There is a large and growing literature on Turkish politics in general and the AKP in particular. However local government and party organization although very important topics are strikingly understudied. This book compares local politics in two Central Anatolian cities Konya and EskiÅŸehir ruled by different governmental parties the AKP in Konya and the CHP in EskiÅŸehir. It analyzes how national political parties adapt to local contexts (âculture of everyday politicsâ) and how they seek to influence local culture (âpolitics of everyday cultureâ). By examining how municipal politics is practiced on a daily basis it illuminates more fundamental aspects of Turkish politics such as political mobilization establishing links between voters and politicians various practices of decision-making and the role of civil society. All of this has been critical for the AKPâs continuous electoral success since 2002. The findings are based on over 1. 5 years of fieldwork in the two cities as well as over 50 interviews with national and local political actors. The main fields of research are mayoral biographies municipal practices particularly with regard to welfare and service provision the cooperation with other municipal actors as political parties or civil society organizations; urban planning activities and cultural policy. The study helps to comprehend more fundamental aspects of Turkish politics such as political mobilization the establishing of links between voters municipalities and parties as well as decision-making processes. Municipal Politics in Turkey fills a gap in existing literature by illuminating the fundamental aspects of Turkish politics such as political mobilization the establishing of links between voters municipalities and parties as well as decision-making processes. It will be a valuable resource for students and scholars interested in Turkish Politics and political parties municipal/local . Language: English