Türkiye’s Alignment with the EU’s Gender Equality Policies: An Epistemic Injustice Perspective

The European Union (EU) stands as a leading actor in promoting and advancing gender equality both within its borders and globally. Throughout Turkey’s candidacy period of over twenty years, the EU’s influence in the field of gender equality has been examined, with the argument that Europeanisation has gradually shifted towards de-Europeanisation. This article problematizes the EU’s leadership in gender equality through the perspectives of feminist epistemic justice and colonial modernity, aiming to understand the dynamics shaping gender equality policies and the exclusion of marginalized groups from knowledge production processes. This study is based on a case study analysis, incorporating semi-structured interviews with civil society organisations in Turkey and the analysis of primary sources. Additionally, it evaluates the extent to which Turkey’s domestic gender equality agenda has been influenced by EU policies and directives, as well as the potential impact of Eurosceptic forces that may have driven shifts in Turkey’s approach to gender equality. By analysing policy changes from an epistemic injustice perspective, this research seeks to provide a comprehensive understanding of Turkey’s gender equality policy changes and the interactions within its relationship with the EU.