“Whatever They Say I Do the Opposite”: Vaccine Resistance in Turkey During the Covid-19 Pandemic

Abstract

Following a 2015 ruling in the Turkish Supreme Court, vaccine resistance has increased significantly in Turkey. Where childhood vaccination was once compulsory, it is now voluntary, enabling the transformation of Turkish lay medical culture. This medical culture rose in political importance during the COVID-19 pandemic. Yet, little is known about vaccine hesitancy and resistance in Turkey, and the interconnections with the wider political atmosphere in the country. We draw upon fieldwork conducted during the COVID-19 pandemic and explore the rationales behind people’s vaccination choices. We argue that vaccines encouraged by the state offer citizens opportunities for individuation and resistance to the more generalized coercive practices of the Turkish state.