Natural disasters and earthquakes in Türkiye as a factor of social change

This study is based on the idea that earthquakes should not be regarded merely as natural disasters but also as transformative elements of social change. Earthquakes can lead to profound transformations in the socio-cultural structures of societies, settlement patterns, demographic structures, and state-society relations. Understanding the social effects of earthquakes requires evaluating them not only as physical destruction but also as critical turning points in social systems. The main subject of this thesis is to examine the effects of earthquakes on social change from a sociological perspective. In this context, the primary aim of the study is to reveal the transformative power of earthquakes on social structures, institutions, and relationships. Through historical examples from Turkey, such as the 1939 Erzincan, 1999 Marmara, and 2023 Kahramanmaraş earthquakes, the study demonstrates that earthquakes result in not only material damage but also significant social consequences. A qualitative approach was adopted in this research, and the method used was literature review. Relevant academic sources and reports were analyzed to examine the effects of disasters on social structure within a conceptual framework. Phenomena such as reconstruction, migration, solidarity, and social disruption that emerge after earthquakes constitute the main focus of this study. This thesis emphasizes that in addition to causing sudden changes in the physical environment, earthquakes necessitate a reshaping of social order. In conclusion, it argues that earthquakes are not only destructive but also transformative events, playing a critical role in processes of social change