SOCIAL SCIENCES STUDIES JOURNAL (SSSJournal), Year 2026 Issue Cilt 12 Sayı 3

Contemporary Visual Art in Azerbaijan: Soviet Legacies, Nonconformist Continuities, and Post Independence Transformations

Vahid Novruzov — 2026-03-28

This article analyzes the development of contemporary visual art in Azerbaijan from the late Soviet period to the present, foregrounding the reciprocal entanglement of official aesthetics, nonconformist practices, and post‑independence transformations. Drawing on cultural‑historical methods and close readings of emblematic artists and projects, the study traces how Soviet cultural policy standardized visual languages under the rubric of socialist realism while simultaneously enabling specific local articulations—notably the “severe style” associated with Tair Salakhov. The article highlights the emergence of nonconformist strategies in the 1960s–70s (Mirjavad Javad, Ashraf Murad, Gorkhmaz Effendiyev, Kamal Akhmed, Rasim Babayev, Muslim Abbasov) and the subsequent turn, in the late 1980s and 1990s, toward conceptual, installation, and performance‑based practices among a new generation (Sabina Shikhlinskaya, Chingiz Babayev, Babi Badalov, Teymur Daimi). Particular attention is paid to the consolidation of a contemporary art infrastructure in the 2000s—through curatorial initiatives such as “Zamanyn Ganadlary” (“Wings of Time”) and the participation of young artists in the Azerbaijani pavilion at the 2007 Venice Biennale—along with case studies that exemplify the reconfiguration of national tradition in a global idiom (Faig Ahmed, Rashad Alekperov/Alakbarov, Farid Rasulov, Orkhan Huseynov, Jeyhun Ojadov). Rather than framing the Soviet past through nostalgia or negation, the article proposes an analytic model of cultural memory wherein inherited visual grammars are critically reworked to produce forward‑looking forms. The Azerbaijani case thus contributes to broader debates about how post‑Soviet visual cultures negotiate between local legacies and the demands of global contemporaneity.

A Threshold Between Two Cultures: Hybrid Identity and the Search for Belonging in The Buddha of Suburbia

Kadir ÖgenMemet Metin Barlık — 2026-03-28

Colonialism is not only a form of political and economic domination, but also a historical process that leaves lasting marks on cultural and psychological levels. Although classic colonial structures dissolved after World War II, issues of identity, belonging, and representation have persisted in different forms in the post-colonial era. This has become particularly evident in postcolonial literature, which developed in the second half of the 20^th century. Postcolonial texts reveal the fragmented and negotiable nature of the post-colonial subject through concepts by Homi K. Bhabha such as cultural hybridity, identity crisis, ambivalence, and mimicry. Hanif Kureishi’s novel, The Buddha of Suburbia, is one of the important works at the centre of these discussions. Set in 1980s England, the novel combines both postmodern and postcolonial dynamics, reflecting cultural conflicts and the search for belonging through the experiences of Karim Amir, who possesses a hybrid identity. This study aims to analyse the transformative and sometimes destructive effects of cultural imperialism on individual identity by examining the novel within the framework of postcolonial theory. This analysis, conducted through the concepts of hybridity, ambivalence, mimicry, and identity crisis, aims to reveal how the novel makes visible the constantly reconstructed and performative structure of the post-colonial subject.

Analyzing the Feasibility of Turkey's MTP (2026–2028) Policies for Buildings: A Path to Near-Zero Energy Buildings (nZEB)

MERVE TUNA KAYILI — 2026-03-28

This study examines the policies and practices planned under the Medium-Term Program (MTP) for 2026–2028 regarding energy efficiency in buildings in Türkiye. The program aims to promote the widespread adoption of nearly zero-energy building (nZEB) standards for new construction, thereby minimizing energy demand and meeting the remaining energy needs through renewable energy sources. Enhancing renewable energy integration, particularly the expansion of systems such as solar power, is a strategic measure to improve energy supply security. Diversifying financial incentive mechanisms is crucial for accelerating investment in this sector. Finally, the development of digital monitoring and control systems is intended to enable the real-time tracking and management of energy consumption. This study analyzes the feasibility of these policy instruments, identifies potential implementation barriers, and provides recommendations to support Türkiye’s progress toward its energy efficiency target.

Consumer Ethnocentrism

Ebru Özkan — 2026-03-28

Ethnocentrism can be defined as the tendency of individuals to view their own culture as superior to other cultures. This tendency may hinder individuals from understanding and interacting with different cultures. The article examines the definition of ethnocentrism, its social and cultural dimensions, and its effects on individuals and society. In addition, the role of ethnocentrism in education, communication, and cultural awareness is discussed.

Ethnocentrism is defined as individuals perceiving their own culture as a universal norm and evaluating other cultures according to these norms (Sumner, 1906). This perspective plays an important role in social interactions and cultural evaluations. People, consciously or unconsciously, apply their own value judgments to other cultures, and this often leads to prejudice and misunderstandings.

The impact of ethnocentrism is not limited to individual perception; it can also be reinforced through social norms, educational systems, and the media. Considering cultural norms as central may result in the suppression or misinterpretation of different cultural expressions. In this context, ethnocentrism is a phenomenon that directly affects the balance between social cohesion and cultural diversity (Banks, 2016).

Sense Data and Knowledge of Acquaintance Problem

Damla Pınar Kürkçüoğlu — 2026-03-28

The question “What is being?” is asked alongside the question “What is the knowledge of being?”, and the latter often takes precedence over the former. This is because, in order to speak of the existence of something, it is essential to establish how it is known, and therefore this question can become more important than the question of what being is. This ontological question, which is quite difficult to answer, is actually asked not because we cannot know existence, but because we cannot know what existence is, and the meaning of the question is lost while trying to answer it. So much so that on the paths leading to the unknown, it can even lead to doubt about the source of the question, that is, existence itself. However, doubt about “the knowledge of what stands before me” should not be the source of doubt about “what stands before me”. Here, it will be questioned why the obstacles that arise between the knowledge of things and the subject seeking to acquire this knowledge, particularly the obstacles created by sense data and the problem of acquaintance, should not constitute an obstacle to the simple knowledge of the independent existence of things. In this sense, the sense data reliability problem and the scope of knowledge of acquaintance will be addressed. To resolve the problem, the distinction between subject and object will be made as the opposition between the “self” and the “other”, and an attempt will be made to show that the “knowing subject” is different from the object “self”.

A Psychoanalytic Reading of Love

Baran Şeker — 2026-03-28

This study is a theoretical narrative review that examines love within psychoanalytic theory. Rather than relying on a single explanatory model, psychoanalytic approaches conceptualize love through the subject’s psychic structure, dynamics of desire, and modes of relating to the object. Accordingly, love is discussed in Freudian metapsychology in relation to narcissism and libidinal investment, in object relations theories through ambivalence and reparation, and in Lacanian theory through lack and desire. Clinical literature is further considered to highlight the experiential forms of love in narcissistic, hysterical, and borderline configurations. Love is approached neither as a fully gratifying union nor as inherently pathological attachment, but as a multilayered domain revealing self-esteem regulation, dependency capacity, and the subject’s relation to the Other. The aim is to offer an integrative psychoanalytic framework that supports a more comprehensive understanding of love at both theoretical and clinical levels.

The Digital Economy Paradigm: Conceptual Framework, Structural Characteristics, and Macroeconomic Transformation

Levent Aksu — 2026-03-28

This study aims to analyze the digital economy paradigm by examining its conceptual foundations, structural characteristics, and macroeconomic implications. Rapid advances in information and communication technologies have fundamentally transformed production, distribution, consumption, and governance processes, elevating data to the status of a strategic factor of production. The digital economy represents not merely a technological shift but a comprehensive economic transformation characterized by new business models, competitive structures, and mechanisms of value creation. The paper systematically reviews the diverse definitions and theoretical approaches to the digital economy in the literature, focusing on its core components such as the data economy, platform-based markets, digital payment systems, and cyber-physical infrastructures. In addition, it discusses the methodological challenges involved in measuring the digital economy, highlighting the limitations of traditional national income accounting systems. Since digital economic activities largely rely on intangible assets, their actual contribution to macroeconomic indicators such as GDP is often underestimated.

A key dimension of the study concerns the impact of the digital economy on labor markets, income distribution, and human capital. Automation, artificial intelligence, and algorithm-driven production processes are reshaping skill structures while simultaneously intensifying risks related to digital inequality and the digital divide. The study emphasizes that, without inclusive and coordinated policy frameworks, digital transformation may exacerbate existing economic and social disparities. Focusing on the case of Türkiye, the paper evaluates developments in digital infrastructure, R&D expenditures, e-government services, and human capital formation.

Post-Traumatıc Stress Dısorder In Dısaster Vıctıms: A Bıblıometrıc Analysıs Study

Zeynep Tekkuş Set — 2026-03-28

Earthquakes are considered among traumatic events that can create profound and long-lasting effects on individuals’ mental health due to their sudden onset, uncontrollable nature, and impact on large populations. One of the most frequently reported psychological outcomes following large-scale earthquakes is post-traumatic stress disorder. Although the number of scientific studies conducted in this field has increased markedly in recent years, research that comprehensively reveals the structural characteristics, knowledge production centers, and research trends of the post-earthquake post-traumatic stress disorder literature remains limited. This study was conducted using a bibliometric analysis approach. Within the scope of the research, publications indexed in the Web of Science and Scopus databases were examined. Studies addressing the relationship between earthquakes and post-traumatic stress disorder were identified through predefined keywords, and analyses were performed according to publication year, journal, author, country, institution, citation counts, and keyword patterns. Descriptive statistics and network-based analysis techniques were used in the analysis of the data. The findings indicate that the number of publications on post-earthquake post-traumatic stress disorder has increased substantially in recent years and that these studies are predominantly concentrated in the fields of psychology, psychiatry, and health sciences. The most highly cited publications were found to cluster around themes such as coping strategies, social support, psychological resilience, and risk factors, while international collaborations were observed to be concentrated around specific countries and institutions. In addition, keyword analyses suggest that the field has expanded over time from a primary focus on clinical symptoms toward multidimensional psychosocial processes. This study presents a bibliometric map of the post-earthquake post-traumatic stress disorder literature, making the developmental dynamics of the field visible and providing a guiding framework for future theoretical and applied research.

The Importance of Health Tourism in the World and in Turkey; Turkey's SWOT Analysis

Gülay Tamer — 2026-03-28

This study aims to examine the growing global significance of health tourism and to evaluate Türkiye’s current position and strategic potential in this field. Rising expectations regarding access, cost, and quality of healthcare have fueled the expansion of an international health tourism market encompassing a broad range of services, from medical treatment to thermal and wellness offerings, as well as elderly and disabled care. The study first addresses the definition, scope, and historical evolution of health tourism, and then reviews global market dynamics, leading destination countries, and recent sectoral trends. Focusing on Türkiye, the analysis assesses the country’s current performance through key determinants such as healthcare infrastructure, cost competitiveness, geographical accessibility, qualified human resources, and public incentives. The primary analytical approach is SWOT analysis, which systematically identifies Türkiye’s strengths and weaknesses alongside external opportunities and threats. The research is grounded in reliable sources, including TurkStat (TÜİK) data, OECD Health Statistics reports, and recent academic literature. The findings highlight that enhancing international competitiveness requires strengthening promotion and marketing capacity, improving service standardization and the regulatory framework, advancing foreign-language and patient communication competencies, expanding telemedicine and digital health applications, and implementing regional diversification strategies that support year-round demand. Overall, health tourism represents a high value-added source of foreign currency inflows and employment for Türkiye; however, sustainable growth depends on comprehensive, quality-oriented policy measures and coordinated stakeholder action.

Visualization of the Sacred Space Concept in Ancient Turkic Societıes Through Text Prompts Using Generative Artificial Intelligence

Ali Ateş Firdevs Kulak Torun — 2026-03-28

This study is designed around generating text prompts based on information obtained from the literature on the transformation and change in the conceptions of sacred space among Turkic societies during the Asian Hun, Göktürk, and Uygur periods, and subsequently visualizing these prompts through generative artificial intelligence. Within the scope of the study, a literature review was first conducted regarding the use and understanding of sacred spaces in the Asian Hun, Göktürk, and Uygur periods. Based on the data obtained, text prompts were created for each period. The generated text prompts were visualized with the support of a generative artificial intelligence tool called Midjourney. Six images were obtained for each period. These images were then evaluated in terms of periodization, spatial type, spatial organization, and the use of tangible elements. Thus, both the AI-generated images and the text prompts created to produce the images were included in the evaluation. The findings indicate that periodization was generally achieved in the images produced for the three periods; however, certain historical details could become intermingled with elements belonging to different periods. While the spatial type and spatial configuration were obtained successfully in most cases, it was observed that the desired interior spatial organizations could not be generated, particularly in the interior compositions of the Göktürk period, even when the textual inputs were strengthened. Although tangible elements were largely present in the images, deviations were identified in the accuracy of these elements in terms of their size and placement. Consequently, the study demonstrates that generative artificial intelligence is a powerful tool for representing historical sacred spaces at a conceptual level; however, it also reveals that, in order to enhance historical accuracy and period-specific differentiation, text prompts should be constructed in a more detailed manner, with clearer boundaries, and in a fluent and incremental structure. In addition, for future studies, it is recommended to increase the scientific reliability of the out puts through evaluation frameworks such as expert validation and comparisons across different tools.

An Evaluation of the Digitalization and E-Transformation Process in Terms of Accounting Professional Ethics: A Conceptual Review

Dilek Küçük — 2026-03-28

TThe digitalization of paper-based processes through e-Transformation enhances speed, transparency, and accuracy. The rapid expansion of digital applications within the accounting profession necessitates a comprehensive evaluation of this transformation in terms of professional ethics and data security. This study explains the concepts of digital transformation and e-Transformation and examines the transformation of the accounting profession within the context of e-invoice, e-ledger, e-declaration, and e-government applications. Based on a literature review, the findings indicate that digitalization increases transparency and efficiency in accounting processes; however, it also gives rise to ethical risks such as data security concerns, unauthorized access, and the blurring of professional responsibility boundaries. In addition, disparities in technological infrastructure and compliance costs may create significant challenges for businesses. Therefore, the success of e-Transformation depends not only on technical infrastructure but also on strengthening institutional capacity, education, and ethical standards. The study emphasizes that the e-Transformation process should be addressed holistically, encompassing not only technical aspects but also ethical and governance dimensions, and highlights the importance of ethics-based digital transformation approaches for the sustainability of the accounting profession.

A Sociological Assessment of Generation Z's Time Consumption Habits

Dolunay Şenol Yeter Nursu Çelebi — 2026-03-28

This study examines Generation Z's time consumption practices from a sociological perspective within the fluid conditions that characterize the late modern era. In modern societies, time has ceased to be a neutral resource subject to individual planning; it has become a social phenomenon that is structured, controlled, and consumed in line with expectations of productivity, speed, and performance. Within this framework, time consumption is approached as an analytical concept that reveals not so much how individuals use time, but rather the social, economic, and cultural conditions under which time is inevitably consumed by individuals. The theoretical background of the study is based on Bauman's approach to liquid modernity. The research is designed as a qualitative study based on semi-structured interviews with 21 students belonging to Generation Z who are studying at the Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences at Kırıkkale University. The findings reveal that university students largely divide their time in their daily lives between educational processes, work practices driven by economic concerns, and digital platforms. It is observed that free time is increasingly moving away from being an area for rest, socialization, and self-actualization; it is transforming into a time period that is attempted to be compensated for through the internet and social media due to limited spatial, economic, and cultural opportunities. The uncertainty, insecurity, and culture of speed produced by liquid modernity fragment young

people's perception of time; it deepens the feeling of not being able to control time. This situation reveals that Generation Z's time consumption practices are determined by structural conditions rather than individual preferences. The study shows that university students' time consumption should be evaluated not as a moral, individual, or generational problem, but as a social phenomenon related to the opportunities offered to young people by late modern society and the boundaries it draws.

The Symbolic Power of the Pomegranate: A Cultural Reading in the Context of Gastrodiplomacy and Soft Power

Mehmet BiçiciElif Zülal Saygın — 2026-03-28

This study examines the pomegranate (Punica granatum L.) not merely as a botanical or folkloric element, but as a multidimensional cultural symbol shaped by historical, mythological, religious, and ritual meanings, and reinterpreted within the contemporary framework of gastrodiplomacy and soft power. Across a wide geography extending from the Ancient Near East to the Mediterranean basin, and from Central Asia to Anatolia, the pomegranate has been consistently associated with fertility, abundance, continuity, sanctity, and immortality, thereby functioning as a durable carrier of collective memory. The main objective of this study is to analyze the historical continuity and cross-cultural circulation of the pomegranate through an integrated perspective that combines symbolism, cultural memory, and gastronomic diplomacy.

The research adopts a qualitative methodology based on the comparative analysis of historical texts, mythological narratives, sacred scriptures, folk beliefs, rituals, and elements of culinary culture. The theoretical framework draws on Mircea Eliade’s distinction between the sacred and the profane, Jan Assmann’s theory of cultural memory, and Victor Turner’s concepts of ritual and liminality. Within this framework, the pomegranate is conceptualized not as a static remnant of the past, but as a dynamic symbol continuously reinterpreted within different cultural contexts.

The findings indicate that the pomegranate, through gastronomy, enables the translation of local cultural meanings into a universal language and can therefore function as a tangible instrument of soft power. By linking cultural continuity with contemporary practices of nation branding and gastrodiplomacy, this study contributes an original perspective to the literature on cultural symbolism and international relations.

The Curtain of Labor: Representation of Working Life in Yeşilçam

Eray Karagöz — 2026-03-28

The social structure of Turkey has significantly shaped all forms of artistic expression, particularly cinema. The sociopolitical transformations of the 1960s marked the end of apolitical cinematic narratives, giving rise to films that reflected the existential struggles of the working class. A range of themes—from labor organization to the pursuit of rights—began to emerge in cinema, portraying early manifestations of class consciousness in Turkish society.

Within this study, the films Karanlıkta Uyananlar, Diyet, and Çark are examined for their symbolic significance. Karanlıkta Uyananlar, considered the first film to depict a labor strike in Yeşilçam cinema, reveals the political potential of cinema and emphasizes union struggle. Diyet blends the theme of exploitation with human drama, reflecting both alienation and the secondary status of women. Meanwhile, Çark explores the neoliberal transformation that occurred after the 1980s and its tragic consequences for the working class.

Although these three films were released in different periods, they are unified by their focus on labor struggle and social realities. Each of them openly addresses themes such as class conflict, alienation, urbanization, and traditional perspectives in Turkey. The representation of labor in Yeşilçam cinema thus embodies an ideological reflection of the inequalities born out of Turkey’s modernization process, delayed industrialization, and the evolution of class consciousness. Consequently, Yeşilçam should not only be viewed as a cultural memory from the past, but also as a critical lens through which the history of labor in Turkey can be understood.

Data Bodies and Digital Surveillance in Hito Steyerl’s Video Practices in The Post-Internet Condition

Engin Aslan — 2026-03-28

Hito Steyerl is an artist whose work critically addresses global capital relations within the framework of digital technologies, media infrastructures, and the intersection of art and politics. In the context of Post-Internet politics, images can be understood not merely as representations but as functional spaces that circulate, enable surveillance, and generate forms of labor based on data. The artist’s works occupy a central position within this transformation, opening the mechanisms that reduce the body to data, digital surveillance systems, and the circulation networks of images to discussion from a questioning perspective. By positioning the viewer as both observer and observed, she transforms aesthetic experience into a form of political consciousness and a site for agency and resistance. In this context, Steyerl’s works produced between 2013 and 2015, such as “How Not to Be Seen” and “Factory of the Sun”, are video-essay works that address the transformation and redefinition of the body into data and digital networks in the Post-Internet era. Steyerl’s concept of data-bodies functions as an analytical tool that reveals how economic and political structures shape, regulate, and organize the body, beyond individual surveillance and observation. This article examines Steyerl’s work within a framework of political thinking intertwined with digital infrastructures, surveillance mechanisms, and data circulation networks in the Post-Internet era. In this context, Michel Foucault’s analyses of disciplinary power, panoptic surveillance, and visibility are employed to understand how digital surveillance operates as a technology of power that shapes, directs, and produces subjects, as exemplified in Steyerl’s video practices. The study discusses Steyerl’s conceptualization of data-bodies, the dynamics of visibility and invisibility, and visual power structures, considering the transformation of the body, image, and information within digital culture. Consequently, her political-aesthetic production is positioned as a critical contribution to contemporary debates on digital culture and surveillance societies.