Women's political participation has risen sharply in the last three decades: women use their right to vote more often than men, they are represented in almost all political representative bodies, and they perceive politics as a career occupation. However, despite increased representation and female leaders in politics, there are still significant hurdles in implementing comprehensive equal opportunities: Women still get excluded from important critical decision-making processes, and they are also exposed to gender-specific cliches, which the mass media also reflects in political reporting. And not only in their own country but also at intercultural, political meetings. When not only different high-ranking politicians meet, but also different genders and cultures, there is often cause for great misunderstandings and indirect attacks on both country, person, and on gender, and even violations of fundamental and human rights. Due to the substantial increase in digitisation in recent years and constant video monitoring, it is now possible to record any politic- al meeting and analyse it afterward. These videos often help attract attention to grievances or ini- tiate meaningful, intercultural discussions, such as misogyny, discrimination, or heterogeneity.
In this term paper, I will analyse the political meeting of the President of the European Commis- sion Ursula von der Leyen, the Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, and the French Presid- ent of the European Council Charles Michele, with the question of whether Ursula von der Leyen had not got a chair because she is a woman. I will use two videos of the incident as research ma- terial, but I will focus on the gender aspect and leave out aspects such as body language and his- torical background, as these topics would be too comprehensive for this term paper. First, I will compare the roles of women in politics in Turkey and Germany, where I will go into a little more detail on the role of women in Turkey and the withdrawal from the Istanbul Convention, then I will analyse the videos with the background of this prior knowledge and finalize the term paper with a conclusion.
Inhaltsverzeichnis (Table of Contents)
- Introduction
- Women in Politics
- Turkish women in politics
- Role of women within the Islam
- Participation of Turkish women in politics
- Withdrawal from Istanbul Convention
- German women in politics
- Gender-specific inequalities
- Female representatives
- Turkish women in politics
- The Sofa-Gate Analysis
- The incident
- The Difference
Zielsetzung und Themenschwerpunkte (Objectives and Key Themes)
This term paper analyzes the "Sofa-Gate" incident, focusing on whether Ursula von der Leyen's lack of a chair was due to her gender. The analysis compares the roles of women in Turkish and German politics, using the incident as a case study. The paper aims to explore gender inequality in political settings, particularly within the context of intercultural interactions.
- Gender inequality in politics
- The role of women in Turkish and German politics
- The impact of cultural and religious factors on women's political participation
- Analysis of the "Sofa-Gate" incident as a case study of gender inequality
- The Istanbul Convention and its implications for gender equality
Zusammenfassung der Kapitel (Chapter Summaries)
Introduction: This introductory chapter sets the stage for the term paper by highlighting the significant progress made by women in politics over the last three decades, while also acknowledging persistent challenges to achieving genuine equality. It emphasizes the continued exclusion of women from crucial decision-making processes and the prevalence of gender stereotypes in political discourse and media representation, particularly in intercultural settings. The chapter introduces the "Sofa-Gate" incident as the central case study, focusing on the gender aspect of the event while deliberately excluding other potentially relevant elements like body language or historical context to maintain a manageable scope for the paper. The overall objective is clearly laid out: to analyze whether Ursula von der Leyen’s lack of seating was due to her gender.
Women in Politics: This chapter delves into a comparative analysis of women's roles in Turkish and German politics. It begins by examining the complex interplay between Islamic religious interpretations and women's societal standing in Turkey, exploring how traditional understandings of gender roles, often rooted in interpretations of the Quran, have impacted women's political participation. The chapter then contrasts this with the situation in Germany, highlighting the differences in legal frameworks and societal norms related to gender equality. The discussion includes the underrepresentation of women in Turkish politics, using statistics to show the significant gender gap and providing examples of the institutional and societal obstacles women face. The chapter also covers the controversial withdrawal of Turkey from the Istanbul Convention, demonstrating a crucial setback for gender equality initiatives.
The Sofa-Gate Analysis: This chapter presents the core analysis of the "Sofa-Gate" incident, utilizing video evidence to investigate the question of whether Ursula von der Leyen's lack of a chair was due to her gender. This section builds upon the background knowledge established in the previous chapter on the differing roles and treatment of women in Turkish and German political contexts. The analysis focuses exclusively on the gender dimension of the event, furthering the objective of the term paper to isolate and explore the gender-specific aspects of the incident. This section directly connects the theoretical framework of the previous chapter with the practical observation of the Sofa-Gate incident, allowing for a robust conclusion.
Schlüsselwörter (Keywords)
Gender inequality, women in politics, Turkey, Germany, Islam, Istanbul Convention, Sofa-Gate, gender stereotypes, political representation, intercultural relations, gender-based violence.
Frequently Asked Questions: Analysis of "Sofa-Gate" and Women in Politics
What is the main topic of this term paper?
This term paper analyzes the "Sofa-Gate" incident, focusing on whether Ursula von der Leyen's lack of a chair was due to her gender. It compares the roles of women in Turkish and German politics, using the incident as a case study to explore gender inequality in political settings, particularly within the context of intercultural interactions.
What are the key themes explored in the paper?
Key themes include gender inequality in politics, the role of women in Turkish and German politics, the impact of cultural and religious factors on women's political participation, and an analysis of the "Sofa-Gate" incident as a case study of gender inequality. The Istanbul Convention and its implications for gender equality are also discussed.
How does the paper compare the roles of women in Turkish and German politics?
The paper contrasts the complex interplay between Islamic religious interpretations and women's societal standing in Turkey with the situation in Germany. It highlights differences in legal frameworks and societal norms related to gender equality, including the underrepresentation of women in Turkish politics and the withdrawal of Turkey from the Istanbul Convention.
What is the "Sofa-Gate" incident, and how is it analyzed in the paper?
The "Sofa-Gate" incident refers to the event where Ursula von der Leyen lacked a chair during a meeting. The paper analyzes this incident, using video evidence, to investigate whether her lack of a chair was due to her gender. The analysis focuses on the gender dimension, connecting it to the differing roles and treatment of women in Turkish and German political contexts.
What is the significance of the Istanbul Convention in this analysis?
The Istanbul Convention is a significant element in the analysis because Turkey's withdrawal from this convention demonstrates a crucial setback for gender equality initiatives. The paper highlights its importance in relation to the broader discussion of gender inequality and women's rights in Turkey.
What are the chapter summaries provided in the document?
The document provides summaries for an introduction chapter which sets the stage, a chapter on women in politics which makes a comparative analysis of the roles of women in Turkish and German politics, and finally a chapter dedicated to the analysis of the "Sofa-Gate" incident.
What keywords are associated with this term paper?
Keywords include: Gender inequality, women in politics, Turkey, Germany, Islam, Istanbul Convention, Sofa-Gate, gender stereotypes, political representation, intercultural relations, gender-based violence.
What is the overall objective of this term paper?
The overall objective is to analyze whether Ursula von der Leyen’s lack of seating during the "Sofa-Gate" incident was due to her gender.
What is included in the language preview?
The language preview includes the title, table of contents, objectives and key themes, chapter summaries, and keywords.
- Quote paper
- Lilli Scalzo (Author), 2021, Women in Politics and "Sofa-Gate" Analysis, Munich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/1168328
