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The Politics of Digital Transformation and Bureaucratic Change in Türkiye
Abstract
This paper examines the process of adopting information and communication technologies (ICTs) within public administration in Türkiye, with a specific focus on Digital Government reforms. The research delves into the intricate dynamics that have been unfolding between these reforms and political transitions since the 2010s. The primary aim is to comprehend both the material and ideational conditions that empower political leadership to garner support for Digital Government reforms, as well as to elucidate the consequences of these reforms on the governmental system. The concept of Digital Government entails the integration of ICTs into the delivery of government services, underpinned by the notion that ICTs possess the potential to enhance public administration by rendering it more efficient, transparent, and accountable. Nonetheless, the pursuit of heightened transparency and inter-agency collaboration can potentially clash with the established interests and practices of state bodies. By adopting a perspective that regards the state as a multifaceted entity characterized by competing interests, this paper emphasizes the political factors, discourses, and processes that influence the implementation of these reforms within the Turkish context. The contention put forth is that the rivalry among political elites assumes a pivotal role in shaping the priorities and outcomes of Digital Government reforms. These political elites leverage Digital Government reforms to renegotiate their positions of power within the state apparatus's hierarchy and to expand their resources. Drawing upon a qualitative methodology that combines institutional analysis, textual analysis, elite interviewing, and participant observation, the paper offers an empirical account of social construction of technology within the domain of public administration. Moreover, it revisits the relationship between ICTs and regime resilience.
Discipline
International Relations/Affairs
Other
Political Science
Geographic Area
All Middle East
Turkey
Sub Area
None