Dehumanization in Burhan Sönmez’s Labyrinth: A Psychopolitical Study

Abstract

This research attempts to analyze Burhan Sönmez’s Labyrinth based on Byung-Chul Han’s psychopolitical theory, in which he critiques various aspects of modern neoliberal society, including its standards and dehumanization tools. The novel explores the psychological consequences of living in the neoliberal world where the friendly smart power dehumanizes the characters and reduces them to mere objects. It proves that the protagonist’s amnesia reflects the erasure of collective identity, history and humanity. Through examining Labyrinth, which its setting is based in Turkey, this paper highlights the dehumanizing effects of neoliberalism in a broader context of the Middle East. Overall, this paper explains how neoliberal capitalism dehumanizes modern human beings, often without them realizing it. It also examines how identities, histories, and memories are being erased to control the minds of the characters and make them act in accordance with the desires of those in power.

Key Words: dehumanization, psychopolitics, Labyrinth, neoliberalism, memory