Resistance and Collective action in May Day Neighbourhood in Istanbul (1977-2007)

This communication, a part of a current research project, aims to discuss about a collective mobilisation organised in an illegal neighbourhood by socialist political groups in 70s in order to create a social life style and to constitute a border against nationalist and militarist orientation of Turkish political system followed by a Coup d''Etat in 1980. We will try to examine the emergence of collective identity and action, the forms of collective protest and the role of State repression in the organisation of this mobilisation. The neighbourhoodorganised always a large scale resistance in order to prevent access to police forces. The State, at local and national level, conducted a physical and symbolic sttrugle (more than ten inhabitants were died in several riots) against the inhabitants of May Day bit it was never successful to destroy this quarter until the end of 90s. The Turkish political system and State are now changed. We would like also to enlighten if the forms of resistance and collective action are also changed in May Day Neighbourhood, and if yes, to show how the evolution can be analysed in this sens.