Fathers’ Support for the Education/Career of Their Daughters and Its Limits: A Case from the Early Republican Period

Fathers increasingly participated in the education of their daughters since the II. Constitutional Period; however they withdrew their support at certain points. This research illustrates this by studying the experiences of Nezihe Kurtiz, a woman born into a middle class family in Anatolia in 1919 and retired as a professor. Almost nineteen hours of oral history interviews were made with Kurtiz in 2009. The findings show that her father supported Kurtiz’s education until she became a research assistant; however he partially withdrew his support as Kurtiz wanted to connect herself more to the university life. This paper illustrates the extent and limits of her father’s support for Kurtiz and shows how he integrates progressive and traditional elements in his identity