''Alem-i Nisvan'' () was a Crimean Tatar magazine oriented towards women and published from 1906 to 1912. Founded by leading Crimean Tatar intellectual and journalist

Ismail Gasprinsky Ismail bey Gasprinsky (also written as Gaspirali and Gasprinski; , ; ''Ismail Gasprinskii''; – ) was a Crimean Tatar intellectual, educator, publisher and Pan-Turkist politician who inspired the Jadidist movement in Central Asia. He was one o ...

, it was under the editorship of his daughter

Şefiqa Gaspıralı Şefiqa Gaspıralı (; 14 October 1886 – 31 August 1975) was a Crimean Tatar feminist leader who was editor-in-chief and publisher of the first women's magazine, a member of the Presidency Council of the Kurultai, and a deputy for two terms in t ...

throughout its entire existence.

History

The concept of a Crimean Tatar magazine for women was promoted by leading intellectual and journalist leader

. Though issues corresponding to the women's community were occasionally brought up in Gasprinsky's popular '' Terciman'', Gasprinsky felt that a magazine devoted specifically to women was necessary. As a result, ''Alem-i Nisvan'' was created, with Gasprinsky's daughter,

, serving as editor, and Gasprinsky serving as publisher. Another significant person in the creation of ''Alem-i Nisvan'' was Gasprinsky's wife, Zehra Akçurina-Gaspıralı. Akçurina-Gaspıralı had previously attempted unsuccessfully to establish a female-oriented Crimean Tatar publication, called ''Terbiye'', in 1887. Gasprinsky also sought to supplement the newspaper ''Kadın'' () on a bimonthly basis, but the authorities of the Russian Empire were opposed to these endeavours until the aftermath of the

1905 Russian Revolution The Russian Revolution of 1905, also known as the First Russian Revolution, was a revolution in the Russian Empire which began on 22 January 1905 and led to the establishment of a constitutional monarchy under the Russian Constitution of 1906, th ...

, when subsequent political reforms allowed for such a magazine to be published. The purpose of the magazine was to educate Crimean Tatar women, who generally lacked education due to the social conservatism guiding Crimean Tatar society at the time. The elimination of illiteracy, growth of Crimean Tatar culture, and education of

sharia Sharia, Sharī'ah, Shari'a, or Shariah () is a body of religious law that forms a part of the Islamic tradition based on Islamic holy books, scriptures of Islam, particularly the Quran, Qur'an and hadith. In Islamic terminology ''sharīʿah'' ...

were primary goals. It published both information on the status of women under sharia and secular instructions on hygiene, housework, and sewing. There was also a section devoted to science and literature. Included in the pages of ''Alem-i Nisvan'' were biographies of famous women, stories from foreign countries, and fiction. From its 1906 founding until 1908, ''Alem-i Nisvan'' functioned as a free weekly supplement to ''Terciman''. From 1908 to 1909, it operated as an independent newspaper, before returning to ''Terciman'' in 1910. The last issue of ''Alem-i Nisvan'' was published in 1911. In 1905, after the liberalization of legislation, the new magazine received the right to live.

Legacy

In 2011, a conference dedicated to the 105th anniversary of ''Alem-i Nisvan'''s founding was held at the . The modern Crimean Tatar women's magazine ''Arzı'' () considers itself to be a direct descendant of ''Alem-i Nisvan''.

References

{{Reflist 1906 establishments 1911 disestablishments Culture of Crimea Crimean society