Historical transformation of Islamist women's movement in Turkey

In the historical process, specifically in Turkey there are debates about the group of people that are called Islamists, the people who strive to live as they believe and Muslim women. In this process, the transformation of Muslim women is in the question. Islamism which is started to be discussed since the fall of Ottoman Empire, has been affected every period of Ottoman Empire until today. In this context Islamism produces its own ideas and solutions. Throughout the history, Islamist women have been behind the closed doors or have tried to exist with their formation in the patriarchal structure. Especially after 1960s, participation of Islamist women in the society emerged thanks to both the conjuncture of the period and the efforts of figures that can be called as role models. Before 1960 the visibility of Islamists, or in other words, Muslim woman figure, is not possible to see them in the social life and public sphere. Previously Islamist women were bordered within their own living environment and were excluded from social life, today Islamist women started to be in sight and a part of social life. There are some various factors that are effective in the emergence of this process. Modernization, urbanization, participation in the education are some of the primary factors that have high-degree importance. Urbanization and inclusion of girls in the education are the precursors of an awakening. Islamist women were up for being the agents in the social transformation. As a matter of fact, this situation is more visible after 1980. The leading factors that constitute this visibility are civilian solidarity cases, political party conjunctures of the period and the grouping resulting from the headscarf struggle. Meanwhile, Islamist women create a social consciousness rapidly. From the historical perspective, the point which the Islamist women reached is the struggle to be social agents. This struggle shows itself via foundations, associations and initiatives. Besides these evaluations; the term, Islamist is stressed and the origins of masterminds who produce the idea of Islamism and their manifestations in the society are tried to be examined. The analysis of this togetherness is made. The points that differ and intersect are tried to be understood. In this study, various discussion chapters are created with different topics. The discussion of whether the expression of "Islamist women" is accepted or not is one of the discussions that we give importance since different responses are obtained and under the light of these responses, the comparison of ideas related to this issue is made in the application chapter of the study. Consequently, we were in the struggle to understand the phases of a social transformation which is specific to Turkey. Key Words: Islamism, Religion, Woman, Modernization, Urbanization, Education, Feminism, Islam, Social Transformation.