ABSTRACT
The article attempts analyze the concept of “elderliness” and how it is perceived in Turkey in order to better comprehend Turkey’s position within the Southern European Model. There are two significant aspects in this analysis. The first is that both the Southern European Model and Turkey are currently dealing with the issue of old-age, and the second is that since one major aspect of the Southern European Welfare (and Turkey) is that it is an “elderly-centric” model, it is therefore necessary to seriously reflect on elderliness and its role in Turkish society. This article presupposes that Turkey is a part of the Model, and this article is therefore an effort to understand the position of Turkey’s welfare regime in terms of old age. However, the main focus is not on the distribution of welfare to the elderly; but on “how elderly are perceived by society at large.” This perception will be analyzed by examining the “elderly base” of Turkey’s welfare regime. This analysis will be explained by understand two dichotomies held by (1) the Turkish family and (2) the market. Thus, understanding the dichotomy of “being in a position of responsibility” versus “being one who has a problem” within the Turkish family psyche as well as how the elderly are understood within a “production-consumption” based mentality (the market’s perception) will aid in comprehending the Turkish welfare regime.
REFERENCES
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