Women and Confrontation between State Secularism and Growing Islamism in Turkey

Despite the founders of the modern Turkey tried to establish secularism in the country and in spite of their anti-Islamist activities, we currently see once again a serious confrontation between Islam and secularism in the country. In order to gain women’s support as half of Turkey’s population, different factions involved in the challenge see themselves obliged to discuss the issue of veiling and to take positions towards it. In fact, women represent a significant portion of the plans and policies advanced by the militants on both sides of the spectrum including the Islamists and seculars in Turkey. With continued presence of the Justice and Development Party in office and pursuing Islamist policies on the one hand and the adjustment of secular space dominating the society on the other, it is predicted that we would see the rise of Islamist trend and consequently women’s increased presence particularly veiled women in the Turkish social and political scenes.