In modern societies, “private” and “public” spheres often appear to
be sharply demarcated. However, women’s daily life practices clearly
demonstrate how permeable, negotiable, and contested the boundaries
of these two spheres are. This study focuses on understanding the transitions
between private and public spheres by positioning the leisure
experiences of headscarved women in their daily lives precisely on this
boundary.
This study is the product of a long-term research aimed at understanding
how headscarved women in Turkey utilize their leisure time in their
daily lives. While leisure time is often considered a neutral and universal
concept, access to this space, especially by headscarved women
with religiously conservative lifestyles, is often shaped by social norms,
religious references, and gender expectations. Precisely for this reason,
leisure time goes beyond simply being free; it also lies at the center of
broader sociological discussions such as freedom, visibility, spatiality,
and belonging.
This book is based on both a theoretical framework and a comprehensive
field study. The data obtained throughout the study revealed a
multifaceted understanding of how headscarved women establish their
own boundaries, where privacy ends and public space begins, and how
they attempt to carve out a space between them. The primary goal in
achieving this is not to confine the leisure practices of headscarved
women to a single framework; rather, it is to reveal the diversity that
emerges across diverse socioeconomic, cultural, and religious contexts.
Therefore, the book aims to open a new avenue of discussion both in sociological
literature and in studies specifically addressing conservatism
and everyday life in Turkey.
I would like to thank all the women who reached out to me throughout
my research journey and who sincerely shared their experiences with
me. Their valuable responses were the most important factor in the
creation of this book. I extend my sincere gratitude to my thesis superviii
visor, Professor Doctor Halil Aydınalp, whose academic knowledge I
have greatly benefited from and whose supportive approach has been a
constant source of support throughout the study’s development. I would
also like to thank my precious spouse Gökhan, who always made me
feel his belief that I would succeed, and my beloved children Zeynep
Havin and Ömer Burak, whose presence always made me feel strong.
Keywords: Sociology of Religion; Modernization; Postmodernism; Secularization;
Conservatism; Headscarf; Leisure Time