Feminism as the New 'Meta-Politics'

This book explores how feminist actors in Türkiye sustain collective political action despite deep ideological divisions and increasingly authoritarian conditions. Drawing on extensive qualitative research, including in-depth interviews with 56 representatives from 25 women’s organisations spanning secular, liberal, feminist/reformist, socialist, Kemalist, Kurdish, and Islamic perspectives and different generations, it argues that feminism functions not as a unified ideology but as a meta-political practice that enables cooperation through negotiation, contestation, and translation. Building on this comprehensive empirical analysis, the book introduces the concept of “ feminism as meta-politics ” to capture a form of political engagement that transcends conventional ideological boundaries. Within this framework, feminism operates not only as a social movement or a form of identity politics but also as a transformative practice that redefines the scope and boundaries of the political itself. By developing a theoretical contribution grounded in empirical research, the book offers new insights into feminist theory, social movement studies, and debates on polarisation and democratic participation.