Poverty, beyond being a mere lack of resources, is a profound ideological mechanism constructed by political powers to legitimize existing inequalities and maintain control over the masses. This process, which transformed into a "poverty industry" during the neoliberal era, aims to turn the poor into passive subjects by seeking the source of the problem in the "inadequacies" of individuals rather than in the structural failures of the system. Particularly in the context of the Kurdish issue, poverty is systematically produced through political tools such as historical dispossession, forced migration, and deprivation of education in the mother tongue. It is used as a strategic area of "taming" to suppress demands for political identity and to make society dependent on the state through social assistance.
This panel, organized by Özgür Amed, Şerif Camcı, and Semiha Arı, aims to move poverty beyond a relationship of "favor or charity" to a foundation of rights-based justice and equal citizenship. Breaking the intergenerational chain of poverty, ranging from seasonal agricultural work and child labor to the exploitation of women and pedagogical inequalities, requires framing peace not merely as the absence of conflict, but as the institutional guarantee of a dignified life. It will be emphasized that social peace and freedom can only be built through original approaches that strengthen local democracy, reject dependency relationships, and view social solidarity as a liberating process of subjectification. The panel will then open a discussion on the common democratic ground for a solution.
About the speakers:
Özgür Amed - He conducts research on memory studies, political humor, and the Kurdish issue. He continues to write for various platforms, newspapers, and magazines. He has two books: "Böbreğimi Kim yedi?" (Lîs Publications, 2018) and "Kürdocul İşler" (Tevn Publications, 2011).
Şerif Camcı - Born in Diyarbakır in 1965. A significant part of his life has been intertwined with social and political activities focused on community work. He has undertaken active roles and responsibilities in local government, trade union, association, foundation, platform, and political party work. He continues to contribute to local government work at the central level.
Semiha Arı - An activist with a long history in the feminist movement and a researcher working on women's labor. She completed her doctorate in sociology. She conducted postdoctoral studies at Wits University and Sabancı University.