Women officials of the Turkish Diyanet
Gendered transformations and predicaments of empowerment
Bibliographic Data
| ID | 12499113 |
|---|---|
| Authors | Canan Aslan Akman (0000-0003-0773-2274, Department of Political Science and Public Administration, Middle East Technical University, Ankara, Turkey, corresponding author) |
| Year | 2021 |
| Volume | 27 |
| Issue | 2 |
| Pages | 232-257 |
| Publication date | 2021-04-03 |
| Peer Reviewed | Yes |
| Open Access | No |
| Type | ARTICLE |
| Venue | Asian Journal of Women s Studies (JOURNAL) |
| Journal identifiers | ISSN: 1225-9276 • E-ISSN: 2377-004X |
| Publisher | Taylor & Francis (PUBLISHER • GB) |
| DOI | 10.1080/12259276.2021.1932115 |
| OpenAlex | W3170263191 |
| Language | EN |
| Citations received | 1 |
| References cited | 20 |
The Presidency of Religious Affairs (the Diyanet) is a unique bureaucratic structure authorized to address the religious service needs of citizens in Turkey’s secular system. For a long time, it was characterized by under-representation of women in its ranks. The longstanding quest of educated religious women for recognition of their expertise and integration into this institution coincided with a policy reorientation in the early 2000s, to expand the Diyanet’s appeal for women through its enlightenment and educational functions. Under the Justice and Development Party (AKP) governments, the issue of gender disparity has been addressed through a new strategy of increasingly recruiting women graduates from Theology faculties. However, despite a ‘feminization’ process undertaken via the pro-women reforms of its organizational structure, the Diyanet’s institutional and political-ideological limitations are intertwined with prevailing gender norms and patriarchal conventions. This article inquires into the gendered dynamics and predicaments that have constrained the status and roles of its women officials and impacted their empowerment prospects. Nevertheless, as women have started to exercise religious authority with men in the Diyanet’s enduring male-dominated structure, the recognition for their expertise, professional commitment, and the potential impact of their work have reinforced the social significance of women’s roles
Economic Justice · Empowerment · Enlightenment · Feminization (sociology · Ideology · Institution · Political economy · Political science · Politics · Presidency · Sociology · Turkish · Gender Politics and Representation · Gender Studies · Gender, Security, and Conflict · Law · Turkey's Politics and Society
Turkey’s Diyanet under AKP rule
Right-Wing Women
Performing Irşad
Expansion of the Diyanet and the Politics of Family in Turkey under AKP Rule
Turkey in transition
Whither feminist alliance? Secular feminists and Islamist women in Turkey
Religion, Politics and Gender Equality in Turkey
The Status of the Presidency of Religious Affairs in the Turkish Constitution and its Execution
Women Preaching for the Secular State
The Women Preachers of the Secular State
Turkey Between Democracy and Authoritarianism
Toward the Systematic Study of Feminist Policy in Practice
Informal Institutions, Institutional Change, and Gender Equality
New Institutionalism Through a Gender Lens
The contentious politics of policy failure
| Unique citing works | 1 |
|---|---|
| Citations per year | 1 |
| Citation span | 2026 - 2026 (1) |
| Citation velocity | current |
| Highly cited | No |
| Citation types | Neutral: 1 |