Nuriye Ulviye's Women's Rights Movement and 『Kadınlar Dünyası (Women's World)』: From Ottoman Court Lady to Feminist Journalist

This study examines the feminist activism of Nuriye Ulviye, a late Ottoman female journalist and feminist activist, through Kadınlar Dünyası (Women's World), a prominent women's magazine of the period. Born in Gönen in 1893, Nuriye Ulviye entered palace life at a young age due to poverty, receiving an elite education but was compelled to marry an elderly man at the age of thirteen. Following the death of her first husband, she dedicated her life and personal fortune to feminist activism and journalism. In 1913, she founded <Müdafaa-i Hukuk-ı Nisvan Cemiyeti(Ottoman Association for the Defense of Women's Rights)>, actively promoting agendas aimed at improving women's social standing and legal rights through the organization's official publication, Kadınlar Dünyası. Published for nine years from 1913 to 1921, Kadınlar Dünyası advocated vigorously for women's rights to education and employment, as well as legal and institutional equality, adopting what was considered a highly radical feminist stance for its time. The magazine was exclusively run by women, from editors to printers, emphasizing female autonomy and boldly challenging contemporary societal conventions. Furthermore, Nuriye Ulviye’s feminist activism was not merely an imitation of Western feminism; it was deeply rooted in critical reflection upon the oppressive structures against women within Ottoman society and patriarchal social orders, further promoting the construction of Muslim female identity. These efforts significantly contributed to women's access to higher education and social advancement. Led by Nuriye Ulviye, the Ottoman women's movement profoundly influenced subsequent generations in the early Turkish Republic, fostering an independent feminist movement distinct from ‘state feminism’. This paper seeks to reevaluate the historical context and feminist implications of the Ottoman-Turkish women's movement through the life and activism of Nuriye Ulviye.