CEU Electronic Theses and Dissertations, 2011
| Author | Karaca, Asli |
|---|---|
| Title | Exploring the Backstage of Women's Movements: Contextual and Characteristic Aspects of Four Women's Organizations in Turkey |
| Summary | Women’s organizations have been important political actors that have transformed the gender politics in Turkey especially since the 1980s. However, under what contextual and organizationspecific dimensions that the women’s organizations have participated in the political arena in Turkey is not studied in detail and systematically. In this thesis, by drawing upon social movement theories, I analyze framings, repertoires of actions, political opportunities and constraints, and organizational structures of four popular independent women’s organizations in Turkey. The examination is mainly based on interviews I conducted with the organizations. I find that all of the organizations employ human rights and international gender equality norms to frame their causes. They all regard themselves as opinion institutions. Their most used repertoires of action are conventional lobbying, and advocacy through media and internet; although, they employ disruptive and innovative actions time to time. All of them find the CEDAW ratification and the EU accession process of Turkey helpful in terms of funding and legal changes. Some of them have their own specific political opportunities and constraints depending on their identities, and regions. Two of them have difficulties in finding especially national funds. Although they have become more professionalized, they want to maintain the voluntary basis of their work style, and some of them use methods to prevent hierarchy in the organizations. The analysis raises questions on voluntariness, professionalization, accountability and sustainability of the women’s organizations in Turkey. |
| Supervisor | Sgier, Lea |
| Department | Political Science MA |
| Full text | https://www.etd.ceu.edu/2011/karaca_asli.pdf |
Visit the CEU Library.
© 2007-2021, Central European University