The book chapter titled “Dünyada ve Türkiye’de Toplumsal Cinsiyet Tartışmaları” (Gender Debates in the World and in Turkey) by Prof. Alev Erkilet, faculty member of the Department of Sociology at Ibn Haldun University, was published in the volume “Cinsiyet Nöbeti: Cumhuriyet'in Yüzüncü Yılında Toplumsal Cinsiyet Tartışmaları” (Gender Watch: Gender Debates in the Centennial of the Republic,) edited by Zeynep Kevser Şerefoğlu Danış and Hale Albayrak. The book was published by Vadi Publishing. In her chapter, Prof. Erkilet emphasizes that the concept of social gender is rooted in the understanding that male and female roles are not biologically determined but are culturally constructed, as proposed by Margaret Mead. She highlights that gender studies focus not on the biological differences between the sexes, but on the social inequalities, discrimination, and male dominance that these differences perpetuate. These issues lead to tangible problems in areas such as education, politics, the economy, violence against women, and female poverty, which are further reinforced by traditional interpretations.
Erkilet also rejects the criticism that gender studies aim at “degendering,” emphasizing instead that the real objective of this field is to remove the barriers faced by women. She stresses that rejecting this field is tantamount to accepting women’s secondary status. Highlighting that gender equality is a fundamental requirement for human dignity and justice, she argues that framing it as a “conspiracy against the family” constitutes an anti-women and anti-children discourse.
As solutions, Prof. Alev Erkilet proposes policies such as gender-sensitive budgeting, equal parenting, and education against stereotypes—measures that are also supported by international organizations.
We congratulate our professor and wish her continued success.
