Modern Turkey experienced two military coups in May 1960 and in September 1980 beside many soft military interventions. Nevertheless, the impact of 1980 military coup on Turkey’s political as well as socioeconomic life was relatively more powerful. 1980 military coup was remembered by political repression, mass human rights abuses, torture and losses under detention. During three-year long military regime, not only political parties were re-structured and political regime was transformed into semi-presidential system, but also reforms were initiated to deregulate and liberalize markets. Beside Turkey, many Latin American countries such as Chile, Argentina and Brazil also experienced massive injustices and underwent neo-liberal transformation under military rule during 70s and 80s. At the end of 90s, on the other hand, a democratic turn was realized and these countries one by one started to confront the past human rights violations committed under military junta. In this framework, this course will touch upon the political and economic developments in Turkey since 1960 with a particular focus on the practices of military juntas. Afterwards, the role of search for justice and truth in the consolidation of democracy in Turkey will be analysed within a comparative perspective. In this respect, experiences of Argentina will be studied; causes and consequences of both Turkey’s and Argentina’s successes and failures will be questioned. close