Entrepreneurial Subjectivities and Gendered Complexities: Neoliberal Citizenship in Turkey

Abstract

This contribution explores the promotion of women's entrepreneurial activities in Turkey. Using participant observation and semi-structured interviews conducted during 2011-12 in two civilsociety organizations, which run programs fostering women's entrepreneurship, it shows how neoliberal ideologies interact with ideas of labor, responsibility, and gender. Emphasizing individual rationalities and entrepreneurial attitudes, these civil-society programs contribute to the construction model subjects of neoliberal citizenship, who are expected to be self-governing and self-sufficient. Yet problems embedded in the neoliberal paradigm and these particular organizations' commitment to women's rights produce contradictions in implementation. The goal of entrepreneurial women is predicated on the assumption that women contribute more to their families' well being than men. The programs' attempt to construct potential entrepreneurs out of women for this purpose reveals problems with discourses of individual self-sufficiency and responsibility.

Female entrepreneurship in emerging and developing countries: a systematic literature review

“…Five sought to understand the challenges associated with women obtaining resources, primarily financial ones (Alecchi, 2020;Kuschel Lindvert et al, 2017Lindvert et al, , 2019Ukanwa et al, 2018;Welsh et al, 2017b). Furthermore, work-family conflicts (Fis et al, 2019;Olu-Owolabi et al, 2020;Welsh et al, 2016;Xheneti et al, 2019) and patriarchal restrictions (Al-Dajani et al, 2019a, b;Altan-Olcay, 2014, 2016 stand out among the challenges investigated.…”

“…, 2019) and patriarchal restrictions (Al-Dajani et al. , 2019a, b; Altan-Olcay, 2014, 2016) stand out among the challenges investigated.…”

“…Entrepreneurial performance was the object of attention in 25 articles. For instance, Altan-Olcay (2014), Maziriri et al. (2019) and Welsh et al.…”

“…(2018),Zainol et al (2018) ChallengesAl-Dajani et al (2019a, b),Alecchi (2020),Altan-Olcay (2014, 2016,Cooke and Xiao (2021),Fis et al (2019),Ghouse et al (2017Ghouse et al ( , 2019,Hernandez et al (2012),Kakabadse et al (2018),Kuschel et al (2017),Langevang (2017),Langevang et al (2018),Lindvert et al (2017Lindvert et al ( , 2019,Lock and Lawton Smith (2016),Martiana et al (2018),Mathew (2019),Maziriri et al (2019),Mehtap et al (2019),Ng and Fu (2018),Ngoasong and Kimbu (2019), Olu-Owolabi et al (2020), Ramadani et al (2013), Roessingh and Nuijten (2012), Solanki (2019), Thapa Karki et al (2020), Ukanwa et al (2018), Vershinina et al (2020), Welsh et al (2016, 2017b), Xheneti et al (2019), Xiong et al (2018), Zainol et al et al (2014), Hendratmi and Sukmaningrum (2018), Mehtap et al (2019), Onalan and Magda (2020) Entrepreneurial motivations Cavada et al (2017), Hendratmi and Sukmaningrum (2018), Hernandez et al (2012), Langevang (2017), Mandongwe and Jaravaza (2020), Marques et al (2017), Martiana et al (2018), Mehtap et al (2019), Ng and Fu (2018), Ramadani et al (2013), Roessingh and Nuijten (2012), Solanki (2019), Welsh et al (2016), Xheneti et al (2019) Entrepreneurial performance Alene (2020), Azam Roomi and Harrison (2010), Brixiov a et al (2020), Ghani et al (2013), Gusti Ayu Purnamawati et al (2020), Kimosop et al (2016), Martiana et al (2018), Muniady et al (2015), Rekarti et al (2019), Reza et al (2020), Roomi (2013), Setini et al (2020), Shakeel et al (2020), Sihotang et al (2020), Vasan (2020), Welsh et al (2017a, 2018), Xiong et al (2018), Zainol et al (2018) Entrepreneurial success Amrita et al (2018), Baranik et al (2018), Batool and Ullah (2017), Sen (2018), Shakeel et al (2020) Fostering entrepreneurship Altan-Olcay (2016), Azam Roomi and Harrison (2010), Caputo et al (2016), Cooke and Xiao (2021), Ennis (2019), Ghani et al (2014), Hendratmi and Sukmaningrum (2018), Jabeen and Faisal (2018), Mathew (2019), Maziriri et al (2019), Mbaruku and Mutalemwa (2015), Minimol (2020), Thapa Karki et al (2020), Thapa Karki and Xheneti (2018), Zainol et al (2017) Gender Al-Dajani et al (2019a, b), Altan-Olcay (2014), Azam Roomi and Harrison (2010), Baranik et al (2018), Ennis (2019), Fis et al (2019), Ghouse et al (2017), Jaim (2021), Olu-Owolabi et al (2020), Selamat and Endut (2020), Siringi (2011), Xheneti et al 5 19); fostering entrepreneurship ...…”

Complaints‐Based Entrepreneurialism: Worker Experiences of the Employment Standards Complaints Process in Ontario, Canada

“…According to Woolford and Nelund (:307), these responsible subjects must demonstrate “prudent self‐management,” relative autonomy in taking charge of one's own life, and ability to innovate and creatively supplement meager income when necessary. Such practices foster identities in line with neoliberal conceptions of the self as an “isolated individual” (Altan‐Olcay :247). Mascini, Achterberg, and Houtman () argue that those in the most vulnerable labor market position are most likely to take personal or individual responsibility for their difficult circumstances.…”