Intersecting Identities and New Subjectivities: Nationalism, Islam, and Gender in Modernization Process in Early Republican Turkey
The Wiley Companion to Religion, Politics, and Nations, wiley, ss.261-276, 2026
- Yayın Türü: Kitapta Bölüm / Araştırma Kitabı
- Basım Tarihi: 2026
- Doi Numarası: 10.1002/9781394240548.ch17
- Yayınevi: wiley
- Sayfa Sayıları: ss.261-276
- Anahtar Kelimeler: center-periphery relationship, classical period, empowerment, gender norms, heteronormative femininity, homogenized national population, modern institutions, modernization projects, sovereign power, Turkish modernization
- Ankara Hacı Bayram Veli Üniversitesi Adresli: Evet
Özet
This chapter explores the intersections of nationalism, Islam, and gender within the modernization process of early Republican Turkey, employing Foucault’s theory of biopower and Gramsci’s concept of hegemony, articulated through feminist critiques of nation and nationalism. The Kemalist project redefined religion, gender, and subjectivities as part of its nation-building agenda, with radical reforms such as the Civil Code, women’s suffrage, and bans on polygamy signaling progressive shifts while reinforcing patriarchal norms. The chapter highlights how women’s bodies and sexuality became central to political struggle, embodying both modernizing aspirations and traditional moral codes. The chapter argues that Turkish modernization produced hybrid subjectivities shaped by secular-nationalist reforms and enduring patriarchal and religious practices, revealing the complexities of gendered modernization. The Kemalist reforms, while ambitious in granting women rights, remained embedded in patriarchal frameworks, albeit in new forms. The modernization process reflects a complex interplay of historical, social, and political forces shaping women’s roles and rights. The chapter critically examines the intersection of state and class dynamics in Turkey, drawing on a diverse range of scholarly sources.