaktadır? Baskıcı ve totaliter rejimlerden demokratik rejimlere geçiş, bir ayaklanma veya bir devrimle kısa bir süre içinde olabilecek bir durum mu? Demokrasi, bir rejimin kabullenmesinden ziyade demokratik bir kültüre sahip olmayı gerektirirken, Ortadoğu bu kültüre ne kadar yatkındır? Peki, bölge halklarının öncelikleri nelerdir? Kimi ülkelerde etnik ve dini taleplerin, demokrasi ve demokratik taleplerden önce geldiği bilinmektedir. Örneğin, Suriye’deki Kürtlerin en önemli önceliği ulusal varlıklarının tanınması ve yönetimde pay sahibi olmak iken, Sünnilerin temel amacı Şii diktatörlüğe son verip kendilerinin yönetimde olacağı bir çoğunluk rejiminin kurulmasıdır. Hıristiyanlar ise, Esad rejiminin yıkılmasının ardından iktidarı devralacak Sünni çoğunluğun kendilerine hayat hakkı tanımayacağından korkmaktadırlar. Bu makalede, Arap Baharı bağlamında Suriye gerçeği irdelenmeye çalışılacaktır.

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