Earthquake Disaster Management in Turkey and the Contractor As a Scapegoat Figure

The Anthropocene represents a transformative epoch where human activity is the dominant force shaping the environment, creating unprecedented legal and societal challenges. Turkey, as a high seismic activity has witnessed the collapse of over 35,000 buildings and the loss of more than 50,000 lives in the 2023 earthquakes which has prompted critical evaluations of current disaster management. This research examines the “judicialization” of earthquakes, exploring how criminal justice addresses the environmental dimensions of disasters through the prosecution of contractors. Central to this inquiry is the contractor’s evolving role as a scapegoat figure within the justice system and how this reflects broader socio-political responses to environmental destruction.

By analyzing legal and social reactions, this study poses several key questions: How is the contractor’s responsibility defined in terms of punishment? Does the criminal justice system adopt a protective perspective or a punitive treatment in the trials of contractors? How do the actors of the justice system take their stand, and according to what do they change? What strategies do the parties (victims and defendants) to the proceedings adopt in response? Which is the contribution of experts and “out of court” actors to the trials and how do they influence the state of affairs?

To answer these questions, we will conduct interviews with a range of stakeholders, including judicial actors (judges, prosecutors, lawyers, defendants, victims, experts) and "out of court" actors (journalists, NGOs, public opinion). Additionally, through participant observation of ongoing and future trials, we will explore how judicial rituals serve to address societal trauma by holding contractors accountable, thus illustrating the justice system’s role in managing disasters. This research ultimately aims to shed light on how criminal justice systems navigate the complex intersections of legal, environmental, and social responsibilities in the Anthropocene era.