In the master's thesis, based on a months-long ethnographic study in the Kadıköy district of Istanbul, I illuminate the experience of young Turkish women who are grappling with familial and societal pressures in contemporary Turkey. The country has been marked by a shift in national ideology over the past decades. This shift has transitioned from the secular and Eurocentric Kemalist policies of Mustafa Kemal Atatürk to an Islamist trend under the rule of Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, consequently altering the status of women in Turkish society as well. The experiences of young Turkish women testify to the curtailing of rights and the increasing prevalence of violence against women, both at home and on the streets. In the context of historically rooted ideological conflicts between secularism and Islamism, a specific affective atmosphere is established, characterized by feelings of anxiety and fear. Due to the political climate, the interviewees are directing their focus towards their future, envisioned in Europe or European Union countries. Migration to Europe is emerging as a key strategy to achieve a sense of agency and self-fulfilment, allowing women to transcend the ideological divides that have long marked Turkish national discourse and everyday life. The thesis depicts various paths taken by young Turkish women, who actively or even just through daydreaming and imagination, envision their own future beyond Turkish borders. The active planning of routes to Europe is particularly evident in the context of the visa system, where young women skilfully develop strategies to overcome bureaucratic obstacles in order to reach their goal – Europe and/or a passport that enables mobility. Thus, the thesis portrays the imaginations, aspirations, and affective worlds of young Turkish women in contemporary Istanbul.
|
