The fundamental research question in this dissertation is what the image of man - in the broadest sense of the word - entails within the classical and modern enlightenment points of view. This... Show moreThe fundamental research question in this dissertation is what the image of man - in the broadest sense of the word - entails within the classical and modern enlightenment points of view. This overarching question is considered with regard to the notions of man maintained by the ancients and moderns, with regard to their visions of society, and with regard to the worldview these theories entail. We also evaluate which of the two paradigms is the more convincing upon scrutiny. We have answered such questions by distilling the ideas of the classical philosopher Aristotle -and some ontological ideas from his teacher, Plato- on the one hand, and from the modern intellectual giant, Thomas Hobbes, on the other hand. This is premised on the belief that the essential features of the classical and modern idealtype are to be found within their thought and works.In order to answer our central question, we had to look into the values which underly each vision of man. After all, values are the ideas that motivate our actions as individuals and as a community. We found that the classical vision is guided by the value of Virtue/Duty, Hierarchy and the pursuit of Community in a world permeated with objective values, whilst the modern conception embraces Freedom, Equality and Individuality in a world that is set free of objective values. Show less
This work is a close look at the life histories of the top Turkish political leaders with the aim of analyzing changes in gender role and gender identity and tensions between the two in the history... Show moreThis work is a close look at the life histories of the top Turkish political leaders with the aim of analyzing changes in gender role and gender identity and tensions between the two in the history of Turkish modernization vis-à-vis with contemporaneous debates on gender. The main objective is to situate modernization in its theoretical as well as historical context through subjective and private meanings as related to modern coming out of the narratives of the wives. It was argued that Kemalist modernization though created a modern outlook for women framed and sometimes limited their experiences of modernization. As the wives experienced it, the tension reflected itself in the relationship between the gender role performance and the gender identity construction. Additionally, it was argued that, under the attacks of different ideological political currents, Kemalist gender regime has become highly marginalized and except its symbolic power lost much of its power to provide women with a gender identity. Show less
