Papers by Alper Almaz
Devlet-piyasa-toplum-doğa arasındaki güç ilişkilerinin yeniden belirlendiği neo-liberal dönemde ç... more Devlet-piyasa-toplum-doğa arasındaki güç ilişkilerinin yeniden belirlendiği neo-liberal dönemde çevre hareketleri, katılımcıları açısından çeşitlilik göstermektedir. Arsel, Akbulut ve Adaman, çevre hareketlerinin sınıflandırmasını “zenginlerin çevreciliği” ve “yoksulların çevreciliği” ayrımının ötesine taşıyan “hoşnutsuzların çevreciliği” kavramını literatüre kazandırmıştır. Bu çalışmada amaç, “hoşnutsuzların çevreciliği” kavramını yeniden değerlendirmektir. Çalışma, Hindistan’daki Sardar Sarovar Barajı’na karşı ortaya çıkan çevreci hareketin katılımcılarını nitel araştırma yöntemlerini kullanarak incelemektedir. Hindistan’da gerçekleştirilen saha çalışması esnasında veriler hem toplu ve bireysel görüşme hem de katılımsız gözlem metotları kullanılarak toplanmıştır. Çalışmada, çevre hareketlerinin, katılımcılarını dönüştürdüğü bir süreç olarak ele alınması durumunda, “hoşnutsuzların çevreciliği” kavramının, sadece orta sınıf özelliklerini taşıyan grup için değil, çevre hareketine katılan tüm gruplar için kullanılabileceği savlanmaktadır.
Anahtar Kelimeler: Hoşnutsuzların Çevreciliği, Çevre Hareketleri, Narmada Bachao Andolan, Sardar Sarovar Barajı, Toplumsal Hareketler.
ENVIRONMENTALISM OF THE MALCONTENT AS A PROCESS: THE EXAMPLE OF SARDAR SAROVAR DAM FROM INDIA
ABSTRACT. In the neoliberal era, which redefines the power relations among the state-market-society-nature, the environmental movements differ in terms of their participants. Arsel, Akbulut and Adaman created the concept of “environmentalism of the malcontent” that moves beyond the distinction between the “environmentalism of the rich,” and the “environmentalism of the poor”. The purpose of this study is to re-evaluate the concept of the “environmentalism of the malcontent”. The study was undertaken by evaluating the participants of the environmental movement against the Sardar Sarovar Dam, located on the Narmada River in India, by undertaking qualitative research methods. Data is collected through individual and group interviews, and non-participant observation method during the field trip undertaken in India. In the article, it is argued that if the environmental movements are elaborated as a process which have transformative effects on its participants, the concept of the “environmentalism of the malcontent” can be used to define the environmentalism of not only the ones with the middle-class qualities, but also that of other groups in the environmental movement.
Keywords: Environmentalism of the Malcontent, Environmental Movements, Narmada Bachao Andolan, Sardar Sarovar Dam, Social Movements.
Sustainable development recently topped the universal agenda again when the United Nations adopte... more Sustainable development recently topped the universal agenda again when the United Nations adopted its Sustainable Development Goals on 25 September 2015. Yet, since the 1990s, the concept has prompted different actors to reformulate their relations with the environment in line with different narratives on the concept. This inherent contradiction becomes all the more salient during sustainable development debates on nuclear, which has often been dominated by the expert-oriented politics prioritizing carbon-free economic growth by ''post-politicizing'' the issue at stake. In this light, the main objective of this paper is to contribute to nuclear related literature stressing on broader conceptions of sustainability by going beyond those techno-economic discussions. Hinging on the multi-faceted nature of Turkey's nuclear energy debate, this paper argues that multitude of state and non-state discourse coalitions (i.e. nuclear advocacy, nuclear opposition and ambivalent) has constructed sustainability of nuclear differently through their narratives. To substantiate its argument, through a narrative analysis, this paper examines competing narratives over nuclear energy's economic, environmental and societal impacts in Turkey. The findings have challenged pro-nuclear techno-economic discourse coalition's attempt to ''post-politicize'' Turkish nuclear debate by revealing complex and multi-faceted nature of the debate.
This article shall focus on the political aspects of the resource curse theory, in particular the... more This article shall focus on the political aspects of the resource curse theory, in particular the rentier state theory as a sub-theory of the resource curse. The rentier state is a political economy theory that seeks to account for state society relations in states that get most of their revenues, in the form of rents, from resource sector. Besides, the theory asserts that these rents have an effect on democracy, economic growth and security matters of the resource rich countries. Applying this theory to Azerbaijan shall contribute to Azerbaijan's political economy literature. In this paper, I argue that revenues generated from energy exports hinder democracy in Azerbaijan since they are used for fulfilling pockets of political elites and hampering emergence of any opposition to the dominant groups. In the very first part of the paper, the rentier state theory will be elaborated. More specifically, the concept of rentier state and how a rentier state behaves will be explained in detail so as to provide a framework for the case study of this paper. In the second part after giving a short brief about Azerbaijan's energy reserves and societal problems the rentier state theory will be applied to Azerbaijan in order to find out whether it suffers from the rentier state deficiencies. Indeed, the rentier effect and the repression effect of the theory will be analysed. In the final part, concluding remarks will be delivered with a laconic summary of the paper.
Semi-Academic papers by Alper Almaz
Caspian Report , Fall 2013 , Issue:5, pp. 84-95. (with Alper Almaz)
There are “short-term” ( supply shortages due to accidents, terrorist attacks, technical failure,... more There are “short-term” ( supply shortages due to accidents, terrorist attacks, technical failure, etc.) and “long-term” (absence of infrastructure/framework for creating strategic security against major risks such as non-delivery due to political or economic reasons) energy security risks.
“Procurement diversification” through ensuring the flow of regional alternative natural gas reserves in the Caspian Basin is a viable strategy to address those energy risks in particular for the long-term ones. Indeed, immediate aftermath of consecutive gas disputes of 2006, 2008, 2009 crises with Russia; the European Commission (EC) initiated the Southern Gas Corridor or so-called the New Silk Road to transport gas supplies from Caspian and Middle Eastern regions through non-Russian routes.
In this context, Turkey has appeared as a critical transit country to transfer Caspian/Middle Eastern resources to Europe and come up with Trans-Anatolian Pipeline (TANAP) to export Azerbaijan’s Shah-Deniz II field’s natural gas reserves. Following Shah Deniz Consortium (SDC) members’ - BP, SOCAR and Total – decision to the Trans Adriatic Pipeline (TAP), rather than the Nabucco West, has been selected as the European route of the Southern Gas Corridor. In the coming days, there are also plans to link Middle Eastern natural gas resources to the Southern Gas Corridor.
Against this backdrop, this paper argues that the Southern Gas corridor will likely to bolster Turkish dual energy targets: meeting its growing energy interests and becoming an energy hub. Moreover, considering its scalability, the SGC will contribute the EU's ambition to diversify away from Russia and enable Azerbaijan to enter into the Western Balkan Energy Market. In order to materialize those prospects, several risks associated with the Southern Gas Corridor should be addressed: the amount of gas and security concerns.
Book Reviews by Alper Almaz
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Papers by Alper Almaz
Anahtar Kelimeler: Hoşnutsuzların Çevreciliği, Çevre Hareketleri, Narmada Bachao Andolan, Sardar Sarovar Barajı, Toplumsal Hareketler.
ENVIRONMENTALISM OF THE MALCONTENT AS A PROCESS: THE EXAMPLE OF SARDAR SAROVAR DAM FROM INDIA
ABSTRACT. In the neoliberal era, which redefines the power relations among the state-market-society-nature, the environmental movements differ in terms of their participants. Arsel, Akbulut and Adaman created the concept of “environmentalism of the malcontent” that moves beyond the distinction between the “environmentalism of the rich,” and the “environmentalism of the poor”. The purpose of this study is to re-evaluate the concept of the “environmentalism of the malcontent”. The study was undertaken by evaluating the participants of the environmental movement against the Sardar Sarovar Dam, located on the Narmada River in India, by undertaking qualitative research methods. Data is collected through individual and group interviews, and non-participant observation method during the field trip undertaken in India. In the article, it is argued that if the environmental movements are elaborated as a process which have transformative effects on its participants, the concept of the “environmentalism of the malcontent” can be used to define the environmentalism of not only the ones with the middle-class qualities, but also that of other groups in the environmental movement.
Keywords: Environmentalism of the Malcontent, Environmental Movements, Narmada Bachao Andolan, Sardar Sarovar Dam, Social Movements.
Semi-Academic papers by Alper Almaz
“Procurement diversification” through ensuring the flow of regional alternative natural gas reserves in the Caspian Basin is a viable strategy to address those energy risks in particular for the long-term ones. Indeed, immediate aftermath of consecutive gas disputes of 2006, 2008, 2009 crises with Russia; the European Commission (EC) initiated the Southern Gas Corridor or so-called the New Silk Road to transport gas supplies from Caspian and Middle Eastern regions through non-Russian routes.
In this context, Turkey has appeared as a critical transit country to transfer Caspian/Middle Eastern resources to Europe and come up with Trans-Anatolian Pipeline (TANAP) to export Azerbaijan’s Shah-Deniz II field’s natural gas reserves. Following Shah Deniz Consortium (SDC) members’ - BP, SOCAR and Total – decision to the Trans Adriatic Pipeline (TAP), rather than the Nabucco West, has been selected as the European route of the Southern Gas Corridor. In the coming days, there are also plans to link Middle Eastern natural gas resources to the Southern Gas Corridor.
Against this backdrop, this paper argues that the Southern Gas corridor will likely to bolster Turkish dual energy targets: meeting its growing energy interests and becoming an energy hub. Moreover, considering its scalability, the SGC will contribute the EU's ambition to diversify away from Russia and enable Azerbaijan to enter into the Western Balkan Energy Market. In order to materialize those prospects, several risks associated with the Southern Gas Corridor should be addressed: the amount of gas and security concerns.
Book Reviews by Alper Almaz
Anahtar Kelimeler: Hoşnutsuzların Çevreciliği, Çevre Hareketleri, Narmada Bachao Andolan, Sardar Sarovar Barajı, Toplumsal Hareketler.
ENVIRONMENTALISM OF THE MALCONTENT AS A PROCESS: THE EXAMPLE OF SARDAR SAROVAR DAM FROM INDIA
ABSTRACT. In the neoliberal era, which redefines the power relations among the state-market-society-nature, the environmental movements differ in terms of their participants. Arsel, Akbulut and Adaman created the concept of “environmentalism of the malcontent” that moves beyond the distinction between the “environmentalism of the rich,” and the “environmentalism of the poor”. The purpose of this study is to re-evaluate the concept of the “environmentalism of the malcontent”. The study was undertaken by evaluating the participants of the environmental movement against the Sardar Sarovar Dam, located on the Narmada River in India, by undertaking qualitative research methods. Data is collected through individual and group interviews, and non-participant observation method during the field trip undertaken in India. In the article, it is argued that if the environmental movements are elaborated as a process which have transformative effects on its participants, the concept of the “environmentalism of the malcontent” can be used to define the environmentalism of not only the ones with the middle-class qualities, but also that of other groups in the environmental movement.
Keywords: Environmentalism of the Malcontent, Environmental Movements, Narmada Bachao Andolan, Sardar Sarovar Dam, Social Movements.
“Procurement diversification” through ensuring the flow of regional alternative natural gas reserves in the Caspian Basin is a viable strategy to address those energy risks in particular for the long-term ones. Indeed, immediate aftermath of consecutive gas disputes of 2006, 2008, 2009 crises with Russia; the European Commission (EC) initiated the Southern Gas Corridor or so-called the New Silk Road to transport gas supplies from Caspian and Middle Eastern regions through non-Russian routes.
In this context, Turkey has appeared as a critical transit country to transfer Caspian/Middle Eastern resources to Europe and come up with Trans-Anatolian Pipeline (TANAP) to export Azerbaijan’s Shah-Deniz II field’s natural gas reserves. Following Shah Deniz Consortium (SDC) members’ - BP, SOCAR and Total – decision to the Trans Adriatic Pipeline (TAP), rather than the Nabucco West, has been selected as the European route of the Southern Gas Corridor. In the coming days, there are also plans to link Middle Eastern natural gas resources to the Southern Gas Corridor.
Against this backdrop, this paper argues that the Southern Gas corridor will likely to bolster Turkish dual energy targets: meeting its growing energy interests and becoming an energy hub. Moreover, considering its scalability, the SGC will contribute the EU's ambition to diversify away from Russia and enable Azerbaijan to enter into the Western Balkan Energy Market. In order to materialize those prospects, several risks associated with the Southern Gas Corridor should be addressed: the amount of gas and security concerns.