The Social Organisation of Migrant Smugglers in Turkey: Roles and Functions

Thousands of irregular migrants and refugees are transported from conflict areas and/or underdeveloped countries to wealthy Western states. These transfers are usually facilitated and arranged by migrant smuggling organisations. This paper reflects part of a comprehensive research project on irregular migration and migrant smuggling in Turkey and examines the structure and networks of smugglers operating in Turkey. Based on face-to-face interviews with smugglers (N?=?54), it aims to shed light on migrant smugglers, smuggling structures and their organisations in Turkey. The findings suggest that the migrant smuggling business is composed of networks established at the local, national and international levels. These are structured on an ad hoc basis and are often adaptable to any changes and opportunities that may arise.     

The exchange of Greek and Turkish populations in 1920s and its socio-economic impacts on the life in Anatolia

The topic of this paper is the population exchange that took place between the Turkish and Greek states in the 1920s. The socio political conditions that led to the exchange, the official agreements between the two states, the real experiences of the immigrants, the regulations of the Turkish state, the ignorance of the Turkish state and academia about the exchange, the socio-economic effects of the exchange on life in Anatolia are the topics mentioned and in this article. The basic aim of this paper is to reintroduce the topic, which seems to be put aside, in a systematic manner based on the referenced books. Another aim is to stress its importance for the nationalization process for both Turkish and Greek lands. The major concern here is life in Anatolia. Therefore, it is claimed that the population exchange was very effective in nationalization of the population, economy and culture in Anatolia. How the immigrants took part in nationalization and how nationalization provided them a way of constructing their identity are explained. It is argued that the nationalism of the young Turkish Republic provided the immigrants with a possibility to construct their identity in a way to differentiate themselves from the native Turks. The socio economic impact of the population exchange on life in Anatolia is so big that this forgotten topic deserves to be dwelled upon. Therefore, it is stated that in order to understand the nationalization and socio-economic development of Anatolia the population exchange of the 1920s should be studied and understood in more detail.     

Compound muscle action potential analysis in different death models: significance for the estimation of early postmortem interval

In this experimental study, we investigated the varieties of excitability of gastrocnemius muscle via sciatic nerve as per different death models (asphyxia, abundant-bleeding and gradual-bleeding) on rats and the significance for the estimation of postmortem interval was evaluated. For this purpose, the rats were applied different stimulus intensities (5, 20, 40 mA) with 0.1 ms duration, before, during and every 5 min after death, using rectangular impulses, and the mean amplitude, onset latency and area values for each compound muscle action potential (CMAP) were elicited. It was detected that amplitude and area increased and onset latencies prolonged in the first postmortem 15 min. From the 15 min, CMAP area and amplitude showed an ever-increasing decrease and the prolongation of onset latencies became apparent. The decrease rate of area and amplitude was found to be statistically significantly different in asphyxia and abundant-bleeding models compared with in gradual-bleeding model, at 30 min measurements. However, there was not any significant difference in onset latency increase rates of three groups. Separately, any significant correlation between the agony and excitability periods among the groups could not be detected. The fact that the increase rate of onset latency did not show a significant difference as per death models indicated that onset latency ratios would be more appropriate criteria in determination of postmortem interval, regardless the reason of death.     

Population study of six short tandem repeat loci in Antalya,Turkey

Population studies of six short tandem repeat loci were carried out in a sample of unrelated Turkish individuals living in Antalya province, southwest Turkey. After electrophoresis in polyacrylamide gels, 8 alleles could be identified for THO1, 6 for TPOX and CSF1PO, 9 for VWA, 7 for FES, and 14 for F13A01. There was a significant deviation from the Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium between observed and expected values for FES and TPOX loci.     

Relationship Between Self‐Injurious Behaviors and Levels of Aggression in Children and Adolescents Who Were Subject to Medicolegal Examination,

Aggression, which is defined as a behavior causing harm or pain, is a behavioral pattern typically expected in children and adolescents who are involved in criminal activities. The aim of this study was to examine the relationship between aggression and self‐injurious behavior (SIB) in children and adolescents. The study was performed in 295 cases which were sent for medicolegal examination. The mean age of the subjects was 14.27 ± 1.05 years (age range 10–18 years). The aggression levels of the subjects were determined using the Aggression Questionnaire (AQ), which is an updated form of the Buss‐Durkee Hostility Inventory. The mean total AQ score of the subjects with and without SIB was 78.04 ± 21.0 and 62.75 ± 18.05, respectively (p < 0.01). There were significant statistical differences between the two groups with respect to their subscale scores (p < 0.01). It was concluded that the levels of aggression increased in children and adolescents who were involved in criminal activities when the SIBs increased.     

The Case of <Emphasis Type="Italic">variae lectiones</Emphasis> in Classical Islamic Jurisprudence: Grammar and the Interpretation of Law

The qirā?āt or variae lectiones represent the vast corpus of Qur?ānic readings that were preserved through the historical processes associated with the textual codification and transmission of the Qur?ān. Despite the fact that differences among concomitant readings tend to be nominal, others betray semantic nuances that are brought into play within legal discourses. Both types of readings remain important sources for the history of the text of the Qur’ān and early Arabic grammatical thought. While some recent scholars have questioned the historical function and nature of the corpus of qirā?āt, others have argued that specific types of variant readings were the resultant products of attempts to circumvent legal inconsistencies which were found in text of the Qur?ān or were generated through legal debates. Following a preliminary review of the historical framework of the genesis of qirā?āt through reference to early grammatical literature, an attempt will be made to shed some light on the role that semantic variation among concomitant readings played in the synthesis and interpretation of law. The aim will be to draw attention to the subtle theoretical frameworks employed by jurists for their contextualization and analysis. This will also include a review of attitudes towards the forms of qirā?āt that classical scholarship designated as being anomalous or shādhdha.     

Social Science and the Public Interest

Social Science and the Public Interest

Social Science and the Public Interest May/June 2010