Analyzing the reception process of feminist theory by higher education students in Türkiye with qualitative and quantitative methods

In accordance with the scope of feminist theory, it can be said that it was present in historical sources as women's rights at times when it was not yet a concept. In the 19th century, under the leadership of European states, it was transformed into a systematic movement. The changes in Western Europe triggered partial movements in the Ottoman state, and women's rights began taking shape in Turkish society in the first quarter of the 19th century. The shaping and conceptualisation of the concept of women's rights in Turkish society, which showed an implicit development compared to Western Europe, emerged as the product of a painful process. Although the cautious progress that began in the Ottoman Empire gained momentum with the establishment of the Republic of Türkiye, there was still a distance between it and the Western states. Not every concept can be expected to be realised in the same way in every society, and it is important to identify the reasons for this. In this study, the reception process of Western origin feminist theory in Türkiye is analysed using mixed methods and the opinions of participants are used to determine the impact on university students. The results of the questionnaires administered to university students were compared with the results of the literature review and an opinion was expressed on the nature of the influence. The aim of the master's thesis is to determine how women's rights, which have been demanded throughout history, have developed with modernity and feminist theory and how these developments have affected the reception process of university students in Türkiye using qualitative and quantitative research methods. While criticising the phenomenon of women who have been reshaped by modernity, solutions to the problems are offered.