Public Sphere-Private Sphere Dichotomy of Women's Movement in Turkey

One of the crucial discussions in the women's movement is the public-private space duality. With the changing governments since the foundation of the Republic, the public-private space debate for women has also taken shape as a response to the governments. While women, who were also seen as the face of modernization in the decade of the Republic, could take part in the public sphere within the framework of the drawn boundaries, they were also expected to fulfill their duties in the private sphere. This process continued until the 1980s and was questioned among women with the influence of second-wave feminism, and the private sphere opened to discussion. By the 1990s, the debate progressed parallel with the country's political developments, causing the public sphere to differ. The 2000s were shaped within the framework of the women's policies of the AK Party government. This study aims to understand the development of the women's movement in Turkey in the context of the public-private sphere debate and the reopening of equality, one of the essential achievements for women today. In the study, the women's movement was divided into periods within the framework of the vital developments of the public sphere and private sphere debate, and the policies created for these developments were discussed.