Tokgöz, Busenaz
(2025)
Empowered by Faith: Gender and Kuranist Muslims in Turkey.
Research master thesis, Master Research Master Theologie en Religiewetenschappen.
Abstract
Kuranism is a growing Islamic understanding and movement in Turkey, which has
gained visibility through the mainstream and new media, i.e., social media digital
spaces. The progressive interpretations away from traditional jurisprudence and hadith
argue for a direct engagement with the Kuran as complete. The Kuranist approach
leaves behind the cultural and historical baggage for Muslim women by being skeptical
towards hadiths and traditional jurisprudence in Sunni Islam. Developing from this
discourse, this thesis explores how Kuranist discourse on social media influences
followers’ perceptions and practices on gender roles and the status of women in Islam.
Empirical qualitative research method is used in this research, and semi-structured
interviews are conducted with twelve participants, five male and seven female, who
shifted their religious understanding to Kuranism. The study analysed personal
narratives and religious practices to explore whether there are changes in interviewees’
gender understanding due to the Kuranism transition. In this research, it is observed
that one’s religious and social background influences their religious viewpoint.
Moreover, personal world-view influences people’s negotiation and reconciliation of
religion with contemporary understandings, which are highly informed by the religious
fluidity shaped by globalization forces. It is also observed that the progressive
theological interpretation of gender allows its followers to reinterpret modesty,
femininity, and womanhood. Then, the study discusses why Kuranist women still
struggle to position themselves to become religious female authorities, contrary to
progressive interpretations of female leadership. Consequently, the study has a crucial
implication on how religious interpretations shape people’s lives, especially concepts
such as gender roles, femininity, and modesty. The paper discusses how Turkish people
position themselves between modernity and traditions through Kuranist interpretations,
representing an example to other Muslim societies, including the Muslim diaspora in
Europe, who face dual sentiment daily.
| Type: |
Thesis
(Research master)
|
| Supervisors (RUG): |
| Supervisor | E-mail | Tutor organization | Tutor email |
|---|
| Knibbe, K.E. | | Faculteit GGW, Vergelijkende Religiewetenschap | K.E.Knibbe@rug.nl |
|
| Supervisors from outside the RUG: |
| Tutor outside | E-mail | Tutor outside organization | Tutor outside email |
|---|
| Masolini, Serena, Dr. | | Cordoba University | anoniem@gmail.com |
|
| Degree programme: |
Master Research Master Theologie en Religiewetenschappen |
| Academic year: |
2024-2025 |
| Date of delivery: |
03 Feb 2026 10:47 |
| Last modified: |
03 Feb 2026 10:47 |
| URI: |
https://rcs.studenttheses.ub.rug.nl/id/eprint/853 |
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