Osmanlı basınında (1895-1921) kadın öz temsili ve katkısının izini sürmek

This Ph.D. thesis investigates the visual self-representation of women in selected publications of the Ottoman Press between years 1895 and 1921. Images of women published in Kadınlar Dünyası (KD [Women's World]), a journal run by women were analyzed alongside those in Servet-i Fünûn (SF [The Wealth of Sciences]) and Hanımlara Mahsus Gazete (HM [Ladies' Own Gazette]). This comparative study design allowed to see if a mainstream journal differed in its utilization of female visuality and whether the women's representation changed across time. A total of 1919 unique images (1206 from SF, 460 from HM and 253 from KD) were described and coded on NVivo 12. The coding yielded mode categories that outlined the identity and characteristics of women, their locations and activities. The findings suggest that SF features an image of woman present in the modern world and its professional spheres, but also a mother and a homemaker at home. HM constructs a woman of religious anonymity but belonging to an upper-class urban background and her activity range is limited. Coming at a later period, KD heavily promotes a female identity that is active in a wide range of professions previously unavailable to women. The responsibility of motherhood is also transformed into a task raising a generation of educated Ottoman citizens. It is understood that through a consistent use of women images unlike the other two journals, KD designed an idealistic but realistic representation of a new Ottoman woman whose image is not simply featured for viewing pleasure but to inspire social change in the long term.