Talk: “Who Represents Women in Turkey? An Analysis of Gender Difference in Private Bill Sponsorship in the 2011-2015 Turkish Parliament”
by
Eda Bektaş
Department of Political Science
Bilkent University
and
Esra Issever-Ekinci
Maxwell School
Syracuse University
Tuesday, February 13, 2018, 12:30 p.m.
FEASS Building, A-130
Abstract:
In this research, we examine substantive representation of women in the 2011-2015 Turkish Parliament, by focusing on private members’ bills (PMBs) sponsorship of women members of parliament (MPs) across eight major issue areas. Studying Turkish case offers new insights on women’s representation, not only because it is not explored so far, but also it provides opportunity to examine the tension between gender as a social identity and ideology as a political identity in a legislature characterized with disciplined and centralized political parties and low gender parity. OLS regression results lend support for the argument that women MPs substantively represent women by sponsoring more bills on the issues of women’s rights and equality than their male colleagues despite their low numbers in the parliament and affiliation with highly disciplined parties. Also, party ideology shapes women MPs’ issue priorities depending on the emphasis placed by the parties on different issue areas. While leftist women MPs are more likely sponsor bills on the issues of women’s rights and equality that is defined with a feminist accent, women MPs from right-wing parties are more likely to sponsor bills on the issues of children and family. The interactive effect of leftist ideology and being women on PMBs sponsorship is also significant in issues of health and social affairs, as left-wing parties prioritize these issues more than right-wing parties. These results are also robust to negative binomial and GLM models.
Short Bios:
Eda Bektaş
Eda Bektaş is a PhD candidate in Political Science at Bilkent University. Formerly, she graduated from International Relations Department at Bilkent University in 2008, and received her master’s degree in International Relations from Koc University in 2010. For 2014-2015 academic year, she was a visiting researcher at European Institute at the LSE, London. Her research interests include legislative studies, democratic representation, accountability, responsiveness and participation.
Esra Issever-Ekinci
Esra Issever-Ekinci is a PhD candidate in Political Science at Maxwell School, Syracuse University. Her research interests include political institutions, electoral systems, comparative party competition, and women’s representation in politics. She was formerly a visiting researcher at Carlos III-Juan March Institute of Social Sciences, Madrid. She received a BA from Bogazici University in political science and international relations. She also holds a MA in international relations from Koc University, and a MA in political science from Syracuse University.