Economic and Social Issues of East and Southeast Turkey: Policy Implications

Abstract

Today, the Southeastern and Eastern (SE&E) parts of Turkey are facing many problems. The clear difference in economic development between the Western and Eastern parts of Turkey has dropped the Eastern part into deep crises. Many have debated these crises and postulated different causes. Some say that it is an identity crisis and some argue that there is no substance, the economic bias, created against the Eastern part of Turkey which on the whole is inhabited by a different ethnic group. In this study, the current educational institutions and the economic situation in this region and the role of pre-university education in economic development of these parts of Turkey will be analyzed. Thus, the educational, economic and social structures of the SE&E parts of Turkey will be compared with Turkey as a whole. Based on these findings generalization will be made on factors causing the political instability that have been ongoing for many years in SE&E. The study will put forward suggestions for solutions to these problems.

Keywords: Education, Poverty, Regional Disparities, Southeast Turkey