Understanding Context: Political History, Gender Politics and Education Provision in Turkey

Abstract

This chapter will take a closer look at Turkey’s past in terms of political, feminist and education history, to offer insight so that readers can better understand the emerging injustices and social conversion factors in different eras in women’s lives as well as in the history of Turkey. The chapter does not aspire to offer a detailed historical account, but rather to briefly present a historical context of the interviewees’ lives. The first part of the chapter presents the key historical events which help us to contextualise women’s lives within the three eras (The Republic period, 1923–1950; the multi-party democracy era, 1950–1980; contemporary times, from 1980 to present) examined in this book. The second part puts the lives of women into historical context and presents the ongoing and recent discussions on gender issues and equality in Turkey. It starts with the modernisation process, when feminism was under the control of the state, and then moves to the post-1980 feminist awakening in Turkey during which women broke the glass ceiling and started to voice their demands. Finally, it draws attention to the recent neo-liberal and neo-conservative policies which have reduced women’s status in society and increased their vulnerability. The third part offers and defines the key and problematic aspects of education—such as gender insensitive education or discriminatory aspects of education which enhance prejudices against some social groups and minorities (such as non-Muslims, Kurds, Greeks and Armenians).