A study on Zonguldak Bülent Ecevit University students' knowledge, perceptions and attitudes regarding military coups

Military coups are the overthrow of existing governments by force and pressure through the resignation of the power held by the army. This situation generally arises when the army goes beyond the field of duty defined for itself within the constitutional order, or when it interprets the existing constitutional and legal provisions in a way that legitimizes its intervention. In this framework, it is seen that the reasons for carrying out military coups show similarities and differences according to the conditions of the period. For example, in many sources in the literature, it is seen that the political history of Turkey is described as a history of military coups. The reason for this is that the changing political, social, and economic conditions during the period were considered a legitimate reason for a coup. Therefore, coups carried out almost every ten years have affected Turkey politically, socially, and economically. As a result of the coups carried out, the democratic process was suspended, fundamental rights and freedoms were restricted, anti-democratic practices were implemented, and significant changes were experienced in the state and social order. Starting from 1960, military coups have been quite influential in the formation of today's society. Among the most damaged within the newly formed society were political parties. In this context, the reason for choosing the subject is the need to examine the knowledge, perceptions, and attitudes of Zonguldak Bülent Ecevit University students regarding military coups. In the study, by measuring the knowledge, perceptions, and attitudes of the students on this subject, it was tried to reveal the relationship of these elements with demographic variables. According to the research findings, it was seen that the majority of students found military coups unacceptable within the democratic order. Based on the findings, it was seen that students viewed coups as a phenomenon that interrupted the democratic process and increased social polarization. In parallel with the political history of Turkey, students emphasized elements such as political polarization, economic crisis, and loss of legitimacy regarding the reasons for coups. Finally, it was observed that students interested in politics had a high level of knowledge about the coup. In general, it was understood that students displayed a negative attitude regarding coups.