An ethnographic fieldwork: The role of school shows in the reproduction of gender inequalities in Turkey

Abstract

This article explores the processes of creating school shows in primary schools in Turkey and examines how teachers reinforce particular gendered constructions of femininity and masculinity through children's bodies in the making of these performances. Drawing on the insights from the sociology of the body within childhood research, the article is based on an ethnography conducted in a costume shop in Istanbul where teachers rent costumes for the shows, as well as interviews with teachers preparing the shows and observations made during the performances. The research reveals that the shows perpetuate gender norms and stereotypes while reproducing inequalities.