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A gender- and class-sensitive explanatory model for rural women entrepreneurship in Turkey

Bengu Kurtege Sefer (The Center for Gender Studies at Koc University (KOÇ-KAM), Koc University, Istanbul, Turkey)

International Journal of Gender and Entrepreneurship

ISSN: 1756-6266

Article publication date: 25 February 2020

Issue publication date: 27 April 2020

1198

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to offer a new gender- and class-sensitive framework for research on rural women entrepreneurship by focusing on the women’s agricultural cooperatives in Turkey. Although these cooperatives have been promoted as ideal bottom-to-top organizations to integrate women into economy as entrepreneurs, there has been significant decline in their numbers. This paper tackles with this contradictory situation and intends to offer an alternative research framework on the viability of the women’s agricultural cooperatives in Turkey.

Design/methodology/approach

The paper is built on a critical assessment of the existing literature. It argues that a framework that brings together macro-, meso- and micro-factors will provide a springboard to unfold the gendered processes integral to rural female entrepreneurship in Turkey. Drawing on intersectional theory, the multilayered factors which operate to rural women’s (dis)advantages through the cooperatives are unfolded as policymaking, policy implementation and everyday experiences.

Findings

For policymakers and implementers, it points out the need for a holistic and integrated understanding of rural female entrepreneurship and for re-formulation of policies at the state level. For rural women, it draws attention to the measures required to be taken at the cooperative level to overcome inequalities.

Originality/value

This paper is original in making explicit social, political and economic embeddedness of female entrepreneurship in rural Turkey.

Keywords

Acknowledgements

First of all, the author owes special thanks to the members of the KOC-KAM that gives her the opportunity to write this article. The author would like to express her sincere gratitude to Prof Bertil Emrah Oder, Assoc Prof Ozlem Altan for their intellectual stimulation, emotional support, valuable comments, patience and encouragements while writing this article. She is also greatly indebted to Dr Akin Sefer for his insight, and criticism throughout the process.

Citation

Kurtege Sefer, B. (2020), "A gender- and class-sensitive explanatory model for rural women entrepreneurship in Turkey", International Journal of Gender and Entrepreneurship, Vol. 12 No. 2, pp. 191-210. https://doi.org/10.1108/IJGE-07-2019-0113

Publisher

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Emerald Publishing Limited

Copyright © 2020, Emerald Publishing Limited

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