Muslim, Turkish Women As Political Leaders
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University of Iowa Iowa Research Online Theses and Dissertations Spring 2016 Profile of power: Muslim, urkishT women as political leaders Sumeyye Pakdil Kesgin University of Iowa Follow this and additional works at: https://ir.uiowa.edu/etd Part of the Religion Commons Copyright 2016 Sumeyye Pakdil Kesgin This dissertation is available at Iowa Research Online: https://ir.uiowa.edu/etd/3160 Recommended Citation Pakdil Kesgin, Sumeyye. "Profile of power: Muslim, urkishT women as political leaders." PhD (Doctor of Philosophy) thesis, University of Iowa, 2016. https://doi.org/10.17077/etd.6nkq4lt1 Follow this and additional works at: https://ir.uiowa.edu/etd Part of the Religion Commons PROFILE OF POWER: MUSLIM, TURKISH WOMEN AS POLITICAL LEADERS by Sumeyye Pakdil A thesis submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the Doctor of Philosophy degree in Religious Studies in the Graduate College of The University of Iowa May 2016 Thesis Supervisor: Associate Professor Ahmed E. Souaiaia Copyright by Sumeyye Pakdil 2016 All Rights Reserved Graduate College The University of Iowa Iowa City, Iowa CERTIFICATE OF APPROVAL ____________________________ PH.D. THESIS _________________ This is to certify that the Ph.D. thesis of Sumeyye Pakdil has been approved by the Examining Committee for the thesis requirement for the Doctor of Philosophy degree in Religious Studies at the May 2016 graduation. Thesis Committee: ____________________________________________ Ahmed Souaiaia, Thesis Supervisor ____________________________________________ Raymond A. Mentzer ____________________________________________ Paul C. Dilley ____________________________________________ John C. Reitz ____________________________________________ Meena R. Khandelwal To Baris Kesgin… ii ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS First of all, I would like to thank my advisor, Professor Ahmed E. Souaiaia, for his continuous and unlimited support since day one, for his motivation, friendship, knowledge and expertise. His guidance has helped me in all the time of this research and also in my teaching experiences. Dr. Souaiaia made this dream possible with his support and mentorship. I would also like to thank my committee members, Prof. Meena R. Khandelwal, Prof. Ray A. Mentzer, Prof. John C. Reitz, and Prof. Paul C. Dilley, for their time, support, and guidance. I am honored to have all of them in my committee. My sincere thanks also go to Professor Diana Cates, Robin and Maureen, who helped and supported me all the time. I also thank my Susquehanna family; Michele DeMary, Rebecca Folkerts and Daryl Rogers, and SU Library’s invaluable staff. I would like to thank Emine Alpay and Ali Yildiz, who assisted me during my interviews in the Turkish Parliament. Finally, Naima Boussofara, my second mom, thank you for not giving up on me! Last but not least, I would like to thank my parents, Selma and Nevzat Pakdil, my brother, Mehmet Tahir Pakdil, my sister and best friend Nihan Tekguven. Thank you all for your support, prayers, understanding and best wishes throughout my life. Also, I could not be happier to celebrate this achievement with my little one, ZeynepDila… The last words are for my partner, friend, husband, a great advisor and companion for life; Baris Kesgin. Without you, it could not have been possible. We have been growing together and to many years to grow together. Thank you for being there! iii ABSTRACT In many places around the world, and in a variety of ways, women are constrained from fully participating in political life. They are given few, if any, reasons to believe in their potential as visionaries and leaders. The rationale for limiting women’s opportunities in the political sphere is often rooted in religion. Religion, or some interpretations thereof, expects them to focus their energies and talents on the private sphere. Because the discussion of women’s roles and capacities in private sphere has been left to religion and women have brought their private lives into their public lives as women, wives, and mothers, it is important to examine religion’s influence on women who are active participants in the public sphere. In this study, utilizing interviews conducted with female members of the Turkish parliament, I seek to show the ways in which women have challenged both the state and religion in order to increase their social and political competence, power, and agency. I record and analyze the ways in which contemporary female leaders in Turkish politics perceive the influence that religion— specifically Islam—has had on their understanding(s) of themselves and their political aspirations. iv PUBLIC ABSTRACT In this project, I profile politically active women in a Muslim society –more specifically in Turkey. I explore the question of how female leaders experience the influence of Islam in contemporary Turkish politics—has had on their understanding(s) of themselves, their public and private lives, their political philosophies and aspirations. In many places around the world, and in a variety of ways, women are constrained from fully participating in political life. The rationale for limiting women’s opportunities in the political sphere is often rooted in religion. Religion, or some interpretations thereof, expects them to focus their energies and talents on the private sphere: society can grow and thrive only when women stay home and leave the business of politics to men. Religion, however, often gives women mixed messages about their roles and capacities. Many women take advantage of this ambiguity to interpret their relationship to the realm of politics in creative and sometimes surprising ways. It is important to examine religion’s influence on women who are active participants in the public sphere. In this study, utilizing interviews conducted with female members of the Turkish parliament, I show the ways in which women have challenged both the state and religion in order to increase their social and political competence, power, and agency. I find that critical self- reflections of many politically astute Muslim women show that the influences of religion on their consciousness are complex and flexible. v TABLE OF CONTENTS LIST OF TABLES viii CHAPTER 1 INTRODUCTION 1 CHAPTER 2 WOMEN IN THE HISTORY OF ISLAM 7 Women’s Status in Jahiliyya and Early Islam 9 Sources for Legalistic Interpretations of Women’s Status 18 Leading Women in Early Islam 23 Aisha 24 Khadija Bint Khuwaylid 27 Hind Bint Abi Umayya (Umm Salama) 29 The Prophet’s Wives 31 Women and Leadership in Islam 32 Turkish Modernization as a Conflict Among the State, Religion, and Women 38 Summary 44 CHAPTER 3 THEORETICAL FRAMEWORK: WOMEN’S PUBLIC AND PRIVATE SPHERES IN ISLAM 45 Religion, Politics, and Gender: Why Is a Public and Private Spheres Perspective Necessary to Understanding Women’s Agency? 53 The Public and Private Spheres of Life 60 ‘Islamic’ Public and Private Spheres 69 Women’s Public and Private Spheres in Islam 75 Women’s Agency, and The Notion of Insan in The Qur’an 80 Summary 95 CHAPTER 4 RELIGION, POLITICS, GENDER, AND LEADERSHIP: VIEWS OF “ISLAMIST” WOMEN MEMBERS OF THE TURKISH PARLIAMENT 97 Research Design and Methodology 99 Case: Turkey, Turkish Women Politicians, and Islam 100 Elite Interviews 103 Interviewing Turkey’s Women Parliamentarians 105 Analytical Framework 108 Hypotheses 109 A Summary of the Political Context 112 A Summary Profile of Interviewees 114 Views of The “Islamist” Women Members of the Turkish Parliament On Gender, Religion, and Politics 120 Women in Society / Self-Identification / Self-Awareness 120 vi Equality of Women and Men 126 Religion 132 Public and Private Spheres of Life 135 Politics 141 Significance of Family in Political Career 142 Patriarchy /Gender Bias in Politics 143 Support for and Competition with Women in Politics 149 Summary 150 CHAPTER 5 ANALYSES AND DISCUSSION: WOMEN AND RELIGION IN CONTEMPORARY TURKISH POLITICS 153 Understanding Women in Contemporary Turkish Politics 154 Muslim Women’s Political Activities 168 Summary 177 CHAPTER 6 CONCLUSION 181 APPENDIX A INTERVIEW QUETIONS 191 APPENDIX B LETTER TO THE SUBJECTS 192 BIBLIOGRAPHY 193 vii LIST OF TABLES Table 1. The 25 th Turkish Grand National Assembly (as of June 2014) 113 Table 2. List of Justice and Development’s MPs Interviewed and Leadership Roles in the Parliament and/ or the Party 116 Table 3. Interviewees’ Background Information 118 viii CHAPTER 1 INTRODUCTION Women are constrained from fully participating in public and political life as a result of the strict gender relationships based on male leadership and women’s submission. Religion, or some interpretations thereof, expects women to focus their energies and talents on the private sphere. Religion, so it is argued, teaches people that society can grow and thrive only when women stay home and leave the business of politics to men. 1 Women are given few, if any, reasons to believe in their potential as visionaries and leaders. Many, if not all, of these statements especially pertain to one of largest belief systems in the world, Islam. Prevailing notions of Islam is taken for granted as she is absent and how the religion approaches women in society. In this dissertation, I challenge the common premise that the rationale for limiting women’s opportunities in the public and political sphere is often rooted in religion, and specifically in Islam. Instead, I argue that women, especially religious women can and do access power. I offer the public and private spheres dichotomy in seeking answers to women’s ascend to power in conservative societies. I record and analyze the ways in which contemporary women leaders in Turkish politics perceive the influence that 1 “Religions tend to emphasize ontological differences between men and women, noting that men are predisposed to leadership, activity, and a strong work ethic, while women are naturally nurturing, passive, and receptive” Burke (2012). Also see, Wadud (1999), and Kandiyoti (1987). I will present more evidence for this conclusion in Chapter 3. 1 religion—specifically Islam—has had on their understanding(s) of themselves and their political aspirations.