Social municipalism, social aid and woman: the example of Çankırı Municipality

With globalization, significant changes have occurred in central and local governments around the world. Until the 1980s, public services were carried out with the aim of ensuring equality in society. However, after the 1980s, under the influence of neoliberal policies, steps were taken towards the privatization of public services and the idea that the state should not intervene in the market was adopted. Increasing the level of welfare and effectively managing important issues such as education, housing, health and employment are vital for society. After 1980, most of the social services in Turkey were transferred to municipalities. This process aimed to enable local governments to meet the needs of society more effectively. However, due to the impact of privatization policies, there were difficulties in the quality and access of some services. Therefore, a balanced approach needs to be adopted for the sustainability and effectiveness of municipal services. This requires considering both the role of the private sector and the responsibilities of the state. In the study, while examining the development and transformation of municipalities in the pre- and post-Republic periods, the concept of social municipalism in terms of local governments is discussed. The concept of social municipalism means that municipalities provide services by taking into account not only infrastructure services but also the social needs of the society. In this context, social municipal practices were examined through the example of Çankırı Municipality. In particular, services for women were at the center of this analysis. Key Words: Social State, Local governments and Social Municipality, Çankırı Municipality.