Social policy process analysis of municipalities in Turkey after 2002 example of Samsun metropolitan municipality

Official URL: http://risc01.sabanciuniv.edu/record=b1606763 (Table of Contents)

There are many studies on social policy in the literature. It is possible to find studies especially on the social policy implementations of both central and local governments and on the legal basis of these implementations. However, it is difficult to find studies analyzing all the stages of social policies of administrations, starting from the process of formulation to the process of evaluation. In this thesis, with regard to this deficiency, after Justice and Development Party that is a newly established party came to power alone in 2002, social policies implemented by municipalities that are effective local government units on social policy are tried to be analyzed using process model. Samsun Metropolitan Municipality taking a place among the first five municipalities in terms of social expenditure ratios is studied as an example municipality. In this thesis, the scope of social policy that is a very broad field is restricted by policies oriented groups need to be supported. The aim of the thesis is to discuss municipal social policies after 2002 in detail accordingly the stages of the process model that are issue identification and agenda setting, policy formulation, policy adoption and legitimization, policy implementation and policy evaluation. Socio-economic datas are interpreted and interviews are done for this aim. In conclusion, in the analysis of social policy of municipalities that have taken newly perceptible steps on transparency, some difficulties has experienced about the analysis of some stages. With this thesis, introducing difficulties&problems encountered in the municipal social policy analysis, it could be ensured the increase in awareness for these problems and to make relevant units to work on the solutions of the problems.