터키에서 정치 이슬람과 히잡 착용 관계 연구

A Study on Political Islam and Hijab Wearing in Turkey: focusing on female activists’ opinion after Erdoğan’s presidential election

Due to the long term ruling by Recep Tayyip Erdoğan from AKP, a pro-Islamic political party, the Turkish society became conservative and the population of hijab-worn women increased significantly. However, the ban on the hijab wearing in public places which originated from the secular constitution, rather prevented hijab-wearing women from education opportunities and led to an impediment to women’s entry into society. Consequently, a critical public opinion was enormously obtained that the social status of women deteriorated and a social conservatism rapidly developed. Taking a big step from the past when people viewed hijab as an icon of Islamism and Secularism conflict, now, women in various fields including the military are free to wear hijabs while working as a result of endeavor and agreement of society in order to liberalize the right to wear hijab in the public. The united determination and actions by Islam feminists and secular ones together who justified advancement of Turkish women regardless of their Turkish society, which is separated by Secularism and Islamism, a forward step towards democracy was taken. Nevertheless, female activists and average citizens as well need to see to it that the hijab, simply an Islamic garment cannot be exploited as a political issue either by Islamists or by Secularists and thus to enhance democracy in Turkey. Besides, it is needless to say that the freedom to wear hijab itself does not guarantee the augmentation of the Turkish women’s rights.