Academic state of anomie in gender studies: masked and expressed emotions within the academic environment in Turkey

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Pehlivanlı E., Eslen-Ziya H.

JOURNAL OF GENDER STUDIES, 2025 (SSCI) identifier identifier

  • Publication Type: Article / Article
  • Publication Date: 2025
  • Doi Number: 10.1080/09589236.2025.2473919
  • Journal Name: JOURNAL OF GENDER STUDIES
  • Journal Indexes: Social Sciences Citation Index (SSCI), Scopus, Academic Search Premier, International Bibliography of Social Sciences, Periodicals Index Online, Educational research abstracts (ERA), Gender Studies Database, Index Islamicus, MLA - Modern Language Association Database, Political Science Complete, Psycinfo, Social services abstracts, Sociological abstracts, Worldwide Political Science Abstracts
  • Middle East Technical University Affiliated: Yes

Abstract

Academics in Turkey face relentless demands for productivity and competition, exacerbated by neoliberal and anti-gender ideologies. These pressures erode well-being, fostering isolation and self-doubt. This study examines the lived experiences of Gender Studies scholars-our closest colleagues-who navigate both an oppressive political climate and rising anti-gender sentiments. Our findings reveal emotional and physical distress: exhaustion, stress, anxiety, guilt, and alienation. Yet, higher education institutions fail to address these struggles, highlighting a gap between academics' needs and institutional policies. This neglect perpetuates a state of anomie, where scholars internalize academia's structural failures as personal shortcomings. Ultimately, we argue that unspoken power hierarchies and personal sacrifices reinforce this toxic cycle, forcing academics to bear the burden of systemic failures.