An Evaluation of Fourth-wave Feminism and its Effects on 21st-Century British (Feminist) Theatre: The Example of #MeToo

Year 2023, Volume: 1 Issue: 2, 135 - 161, 26.09.2023

Nursen Gömceli

Abstract

Starting out with Kira Cochrane’s observation in The Guardian in 2013, where she wrote: "Welcome to the fourth wave of feminism. [...] What is happening now seems to be something new again. It’s defined by technology", the aim of this study is to examine the fourth wave of feminism, which is still developing and has grown taking its strength from digital technology, and to explore what impact the developments in this current phase of the feminist movement have had on the UK, which has a long-established feminist theatre tradition. In this study, with an interdisciplinary approach, hashtag activism that has played a determining role in fourth wave feminism and the example of #MeToo will be examined and it will be endeavoured to reveal how British theatres have responded to this online feminist activism. With its findings and conclusions, this study hopes to help future researchers who will do further research in this area.

Keywords

Fourth-wave Feminism, Hashtag Activism, #MeToo, British (Feminist) Theatre

Dördüncü Dalga Feminizm ve 21. Yüzyıl İngiliz (Feminist) Tiyatrosunda Görülen Etkileri Üzerine Bir Değerlendirme: #MeToo Örneği

Abstract

İngiliz The Guardian gazetesi yazarı Kira Cochrane’in 2013’te paylaştığı “Feminizmin dördüncü dalgasına hoş geldiniz. [...] Şu anda olanlar yine yeni bir şeymiş gibi görünüyor. Bu yeni şey, teknoloji tarafından belirlenip şekillendiriliyor” gözleminden hareketle bu araştırmanın amacı gücünü dijital teknolojiden alarak büyüyen ve halen devam etmekte olan dördüncü dalga feminizmi ve feminist hareketin bu evresinde yaşanan gelişmelerin köklü bir feminist tiyatro geleneği olan İngiltere’de nasıl bir etki yarattığını incelemektir. Bu çalışmada disiplinler arası bir yaklaşımla dördüncü dalga feminizmde belirleyici rol oynayan hashtag aktivizmi ve #MeToo örneği incelenecek ve bu çevrimiçi feminist aktivizme İngiliz tiyatrolarının nasıl bir tepki verdiği ortaya çıkarılmaya çalışılacaktır. Elde edilen bulgular ve varılan sonuçlarla bu inceleme gelecekte bu alanda çalışmalar yapacak araştırmacılara ışık tutmayı ümit eder.

Keywords

Dördüncü Dalga Feminizm, Hashtag Aktivizmi, #MeToo, İngiliz (Feminist) Tiyatrosu

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