Dr. Elif Sari Genc

Research article entitled "Symbolic Leverage: Nominating (Non)veiled Women as an Electoral Competition Strategy in Polarized Turkey" by Elif Sari-Genc. Abstract begins: Do party elites strategically nominate (non)veiled women? While research exists on Muslim-minority countries, little is known about the dynamics of such strategies in Muslim-majority contexts, where the interplay of Islam, secularism, gender, and veiling is complex. To address this gap, I examine electoral competition in Turkey, investigating whether parties strategically nominate (non)veiled women for mayoral seats in opposing party strongholds to capitalize on the political symbols associated with women’s identities — a strategy I term “symbolic leverage.” Using an original dataset, elite interviews, and electoral discourse analysis, I find that parties leverage the symbolic value of veiled and nonveiled women candidates to appeal to rival party voters.

📣 Out on #FirstView 📣

In "Symbolic Leverage" @elifsarigenc.bsky.social‬ examines how (non)veiled women are strategically nominated by political parties to run for mayoral seats as an appeal to rival party voters.

🌟Available #OpenAccess🌟
polisky gendersky
buff.ly/AFH8fe3

Read the full open access article here: www.cambridge.org/core/journal...
#PoliticalScience #GenderSky #ElectoralStrategy #NewResearch #OpenAccess #SymbolicPolitics #AcademicSky
#TurkishPolitics
#PoliticsofVeiling
#Electionsky
#AffectivePolarization
#Emotions
#PoliticalSymbols

for their valuable feedback on earlier drafts of this article. Your insights made this work much stronger. 🙏

I am deeply grateful to the anonymous reviewers, the editorial team of @politicsgenderj.bsky.social, Lindsay J. Benstead, Jill Greenlee, @meralugurcinar.bsky.social, Esra Issever-Ekinci, Lucie Drechselova, @orcunselcuk.bsky.social, and @ozlemtuncel.bsky.social ...

It demonstrates how elites' decisions regarding female candidate nominations are profoundly shaped by deeply entrenched cultural cleavages & how women candidates are strategically selected to compete in challenging districts where their identities offer distinct electoral advantages.

This research foregrounds affective polarization and political symbols as the primary drivers shaping both the strategic inclusion of women in politics and their instrumentalization within broader electoral campaigns. #AffectivePolarization

A key contribution of this study is the introduction of a novel theory of 'symbolic leverage,' explaining how party elites strategically deploy women's (non)veiling status for electoral gain in the highly polarized, Muslim-majority context of Turkey.

Interviews with Islamist party elites show that nominating nonveiled women serves to signal tolerance for secular lifestyles, assuage Islamization concerns, attract swing voters, and project a democratic image and commitment to gender equality.

In this research, I find that political parties in Turkey strategically leverage the symbolic value of veiled and nonveiled women candidates to appeal to rival party voters, particularly in highly polarized electoral contexts.

Thrilled to announce my new article, "Symbolic Leverage: Nominating (Non)Veiled Women as an Electoral Competition Strategy in Polarized Turkey," is now published in @politicsgenderj.bsky.social and available as First View (Open Access)! 🇹🇷♀️🗳️ (Thread 👇)
#SymbolicLeverage #TurkishPolitics

Daha az seyahat edip daha çok buluşmalıyız Hocam, katılıyorum kahve kritik önem taşıyor 😍

Navigating fieldwork during such tremendous political turmoil taught important lessons, which I'll share in a separate piece soon. Stay tuned!
#PoliticalScience #ComparativePolitics #WomenInPolitics #Academicsky #TurkeyPolitics
#Fieldwork
#EliteInterview

Feeling very grateful for the support of Deniz Sert & @cimencim.bsky.social for hosting me this semester at @ozyeginuni.bsky.social Immense gratitude also to all interviewees sharing perspectives wholeheartedly amidst a tumultuous political crisis. #Fieldwork
#EliteInterview

Simultaneously, I had the profound pleasure of teaching comparative women's leadership & representation at @ozyeginuni.bsky.social Engaging w/ brilliant students in my home country, discussing insights from literature & my long-term fieldwork, was a true highlight! ✨ #Teaching

This news is special timing-wise, as I just wrapped up follow-up fieldwork here in Turkey! This work provides crucial input for my book project, building upon & extending the article's findings & laying crucial groundwork. 🇹🇷📚 #Fieldwork #BookProject #EliteInterview

Another special thank you to Lindsay Benstead, who has always been a very supportive & tremendous guide.
More detailed findings & acknowledgments to come...

Huge thanks to the @politicsgenderj.bsky.social editorial team & anonymous reviewers for their invaluable feedback. (A special and heartfelt thank you to the reviewer who noted, "I appreciated the qualitative analysis of the party's motivations" – your comment was truly appreciated!)
#EliteInterview

By examining how these candidate selections function as 'symbolic leverage' and conceptualizing the mechanisms and elite motivations behind this strategy, I find that parties leverage the symbolic value of veiled and nonveiled women candidates to appeal to rival party voters.
#Electionsky
#Gendersky

In this paper, I analyze the strategic nomination of (Non)veiled women as a tool for electoral competition within Turkey's highly polarized political environment. #GenderPolitics #Turkey #SymbolicPolitics #Gendersky #Electionsky

Some exciting professional news! My article, "Symbolic Leverage: Nominating (Non)veiled Women as an Electoral Competition Strategy in Polarized Turkey," has been officially accepted & is forthcoming in @politicsgenderj.bsky.social! I couldn't be more delighted! 🎉 #Gendersky

Simultaneously, I had the profound pleasure of teaching comparative women's leadership & representation at @ozyeginuni.bsky.social Engaging w/ brilliant students in my home country, discussing insights from literature & my long-term fieldwork, was a true highlight! ✨ #Teaching

This news is special timing-wise, as I just wrapped up follow-up fieldwork here in Turkey! This work provides crucial input for my book project, building upon & extending the article's findings & laying crucial groundwork. 🇹🇷📚 #Fieldwork #BookProject

Another special thank you to Lindsay Benstead, who has always been a very supportive & tremendous guide. More detailed findings & acknowledgments to come...

Huge thanks to the @politicsgenderj.bsky.social editorial team & anonymous reviewers for their invaluable feedback! 🙏 (Especially appreciated the reviewer who noted the qualitative analysis of motivations - thank you!)

It examines how these candidate selections function as 'symbolic leverage' & conceptualizes the mechanisms and elite motivations driving such a strategy. #SymbolicPolitics #Elections

In this paper, I analyze the strategic nomination of (Non)veiled women as a tool for electoral competition within Turkey's highly polarized political environment. #GenderPolitics #Turkey #Gendersky

Why Turkey’s democratic future matters for the world | Opinion My arrest in the government’s attempt to crush dissent shows how important the stability of my country is

Why Turkey’s democratic future matters for the world | Opinion

https://www.ft.com/content/4bf40350-ea4f-4b24-b8a1-c85d9277e6cc

For every one man whose career is derailed because of a false accusation of sexual harassment, sexual assault, or rape there are 100s (1000s?) of women whose careers are derailed because they were harassed, assaulted, or raped.

If only the punditry cared as much about the latter as the former.

This is a growing list of scholars who study gender and women’s representation in authoritarian regimes.
If I missed you, please reply to be added. Also, feel free to share this list and mention any names you think should be included.
Thanks! #gendersky #polisky #Gendersky
go.bsky.app/BDjUh6V