Nation’s woes led by bias to women
Güncelleme Tarihi:
by Sevim Songün
Oluşturulma Tarihi: Şubat 21, 2009 00:00
ISTANBUL - Social progress in Turkey suffers from key problems including gender inequality and a subtle phobia of foreigners eyeing a break up of Turkish territory, according to a new survey of nearly 6,500 Turks.
Along with a widely held perception that many countries want to dismember Turkey, gender inequality is a major hindrance to the advancement of the society, according to a survey published Friday.
In the survey, "Who are we? Lifestyle 2008," conducted by Konda, a well-respected research company, 6,482 people in 41 of the country’s 81 provinces were questioned. The survey is regarded as one of the most representative studies on the Turkish society.
Tarhan Erdem, a well-respected election analyst and columnist for the daily Radikal, headed the team that conducted the survey. In the presentation Friday, Erdem defined gender inequality as the key problem that could be linked to all other societal problems. According to the study, around half of those questioned believed women need their husbands’ permission to work.
Ahmet İnsel, another Radikal columnist, said only 25 percent of working-age women in Turkey were part of the workforce. "This is lower than some Arab countries," he said, adding that this was because in a patriarchal society such as Turkey, even women themselves accepted the social norms that discriminate against women in the business world. "The patriarchal society should change." Women are not only excluded from the economic sphere but are also prevented from exercising absolute control over their bodies and decisions.
Around 57 percent of those questioned said the women of their household could not leave the house wearing shirts with short sleeves.
Also, 80 percent of respondents believed a woman and a man must be married in order to live together. In terms of gender equality, Turkey seems a long way from a modern society, according to the survey.
The second serious issue was the fear of losing land or "not realizing that the War of Independence is over," İnsel said. The fear that Turkey is constantly under the preying eyes of its neighbors, hoping to carve it up at the first opportunity, a phobia remnant of late Ottoman times, is still prevalent among society today, according to the study.
This also is contributing to the overwhelming opposition to foreigners purchasing property in Turkey. A majority of respondents, 73 percent, said foreigners should not purchase property in Turkey, revealing that the fear still prevails.
One of the presenters, Professor Binnaz Toprak, said her earlier studies supported the survey’s results. Toprak’s December 2008 study, "Being Different in Turkey: Those who are made to be like others based on religion and conservatism," also showed that social pressures on "others: Kurds, Alevis and seculars" in society was higher than expected.
Although the survey paints a seemingly dark picture, Erdem said the results were not all doom and gloom. In general, the majority of people are open to change, the study showed. Many people said they were open to change, new ideas, new technology, and new products in their lives. Also, a majority of people viewed change for Turkey positively.
Another significant result was that around 63 percent of respondents believed Turkey should join the European Union. "Turks are not too far from the West and modernity in contrast to common belief. One major reason is that Turks have never experienced colonialism, unlike some in the Middle East or India," said Ayhan Uğur, Istanbul Bilgi University rector.
In the survey, "Who are we? Lifestyle 2008," conducted by Konda, a well-respected research company, 6,482 people in 41 of the country’s 81 provinces were questioned. The survey is regarded as one of the most representative studies on the Turkish society.
Tarhan Erdem, a well-respected election analyst and columnist for the daily Radikal, headed the team that conducted the survey. In the presentation Friday, Erdem defined gender inequality as the key problem that could be linked to all other societal problems. According to the study, around half of those questioned believed women need their husbands’ permission to work.
Ahmet İnsel, another Radikal columnist, said only 25 percent of working-age women in Turkey were part of the workforce. "This is lower than some Arab countries," he said, adding that this was because in a patriarchal society such as Turkey, even women themselves accepted the social norms that discriminate against women in the business world. "The patriarchal society should change." Women are not only excluded from the economic sphere but are also prevented from exercising absolute control over their bodies and decisions.
Around 57 percent of those questioned said the women of their household could not leave the house wearing shirts with short sleeves.
Also, 80 percent of respondents believed a woman and a man must be married in order to live together. In terms of gender equality, Turkey seems a long way from a modern society, according to the survey.
The second serious issue was the fear of losing land or "not realizing that the War of Independence is over," İnsel said. The fear that Turkey is constantly under the preying eyes of its neighbors, hoping to carve it up at the first opportunity, a phobia remnant of late Ottoman times, is still prevalent among society today, according to the study.
This also is contributing to the overwhelming opposition to foreigners purchasing property in Turkey. A majority of respondents, 73 percent, said foreigners should not purchase property in Turkey, revealing that the fear still prevails.
One of the presenters, Professor Binnaz Toprak, said her earlier studies supported the survey’s results. Toprak’s December 2008 study, "Being Different in Turkey: Those who are made to be like others based on religion and conservatism," also showed that social pressures on "others: Kurds, Alevis and seculars" in society was higher than expected.
Although the survey paints a seemingly dark picture, Erdem said the results were not all doom and gloom. In general, the majority of people are open to change, the study showed. Many people said they were open to change, new ideas, new technology, and new products in their lives. Also, a majority of people viewed change for Turkey positively.
Another significant result was that around 63 percent of respondents believed Turkey should join the European Union. "Turks are not too far from the West and modernity in contrast to common belief. One major reason is that Turks have never experienced colonialism, unlike some in the Middle East or India," said Ayhan Uğur, Istanbul Bilgi University rector.