Gender Inequality in Türkiye: A Relational Sociological Study on Violence against Women

Contrary to the classical view that violence will decrease in societies in parallel with modernization worldwide, violence has become an important area of study in sociology due to the increasing aggression, particularly between individuals, but also in the family, school, and workplace. In recent years, violence against women, children, and animals has become more visible in Türkiye. In fact, it can be argued that the increase in violent acts in the context of gender inequality, as well as the increased reaction from women’s movements, plays a role in this visibility. The problem with this research is that some segments of society in Türkiye view violent acts as a normal part of life and even attempt to cover them up. The research questions are: “What is the historical and cultural background of the normalization of gender inequality and violence in Türkiye?” and “What are the factors that play a role in the reproduction of this spiral of violence?” This relational sociological study hermeneutically examined the gendered discourse in Kutadgu Bilik, a masterpiece of Turkish traditional culture written by Yusuf Has Hacip in the 11th century, and in the anonymous Dede Korkut stories. This study avoided establishing one-way causal relationships and instead sought to interpret relational sociological narratives based on process, liminal situations, and ambiguities. Analyses were conducted in a non-essentialist and non-dualistic manner. On the other hand, standard hermeneutic analyses revealed the frequent occurrence of discourse that could lead to the reproduction of violence against women and girls. It was understood that while patriarchy was reproduced in the books, women and girls were unfairly marginalized, devalued, and despised. Several solutions were also proposed to prevent this ambiguous and complex network of social and cultural relations from being internalized and perpetuated through women.