The Human Development Monitor– conducted by INGEV and Istanbul Bilgi University’s Faculty of Communications – aimed to investigate perceptions of social cohesion and common good, the latter of which is defined as decisions, methods, measures or activities that benefit the whole community or a majority of its members.
To work towards the common good, individuals should consider not only what is good for them but about the welfare of other members of society when making decisions. The study found that the perceived common good is notably poor.
The research study revealed that the majority of the Turkish public said, “People [in our country] violate the rules when it aligns with their interests.” Another significant finding was the widespread idea that rules are not followed unless there are sanctions, with 58% of respondents reporting so. The Covid-19 pandemic exacerbated these feelings.
Authored by Professor Halil Nalcaoglu (Dean, Istanbul Bilgi University, Faculty of Communication), the white paper based on the Human Development Monitor examines the relationship between trust and understanding of common good in Turkey, and presents an assessment on how these affect the response against Covid-19.
Please click on the link below to view the report…