ABSTRACT
Chapter 2 compares and contrasts the AKP’s understanding of gender with that of the earlier period. It has been argued elsewhere that the AKP period is characterized by a new type of patriarchy. This chapter aims to demonstrate the peculiar characteristics of the new Islamic patriarchy while revealing commonalities with the previous periods. Accordingly, women’s only permissible roles are mothers and wives, the family framework dominates the AKP’s approach to women, Islamic justification for women’s roles are provided, and the AKP relies on women as volunteers.
The chapter argues that the re-envisioning of women by the AKP rule as mothers and wives, pious, segregated, family-centered, dependents, and volunteers goes beyond the short-term and ad hoc policies of a political party in power. Rather, it indicates a new regime with long-term implications for both gender relations and politics.
