THE VISIBILITY IN THE PUBLIC/POLITICAL SPHERE: A QUALITATIVE RESEARCH ON POLITICAL REPERESENTATION OF WOMEN MAYORS İN TURKEY

Abstract

lic/private sphere concepts, which constitute the basis of modern political institutions and forms of representation, are also indicative of many evaluations made on lack of political representation of women. Modern politics, based on the division of public/private sphere divided and defined by sex, distinguishes women and everything that is performed by women, from the public sphere namely the political sphere, while identifying women with the private sphere. Absence of questioning this distinction maintains the masculine nature of politics and also negatively affects the political representation of "women and their interests". The theoretical sub-structure of this research is based on Hannah Arendt's discussion of the public/political sphere with the separation of the private sphere (household) and the public sphere. The purpose of the research is to demonstrate that women coming out of the private sphere and being visible in the public sphere is not enough for local political representation. In this context, the prominence in the local political representation of women in the public/political sphere is exemplified through the women mayors. The data of the study were obtained from in-depth interviews with seven women mayors elected in 2014 local elections. According to the results of the research, the role of women in being visible and recognizable by their political actions in the political sphere is important. The visibility and recognition in the political sphere both positively affect not only being nominated candidate for the mayor but also being elected as the mayor