Abstract of "Turkey: A Prominent Role on a Stage Set by History"
Author(s):
Patricia Kahn
Contrary to Western stereotypes, Turkey has a surprising
proportion of women scientists. In one of the country's best
universities,
- One-third of the physicists and mathematicians are
women.
- Two-thirds of the chemists are women.
- One-fifth of the engineers are women.
- Two out of six deans are women.
Kahn writes that, "Overall, Turkey's professional work force
has a higher proportion of women--especially in science and
medicine--than most Western countries."
As Turkey's scientific base grows and forges closer ties to
Europe and to its own government, and as the European Science
Foundation and the North Atlantic Treaty Organization increase
fellowship and research grant money, women maintain their place
in the sciences because of:
- Strong support from the universities.
- An educational system that keeps girls on track in
science.
- Easy access to child care and household help.
Unfortunately, since only 1% of Turkish women and 2% of
Turkish men attend a university, these benefits are reaching
only a tiny, privileged minority. Other citizens must struggle
with a huge gender gap in illiteracy (twenty percent more
females than males are illiterate) and prepare themselves for a
life of menial labor.
Even within the scientific community, there is still room
for improvement. Academic salaries are low and women do not
often reach the top ranks. Kahn tells us that "The main
obstacle isn't discrimination but forces that pervade society
-- especially the strong tradition that defines home and family
as a woman's domain, placing a double burden on working women
that grows heavier as hours and responsibilities attendant to
more senior positions increase."
An Equal Footing
As Turkey vigorously began to modernize and Westernize in
1923, women had more and more access to education and
professional opportunities. A class bias that still exists
today has meant that upper-class women more strongly encouraged
to learn than middle- or lower-class men. During its nearly a
half-century development, science in Turkey has never had the
reputation of being an exclusively male domain.
The educational system also helps to develop young
scientists. All students must take "intensive math and science
courses throughout high school. At the end, a grueling 2-day
exam provides the sole criterion for deciding not only what
university a student can attend, but what field he or she can
study." Competition for slots at the top is fierce, but the end
result is that girls and boys are equally well-prepared in math
and science.
Competing with Tradition
Since academia in Turkey traditionally carries with it a low
salary, many men (raised under strong pressure to be the family
breadwinner and provider) pass over research and opt for
higher-paid careers in engineering and medicine. And though
women make up 39% of the research assistants and 31% of the
assistant professors in natural science, it is harder for them
to reach the top ranks where they make up only 24% of full
professors and 10% of all top university administrators. Some
think that the siphoning off of talent may be due to lingering
sexist attitudes among male colleagues. Biophysicist Feride
Severcan notes that "women in top positions are under pressure.
If you make a mistake in a high position, people associate it
with your being a woman."
The expectations of, and pressure on women may be greater
within society at large than in the scientific community.
Turkish culture "strongly expects women to fulfill the
traditional homemaker role." Sociologist Ferhunde Ozbay says
this translates to the attitude that "it's fine to be
professional as long as dinner is on the table." The conflict
is usually not as pronounced during the first stages of a
woman's career, but as job duties, hours, and expectations
increase along with children's ages, it becomes increasingly
difficult to balance both. Women are more likely than men to
sacrifice a promotion for the family's sake, which "creates a
discrimination which is very subtle but very strong," in the
words of oncologist Emi Koen.
Values and Choices
Although the deeply internalized notion of home as women's
responsibility is hard to dispel, it is true that as more young
Turkish men delay marriage, they become accustomed to cooking
and cleaning on their own. If they do marry they may have fewer
taboos about entering the kitchen. Although more women are
remaining single (at the top ranks, women are five times more
likely to be unmarried than men), it is hoped that a new
balance will soon be possible for those women who currently
feel they are forced to choose between career and family.
--abstract by Juliet Midgley
Patricia Kahn
"Turkey: A Prominent Role on a Stage Set by History"
Science
(March 11, 1994):
(1487-1488