Özet:

The modernization movement in the Ottoman Empire covered a long period of time, yet this movement gained momentum with the proclamation of the Tanzimat feeding into military, legal, administrative, and educational areas. In line with this, the impact of the modernization movement was also evident in women’s rights and paved the way for improvements in women’s rights about marriage, inheritance, and education. However, these rights did not suffice for many Ottoman intellectuals, and Ottoman women’s rights were debated and problematized in literary works and newspaper articles written by these intellectuals. The growing body of literature on Ottoman women and women’s rights culminated in various publications exclusive to women. After the first newspaper was published exclusively for women in 1868, rapid development was seen in the number of such publications during the Second Constitutional Era. These newspapers functioned in two ways. First, they contributed to women’s cultural and personal growth because, with their rich content, they encompassed a wide range of articles about family life, upbringing, fashion, household management, and news on European women’s lives, national and international developments. Second, with the articles centered on women’s rights, these newspapers gave voice to Ottoman women’s struggle for rights and freedom. This study focuses on sports as one of the domains of social life and investigates women’s perception and awareness of the sport through analyzing articles found in newspapers and magazines exclusively published for Ottoman women. These publications were accessed through the database of Women’s Library and the Bibliography of Old Letter Turkish Women’s Journals in Istanbul Libraries (1869-1927). Additionally, some relevant articles published in prominent Ottoman magazines were also included.

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