Demokrasiyi uygulayarak öğrenme: müzakere, katılım ve toplumsal cinsiyet

Günümüzde müzakereci demokrasiye ilgi gerek kuram gerek uygulama düzeyinde artmıştır. Çeşitli boyut ve ölçekte vatandaş katılımı ve müzakereleri tasarlanmakta ve uygulanmakta, bu süreçler ampirik araştırmalara tabi tutulmaktadır. Normatif temelleri sabit kalmakla birlikte, müzakereci demokrasi kendisine yöneltilen eleştirileri ciddiye alarak gelişmiş ve disiplinlerarası çalışmalara yön vermiştir. Ancak siyaset felsefesi içerisinde müzakereci demokrasiye uygun bir karakter gelişiminin nerede ve ne şekilde gerçekleşeceğine, yani siyasal sosyalizasyon pedagojik boyutuna dair yeterince çalışma yapılmamıştır. Müzakereci karakterin en önemli gelişim alanlarından biri olan eğitimle müzakerenin ilişkisini ele alan bu makale, müzakereci demokrasinin öğrenilmesini toplumsal cinsiyet bakış açısıyla ele almaktadır. Makalede, müzakerenin şekli, kapsamı, öznesi, mekânı gibi konulara dair tartışmalar incelenmekte ve toplumsal cinsiyet uçurumunu aşmanın yolları öne sürülmektedir. Makale, müzakereci vatandaşlığın uygulanarak öğrenebileceği yerler olarak eğitim kurumlarının rolünün altını çizmekte, ancak öğrenme sürecinin eğitim kurumları ile sınırlı olmadığı, yetişkin katılımı ve müzakeresini de içerdiği görüşünü savunmaktadır. Makalede ayrıca daha demokratik bir demokrasi için hayatın her alanında karar alma süreçlerinde yer almanın önemini savunan katılımcı demokrasi kuramı ve feminist yaklaşımların günümüz siyasetine ve vatandaşlık eğitimine katkısı vurgulanmaktadır

Özenli vatandaşlık: feminist özen etiğini yeniden politikleştirmek

In the framework of feminist political theory, the article examines the contribution of care ethics to conceptions of political subjectivity and active citizenship. Borrowing insights from the feminist political critique of the masculine bias in the modern theories of universal moral reasoning, the article underlines the role of care and situated perspectives in the theory and practice of citizenship, yet departs from maternalist perspectives that lean towards essentialism and individualist perspectives that depoliticize care. The article assesses the implications of care ethics on gendered perspectives on peace and environmental movements on normative and practical levels, and argues that a conception of an egalitarian, democratic and caring citizenship that does not reproduce patriarchal gender roles can be developed with the help of a practice based democracy and citizenship education

Memories, stories and deliberation: digital sisterhood on feminist websites in Turkey

Based on content analysis and in-depth interviews with the editors of 5Harfliler, Catlak Zemin and Recel-blog, popular pro-feminist women’s websites in Turkey, this article shows that these websites constitute important projects in feminist memory work in two ways: (1) explicitly, by commemorating women in history, the gains of the women’s movement in Turkey, and by archiving misogynist policies and gender unequal legislation; (2) implicitly, in the essays written by anonymous women whose personal memories of feminist activism as well as oppression and patriarchy experienced in everyday life become sources for discussion of feminist identity and politics and contribute to women’s history writing from below. The websites also serve as a platform where feminist identity is negotiated and the past, present and future of feminist politics are discussed in a humorous, agonistic and affective style. The source of deliberation is often women’s everyday experiences and concerns rather than formal politics. Although keeping a distance from formal politics renders these websites open to criticisms of naiveté and apoliticism, they provide a creative platform for the constructive discussion of women’s shared everyday problems which are closely connected to a larger political context

The quest for gender equality in universities at the crossroads of neoliberal and anti-gender pressures: the case of Turkey

In Turkey, the quest for gender equality in universities takes place under increasing anti-gender, authoritarian and neoliberal pressures. Based on interviews with academic change agents, this article explores gender equality efforts in different universities presented in the form of typology: project-led, collective and individual-led change. It suggests that change processes are context-bound, yet they face similar challenges in securing inclusivity, intersectionality and sustainability, which are better addressed by hybrid strategies. Differing from professionalised reform strategies in the global North, gender equality reform in Turkey’s universities provides insights transcending binaries such as that between the university and its outside, top-down and grassroots change, and formal and informal solidarities

Women's perceptions on peace and justice: the case of the Kurdish issue in Turkey

The lack of resolution of the Kurdish issue in Turkey has been a major source of grievance affecting the lives of many, particularly women. Research shows that conflict has gender-specific effects. Considering the particular ways in which women are impacted by long-term political tensions which also involve armed conflict, their standpoint seems highly valuable to corroborate the urgency of a democratic and peaceful resolution of this issue. Based on in-depth interviews with the representatives of civil society organizations, initiatives and women's organizations, the article explores women's perceptions of peace and justice, and it investigates their possible contribution towards a peaceful resolution of the Kurdish issue. We argue that the intersectionally diverse standpoint(s) of women, due to the particular gendered effects of conflict on their everyday lives, living conditions, bodily integrity and affective relationships, greatly contributes to an adequate conceptualization of peace and justice and the relation between them