Distorted sense of masculinity fuels ‘urban rowdyism,’ experts say

ISTANBUL

Armed brawls on busy streets, celebratory gunfire at weddings and road rage spiraling into violence have turned “urban rowdyism” into a growing security concern in Türkiye, as what once appeared as isolated cases is now described by experts as a cultural pattern where aggression and a distorted sense of masculinity feed each other.   

The latest incident occurred in the capital Ankara, where four men attacked a driver with knives and a sword after a traffic dispute. Police detained the suspects, but the attack highlighted a broader trend.

In May, another assailant in Istanbul tried to stab a road worker during an argument, only to be stopped by a fire extinguisher. In yet another case, a woman driver recounted how she was chased, her car blocked and her window smashed by an enraged motorist.

Sociologist Barış Erdoğan said these outbursts reflect more than individual temper. “These behaviors grow from the same cultural soil. Cars, for many men, are not just vehicles but symbols of power. Yielding is seen as weakness; speed and defiance become proof of courage.”

Psychologist Ayşenur Yüksel added that traffic has become a “performance arena” for troubled masculinity, with violence often glorified or left unpunished.

Legal expert Devrim Gündüz, however, noted that penalties exist but are inconsistently applied. “It’s not a lack of law but of enforcement.”