Abstract:

Democracy is a political form divided into representative democracy, semi-direct democracy and participatory democracy. Participatory democracy, which is at the forefront in today's modern world, is a form of government that every citizen can take an active role in decision-making processes. Municipalities have a very important role in development and implementation of participatory democracy. The reason for the existence of public administration in societies which have a strong understanding of democracy, is to provide service for the society. The prerequisite for municipalities to become more and more needed units in society is related to their success of public relations activities. In this context, using the sample of Başakşehir Municipality, the study examines how local governments use graffiti art as a public relations tool in order to establish a healthy communication with young citizens. The study have carried out by using one of the research methods "interview approach" and in the research process the municipality employees and graffiti artists who work with the Municipality have been interviewed. As a result of these interviews, it has been observed that the art of graffiti, which was perceived as an illegal act in the early days, beyond being a commercial tool, has become a communication medium preferred by even state institutions.

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