Abstract
This chapter is situated at the heart of this research. The section on dissenting views and gender discusses those who are critical of the established order. In the section entitled “Beneath the State,” the male political subject’s marginalization is discussed as manifested during Gezi Park protests in Turkey. In this section, the patterns of oppression are introduced, namely helplessness as privilege, power over instead of power within, and overcompensation of damage. In the section on sexual torture, the intersection of two different modes of patriarchal oppression has been discussed. The male political subject is situated on both sides of the ruler-subject binary, as exemplified in the Gezi Park protests. Finally, the chapter aims to answer the research question: why does the state allow men to oppress women?
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Notes
- 1.
Interview conducted with NGO activist, Ankara, November 2013.
- 2.
The term “Law of 6284” has been chosen instead of law 6284 due to the reference made in original language. The law is not labeled within a legal name or a similar frame but rather in a manner to attract attention that it is numbered in a certain way.
- 3.
The word “sustenance” is chosen to attract attention to a system of maintenance and preservation through structures, procedures, and processes that enable a continuum and well-being.
- 4.
It is important to note that there is no such word or phrase in the English language that explains this situation. The exact phrase used by the lawyer is “karsi dava,” the word “karsi” means “opposite” and the word “dava” means “lawsuit.” So it either means “counter-legal case” or “retaliating legal case.” That is the closest translation that I have reached.
- 5.
The consent of the female acquaintance has been obtained over a phone conversation.
- 6.
As she stated that resisting the parents is an Orientalist way of looking at living, it suggests a dichotomy in which obedience is authentic and Middle Eastern and independence and resistance to pressure is foreign and Western. This is very problematic; however, this discussion needs to be excluded in order to discuss the main theme.
- 7.
The English translation of the Vow can be found here. http://www.turkishclass.com/forumTitle_29075.
- 8.
I used a Turkish to Turkish dictionary to analyze the words, people, public, and public order to shed light on accepted ways of looking at such political concepts. The link is http://www.nedirnedemek.com/kamu-düzeni-nedir-kamu-düzeni-ne-demek Last accessed September 23 2014.
- 9.
The word he used implied that the police would inflict violence to look good to their seniors, to get the approval of their seniors, to be recognized and possibly rewarded.
- 10.
Eylem Karadag was one of the few sexual torture cases reported to journalists and NGOs. She was a bystander during Gezi Park protests and she was abused inside the police car as they asked her “Should we ****you here, or at the police station?” The incident was reported by journalist Ayse Arman, published in a Turkish daily on July 2013.
- 11.
The lawyer did not give the exact year in which the protests and her arrest took place.
- 12.
It is very important to note that the issue of minorities is very different in London and New York than it is in Istanbul. Minorities in London might be recognizable for being black, Asian, or Brown. However, in Turkey, we all look the same. Kurds and Turks as well as other minorities look like each other. They are recognized by origin, such as Diyarbakir being the most prominent Kurdish city. When we ask people “Where are you from?,” we get an insight on their ethnic origin, if they are willing to share.
- 13.
The term “progressive democracies” might indicate that I am flattering, if not promoting, the supremacy of Western democracies. I have no intention to promote dichotomy among Western and Eastern nations. Yet, I take the liberty to assume that some democracies are more liberal than others.
- 14.
For further information, see http://admin.hurriyetdailynews.com/rice-we-can-not-control-hollywood.aspx?pageID=438&n=rice-we-can-not-control-hollywood-2005-02-07, Last accessed September 25 2014.
- 15.
The private and public spheres in the Middle East are highly fluid. The state (government, police, and judiciary) is an active agent and decides which parts of the sphere should be deemed private and what parts should be deemed public. Both spheres represent and define ruling-class privileges and new definitions of being privileged and underprivileged.
- 16.
Discussed previously regarding judges who believe men are provoked in the same manner as men who batter women and make the same argument.
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Akgul, F. (2017). Between Women and the State: Male Political Subject. In: Patriarchal Theory Reconsidered. Palgrave Macmillan, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-49766-2_7
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