GPT-Studios. 2021; 1(2): 97-112 | DOI: 10.5505/gpts.2021.65265

Geographies of Gender in Turkish Higher Education Institutions: Conceptualization of Women Employment

Orhun Burak Sözen¹, Ýlker Eroðlu^2
1Gaziantep University, Faculty of Sciences and Letters Western Languages and Literatures Department, Gaziantep, Turkey
²Gaziantep University, Social Sciences Institute International Trade and Logistics Thesis Master of Arts Program, Gaziantep, Turkey

The significance of women employment for Turkey has been emphasized in this article. It is clear that women employment is the basis of sustainable development and pre-requisite for progress. The factors that impact women employment have been inquired and those factors have been associated with relevant gender studies theories. Within the context, Pierre Bourdieu, Simon de Beauvoir and Luce Irigaray have been some of the references. Simon de Beauvoir over-emphasizes the role of society in this issue asserting that “one is not born but made woman.” Her principle verifies the dominant role of Turkish society in this issue. The liaison between while COVID-19 period and women employment has also been inquired. Relevant general findings and findings specific to Turkey have been determined and likewise concluded. Henceforth, patriarchal social and family structure, traditionality concerning family, mass of inhouse work for women within this framework, separation about wages, lack of income and low-level education all impact women employment in Turkey in a negative way, most economic sectors are affected likewise. On the other hand, the domains such as academic life in terms of women employment are praiseworthy and give hope. On the other hand, while-COVID 19 period has affected women employment worse than it has for men. Within the context, increasing workload and household chores, increasing load of child and elderly care parallel to work at home by the pandemic, stress and negative emotions, limited access to communication and information technologies at home, rise in the lack of wage and income have been prioritized. While Turkish society has evolved into more complex form through differentiation, women employment has trend of development. This is parallel to the global trends but behind them.

Keywords: Women employment in Turkey, employment squeeze, while-COVID 19 period

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