Facing with the former paradigm: Neo-spritualism and new social movements in Turkey

In this research, the raising interest to neo-spiritualist practices in Turkey had been centered as a core subject. This widespreading trends' social- structural impacts can be seen on the daily life styles and habits. In social science literature, these movements have been evaluated either new religious tendencies or new consumer materials. So the need for the structural analysis has been emerged to have a broad perspective on the relationship between neo-spiritualism and new social movements. Therefore on this thesis, the focus is on the allegation of constructed social systems' failure on compensating with the demands based of the some part of the society. In the research, social constructivist and critical social methods had been used as a qualitative research approach. From this way, the causality of the neo-spiritualist life styles and the social structures can be described with their underlying relationships in an analytical way. In the consequence of the field search, the social- demographic features of the neo-spiritualists, the meaning had been given to the practices had been shared. Individuals who took on this neo-spiritual perspective and life style are the ones that in need alternative therapies and treatments as a third way in between dogmatic and scientific methods. Also it arise as a solution for the instrumental rationalism that affects individuals on alienation from their body, emotions and the nature. Also the neo-spiritualists have a motto related with the social progress and organisational form similar to the new social movements. But in the end they differ from movements with the lack of activism part but they are sensitive to the social problems and they do not prefer old paradigm's patriarchal discourses. So the neo-spiritulists have a personal positions against the modern structure and therefore they anticipate the social change with their passive resistance.