The effects of orientalism on turkish modernization and it's gender policies; The case of Diyarbakir

In Thıs study first of all we try to analyze the effect of orientalism on Turkish modernization process and it?s gender policies with the help of Said?s Orientalism Theory. At the same time standing with the argument of Orientalist variations we focused on social situations of women in the eastern part of Turkey. We argued that Turkish modernist elite?s orientalist argument on eastern woman conditions do not reflect the reality of them.The main aim of this study is that; Third Word modernization experiences have been unsuccessful especialy on gender politicsbecause of it?s western centred and precudiced view point to traditional socio-economic charecteristic of society. Turkish modernization has been realized as a very conflictual process mainly because it?s shaped by an elite group from top to bottom. Moreover it exalt western values and reject all it?s own traditional socio-cultral values, an inclusive and latent orientalism have been coherent to it?s ideology. Thus Turkish elites have missioned themselves by civilization and modernization of provinces of the country especially of women in this regions. This charecteristic of modernization effort couse its own failure.In a therotical frame we examined that; Are eastern womens really passive, obedient and quite objects like western womens have seen them or are they active, productive objects having the power and the capacity of producing solutions. We made a survey with fifty woman living in Suriçi region of Diyarbakır and asked them questions about their social, economical conditions, family and marriage relations and their political sensitivity.Key Words: Orientalism, Orientalist Variations, Gender, İdentity, Discourse