Hegemonic masculinity and terrorism: the case of the PKK and Abdullah Öcalan

ABSTRACT

Recent years have seen an increase in the study of the relationship between gender and terrorism. This article analyzes the relationship between hegemonic masculinity and terrorism through the case of the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (Partiya Karkerên Kurdistan or PKK) and its leader Abdullah Öcalan. Using the method of narrative analysis, the study first examines the concept of hegemonic masculinity. The study attempts to make sense of how the concept of hegemonic masculinity operates within the PKK. To achieve this goal, the study demonstrates the major functions of hegemonic masculinity within terrorist organisations. Accordingly, it is argued that the perspective of masculinity studies can be used to gain a better and highly instructive understanding of political violence and terrorism.

KEYWORDS:

• Gender
• hegemonic masculinity
• terrorism
• the PKK
• Abdullah Öcalan

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No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author.

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Notes on contributors

H. Bahadır Türk

H. Bahadır TÜRK works as a Professor in the Department ofPolitical Science and International Relations at Çankaya Universityin Ankara, Turkey. He is the author of the books Şirket ve Parti:Genç Parti ve Yeni Siyaset (The Party and The Firm: The YoungParty and New Politics. Istanbul: İletişim Yayınları, 2008) andMuktedir: Türk Sağ Geleneği ve Recep Tayyip Erdoğan (ThePowerful: Turkish Right-Wing Tradition and Recep Tayyip Erdoğan,Istanbul: İletişim Yayınları, 2014). H. Bahadır Türk’s major researchinterests include Turkish politics, political theory and masculinitystudies.