ZİRVE UNIVERSITY
DEPARTMENT OF POLITICAL SCIENCE
SPRING 2013-2014
GENDER AND POLITICS
Selin Akyüz, PhD
selinakyuz@gmail.com
selin.akyuz@zirve.edu.tr
Course Description: This course provides an overview of the ways in which
gender based inequalities and political constructions of gender influence
politics both at national and international levels. The focus is on both
political constructions of gender, and political mobilization based on
gender. We will start with conceptual and theoretical debates around
feminism, and proceed with the ways in which gender is crucial to the
discourses surrounding global politics, as well as national identity
formation. We will then explore the feminist contributions to the field of
politics. The discussions around women’s participation to politics will be
discussed, highlighting the interaction of processes such as
democratization and development with gender (in)equalities.
Course Objectives/Learning Outcomes: The main objective of this course
is to introduce the students to the concept of gender as a frame of
analyzing politics, as well as national and global politics. The course will
also explore problems and debates related to women’s participation in
politics and the importance of gender equality for democratization. At
the end of the semester, the students will develop an understanding of
the ways in which politics is gendered, and why women matter to world
politics.
Readings: There is no textbook for this course. There is a list of readings
that the students have to follow. The readings will be available on WIKI
ZIRVE under the title of POLS 408.
Course Requirements: Students are required to attend the courses,
complete the required readings before coming to class, and participate in
class discussions. Students will also write 3 response papers (3-5 pages)
and one final paper.
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Grading:
Class participation % 30
Idea camp participation %10
Response papers % 45
Final paper
% 15
COURSE SCHEDULE
Week 1: 11 February: Introduction to course
Introducing the goals and structure of the
course
No readings
Week 2: 18 February: Key concepts, key debates
The concept of gender
Why gender matters?
Required readings
de Beauvoir, Simone. (1949) “Introduction” in The Second Sex. New
York: Vintage Books.
Shepherd, Laura. (2010) “Sex or Gender? Bodies in World Politics
and Why Gender Matters” in Gender Matters in Global Politics.
Oxon: Routledge.
******”YOUNG IDEAS POWERFUL WOMEN” GAZIANTEP IDEA CAMP
22-23 FEBRUARY ORGANIZED BY KAGIDER, INTEL, FAMILY AND
SOCIAL POLICIES MINISTRY******
Week 3: 25 February: Theoretical roots of feminism
Liberal feminism, radical feminism
Patriarchy
“Personal is political”
Required readings
Bryson, Valerie. (2003) “Liberalism and Beyond: Feminism and Equal
Rights from 1960s” in Feminist Political Theory: An Introduction.
New York: Palgrave MacMillan.
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Bryson, Valerie. (2003) “Radical Feminism and the Theory of
Patriarchy” in Feminist Political Theory: An Introduction. New
York: Palgrave MacMillan.
Week 4: 4 March: Men and Masculinities
Gender as a relational construct: masculinities
****DEADLINE FOR 1ST RESPONSE PAPER****
Required readings
Connell, R.W. (1993) “The Big Picture: Masculinities in Recent
World History” Theory and Society. 22(5): 597-623.
Akyüz, Selin, (2012), “The Social Construction of Men in Turkey”,
Şenel Symons (ed.) The Routledge Intermediate Turkish Reader
Political and Cultural Articles, London: Routledge.
Week 5: 11 March: Gendering Political Science – Gendering World Politics
The contribution of gender perspective to
political science
World politics: Where are women?
Required readings
Beckman, Peter. and Francine D’Amico. (1994) “Introduction” in
Women, Gender and World Politics: Perspectives, Policies,
Prospects. USA: Greenwood Publishing.
Hawkesworth, Mary. (2005). “Engendering Political Science: An
Immodest Proposal.” Politics and Gender. 1(1): 141-156.
Week 6: 18 March: Modernization as a Gendered Process
Women, state and modernization
The role of women in modernization processes
Required readings
Arat, Yeşim. (1997). “The Project of Modernity and Women in
Turkey” in S. Bozdoğan and R. Kasaba (eds.) Rethinking Modernity
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and National Identity in Turkey. Washington: Washington
University Press.
Mostov, Julie. (2000). “Sexing the Nation/Desexing the Body:
Politics of National Identity in the Former Yugoslavia” in T. Mayar
(ed.). Gender Ironies of the Nation. New York: Routledge.
Altan-Olcay, Özlem. (2009). “Gendered Projects of National
Identity Formation: The Case of Turkey”. National Identities. 11
(2): 165-186.
Week 7: 25 March: Gender, Nationalism and National Identity
Gendered constructions of gendered identities
Nationalism and masculinities
****DEADLINE FOR 2ND RESPONSE PAPER****
Required readings
Nagel, Joane. (1998). “Masculinity and Nationalism: Gender and
Sexuality in the Making of Nations”. Ethnic and Racial Studies.
21(2): 242-269.
Anand, Dibyesh. (2010). “Nationalism” in L. J. Shepherd (ed.).
Gender Matters in Global Politics: A Feminist Introduction to
International Relations. New York: Routledge.
Week 8: 1st April: Militarism and War
Taking gender and war as mutually productive
“The myth of military nation”
Required readings
Cockburn, Cynthia. (2010). “Militarism and War” in L. J. Shepherd
(ed.). Gender Matters in Global Politics: A Feminist Introduction to
International Relations. New York: Routledge.
Altınay, Ayşegül. (2004). The Myth of the Military-Nation:
Militarism, Gender and Education in Turkey. Palgrave Macmillan:
New York.
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Week 9: 8 April: Gender and Global Politics
The role of gender in global politics
Gender and the East/West divide
Required readings
Enloe, Cythia. (1989). Bananas, Beaches and Bases: Making Feminist
Sense of International Politics. Berkeley: University of California
Press.
Sedghi, Hamideh. (1994). “Third World Feminist Perspectives on
World Politics” in P. Beckman and F. D’Amico. (ed.). Women, Gender
and World Politics: Perspectives, Policies, Prospects. USA:
Greenwood Publishing.
Week 10: 15 April: Gender, Feminism and International Relations
Feminism and its contribution to IR
Required readings
Tickner, Ann. (1994). “A Feminist Critique of Political Realism” in P.
Beckman and F. D’Amico. (ed.). Women, Gender and World Politics:
Perspectives, Policies, Prospects. USA: Greenwood Publishing.
Whitworth, Sandra. (1994). “Feminist Theories: From Women to
Gender to World Politics” in P. Beckman and F. D’Amico. (ed.).
Women, Gender and World Politics: Perspectives, Policies,
Prospects. USA: Greenwood Publishing.
Week 11: 22 April: Women and Democracy
The role of gender equity in the
democratization of society
What difference does democracy make for
women?
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Required readings
Inglehart R., P. Norris and C. Welzel. (2002). “Gender Equality and
Democracy”. Comparative Sociology. 1(3-4): 321-345.
Cindoglu Dilek, S. Akyüz, E. Bekaroğlu and A. Boynukara. (2007).
“Does Eros Contour the Demos: Rising Democracy Discourse in
2000s Turkey”. Women’s Studies International Forum. 30: 465473.
Week 12: 29 April: Women’s Representation and Participation of Politics
Political parties, women and quota
Electoral gender quota: For or against?
****DEADLINE FOR 3RD RESPONSE PAPER****
Required readings
Kittilson, Miki C. (2005). “In Support of Gender Quota”. Politics
and Gender. 1(4): 638-645.
Ayata, Ayşe and Fatma Tütüncü. (2008). “Critical Acts Without a
Critical Mass: The Substantive Representation of Women in the
Turkish Parliament”. Parliamentary Affairs. 61(3): 461-475.
Week 13: 6 May: Gender, Migration and human security
A (his)story of migration
Making local/national/transnational connections
Gendered constructions of human security
Required readings
Pettman, Jindy. (2010). “Migration” in L. J. Shepherd (ed.). Gender
Matters in Global Politics: A Feminist Introduction to International
Relations. New York: Routledge.
Hudson, Heidi. (2005). “Doing Security as Though Humans Matter:
A Feminist Perspective on Gender and the Politics of Human
Security”. Security Dialogue. 36(2): 155-172.
HAVE A NICE SEMESTER 
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