Religion as a Factor Influencing Turkish Women\u27s Decisions to Work

This article uses survey data collected from more than 500 women in Istanbul to examine whether or not religion exerts an influence on women’s decisions to work or not. Our work revealed that religion does not appear to have a direct impact on whether or not Turkish women choose to work. Rather the expectation that women fulfill their traditional roles as caregivers proves a greater obstacle for women who wish to enter the labor market. Religion, in the case of Turkey, Islam, can only be seen as an influence on Turkish women’s work decisions to the extent that it supports “patriarchal mentalities” which define women first and foremost as mothers and caregivers

NOTHING VENTURED NOTHING GAINED: GENDER DIFFERENCESIN FINANCIAL RISK BEHAVIORAMONG TURKISH UNIVERSITYSTUDENTS

Our study examines issues of risk attitude and risk tolerance among Turkishuniversity students. We surveyed 725 students regarding their attitudes towardrisk and asked them to respond to several hypothetical situations concerningpossible financial gain and/or loss. Using parametric and nonparametric tests, weexamined their risk tolerance and risk attitude as well as their propensity for risktaking behavior. In line with much ofthe literature, we found women students tobe more risk adverse than men. The gender difference increased as risk increased.The importance of this research lies in the portrait it provides of attitudes towardrisk and risk tolerance among young people inan emerging market. In particular,for the ways that gender may affect any number of financial decisions over thecourse of an individual's life