International Journal of Gender & Women's Studies

Globalisation and the Impacts of Austerity Measures in Turkey: The Narratives of Women in the Tunnel
Dr. Aytul Kasapoglu

Abstract
In today’s globalised world, there is no avoiding the negative impacts of economic crises. The butterfly effect, the most commonly used metaphor to describe globalisation, explains the interconnectivity of world systems. The worst, but possibly not the last, example of globalisation was the mortgage crises in the USA that occurred in 2007 and extended all over Europe, including Turkey. Many European governments applied austerity measures to their struggling economies, but these budget cuts mostly affected vulnerable groups, such as women, children and migrants. Previous inequalities were deepened, and gendered austerity became evident compared with other groups who faced risks. By focusing on gendered austerity as a research problem, this study seeks to answer the following questions: How do poor women describe their living experiences? Are there any differences between recent years and longer? What are the most important sociodemographic characteristics of these women? How do they cope with their conditions, and what are their survival strategies?The extent to which the feminisation of poverty is observed and why women are more sensitive to budget cuts are discussed based on interviews using oral history. The researcher attempted to write the women’s own stories without reconstructing them by reflecting on controversies, as well as silences. Findings revealed that the women had hidden injuries, and they blamed the state for making them angry. The women were also using “economy of talk” by remaining silent.

Full Text: PDF      DOI: 10.15640/ijgws.v3n2a14