Clashes, collaborations and convergences: evolving relations of Turkish and Kurdish women’s rights activists

Abstract

This article discusses the various ways the Kurdish women's movement has impacted feminism in the Turkish context. Against the background of the problematic historical relationship between Turkish and Kurdish women's rights activists, we will explore the shift in perceptions of, attitudes towards and relations of feminists in Turkey with the Kurdish women's movement. Our article will show that a "new generation of feminists" in Turkey appreciates and is inspired by the Kurdish women's movement, and rejects the Kemalist and nationalist undertones of earlier generations. Without wanting to belittle ongoing nationalism and the rise of women cadres linked to the authoritarian Turkish regime, our article analyses the various ways the intersectional long-term struggle of Kurdish women is being perceived, recognised as well as critically engaged with by many Turkish feminist activists.

Beyond Feminism? Jineolojî and the Kurdish Women's Freedom Movement

“…Both authors had been researching Kurdish women's mobilization in different contexts for a number of years prior to writing this article. Nadje Al-Ali has worked and written collaboratively on the relationship between feminism and nationalism in the context of Iraqi Kurdistan (Al-Ali and Pratt 2011) and, more recently, in Turkey (north Kurdistan) (Al-Ali and Tas 2018a, 2018b, 2019). In the context of Turkey and its relevant Kurdish diasporas in Berlin and London, she has also examined the intersections of feminist and peace activism (Al-Ali and Tas 2017).…”