The Struggle for Modern Turkey: Justice, Activism and a Revolutionary Female Journalist

Description

Sabiha Sertel was born into revolution in 1895 as an independent Turkey rose out of the dying Ottoman Empire. The nation’s first professional female journalist, her unrelenting push for democracy and social reforms ultimately cost Sertel her country and freedom.Shortly before her death in 1968, Sertel completed her autobiography Roman Gibi (Like a Novel), which was written during her forced exile in the Soviet Union. Translated here into English for the first time, and complete with a new introduction and comprehensive annotations, it offers a rare perspective on Turkey’s history as it moved to embrace democracy, then violently recoiled. The book reveals the voice of a passionate feminist and committed socialist who critiques the young republic’s leadership. Sertel offers her perspective on the fierce divisions over the republic’s constitution and coves issues including the freedom of the press, women’s civil rights and the pre-WWII discussions with European leaders about Hitler’s rising power. A unique first-hand account, the text foreshadows Turkey’s emerging authoritarian state. It is a valuable resource for scholars in Turkish Studies, Middle Eastern History and Gender Studies Cover page Halftitle page Title page Copyright page Dedication Contents Figures Preface Introduction Translators’ note Biographical and historical timeline Acknowledgements Author’s note 1 Introduction to life Prelude to the War of Independence Who is to blame? The journal Büyük Mecmua The New Turkey The journal’s war against imperialism The occupation of Izmir The Izmir Rally The secret cell Büyük Mecmua is closed down 2 In America College life At the School of Social Work At the Lexington Community Center Among the Turkish workers A letter from Ankara The first fundraiser Requesting an ambassador from Ankara Leaving New York 3 The return home In Ankara The social survey project Returning to Istanbul 4 Publishing Resimli Ay The Age of Reforms Working at Cumhuriyet In court Resimli Ay ’s controversial articles Opposition in the National Assembly The Sheikh Said Rebellion The arrested journalists The Ankara Independence Tribunal Sevimli Ay28 At the Prosecutor’s Offi ce Resimli Ay : The second period A summons from the Prosecutor’s Office The reading primers Nazım Hikmet at Resimli Ay Nazım Hikmet and Sabahaddin Ali The war to break the idols The war against missionaries Defending workers’ rights What I saw in my village Resimli Ay on trial The final session The literary debates at Resimli Ay Debates on socialism Some words on Nazım Hikmet The closure of Resimli Ay 5 Life in politics The translation of socialist works At the Hayat Ansiklopedisi At the Tan newspaper The Pocket Books A journey to America A meeting with Geneviè ve Tabouis At the Voix Europé enne journal An invitation by the Interior Minister Turkey on the eve of the Second World War Atatürk’s death İnönü becomes President The rise of the Pan-Turkists The Anglo-Turkish Agreement The war begins 6 Turkey in the war years Press reactions to the Soviet–German Pact The Tevfik Fikret Trial The German victories Von Papen in Turkey The Turkish–German Pact Letters from my readers At the Military Investigative Court Sabahaddin Ali’s trial I am banned from writing Germany attacks the Soviet Union The German armies reach Moscow A meeting with Celal Bayar and Tevfik Rüştü Aras The Wealth Tax is imposed The İğneli Fıçı brochure and yet another trial I am banned from writing for the second time The pamphlet En Büyük Tehlike I lose my right to write for the third time Supplying Germany with chrome Allowing German ships to pass through the Bosporus 7 Turkey at the end of the war The trial of the Turanists The Opposition in the Assembly reveals itself Toward the end of the war The end of the Second World War Domestic changes in Turkey The attempt to publish a journal with the Bayar Group Approaching the United States A pitched battle in the press 8 The Görüşler journal A conversation with Köprülüzade Fuat The reversal in state policy and in the press The Görüşler journal and the newspaper Yeni Dünya 9 The Tan incidents The destruction of the printing house and its aftermath A meeting with Sabahaddin Ali 10 The founding of the Democrat Party and the arrests The founding of the Socialist Party The Socialist Labourers’ and Peasants’ Party of Turkey Our home is searched We are arrested Life in prison The trial begins The second session Through the prison window After prison 11 The Human Rights Association The leftist professors 12 The provocations continue The Progressives keep up their struggle Sabahaddin is murdered Nazım Hikmet is released We send soldiers to Korea The Friends of Peace Society 13 To my countrypeople Glossary Index