On July 16, DPI held an online assessment meeting entitled ‘Constitution Making Process in Polarised Societies’ with Fazıl Hüsnü Erdem, professor of constitutional law at Dicle University and a member of the Wise People’s Committee during the peace process in Turkey. DPI holds regular assessment meetings, inviting speakers representing different political backgrounds, to convey the ideas of various circles on contemporary issues and discussions that are ongoing in Turkey, specifically on matters related to conflict resolution. This assessment meeting was also timely since it was ahead of DPI’s upcoming new series on the legal foundations of peace, which will focus on the legal mechanisms behind peacebuilding, such as constitution-making, and any obstacles which hinder these mechanisms.
In his presentation, Prof Dr Fazıl Hüsnü Erdem talked about the constitution-making process in polarised societies, outlining the potential challenges of this process and various methodologies designed for deeply divided societies. He also discussed the significances of these for the constitution-making process in Turkey and how this process can influence future peacebuilding efforts. A productive discussion followed, during which participants engaged with the speaker on various implications of a constitution-making process in conflict resolution, as well as the steps that need to be taken in order to create an environment where an inclusive constitution-making process is possible in Turkey. DPI will continue to discuss these issues in detail as part of DPI’s upcoming series on the legal foundations of peace.
The online assessment meeting forms part of a larger series of activities planned in the context of the project: “Forging Pathways to Peace and Democracy in Turkey”, supported by the Norwegian and Irish governments.