Signs of the feminization of sociology in Turkey: Transformation of gender composition and possible scenarios

Recently, both in Turkey and the international arena, there has been a remarkable increase in the number and visibility of women among students and academic personnel, particularly in specific areas of higher education. In this respect, this article provides a gender-based picture of students and academic personnel in undergraduate and graduate sociology programs in Turkey and identifies the direction of the gender-based changes in these programs over the last 20 years in quantitative/demographic terms. The article also attempts to assess, within the framework of qualitative/cultural changes, the current and potential changes and transformations in the methodological practices of the discipline, as well as in the discipline’s present and future basic fields of interest and study. To this end, and within the scope of discussions in the literature regarding the feminization of certain academic disciplines, the article focuses on where sociology in Turkey currently stands in this respect, and on possible future scenarios regarding this discipline.