Didem Unal Abaday

Didem Unal Abaday is an Academy Research Fellow at the Faculty of Theology, University of Helsinki, specializing in Practical Theology. Her work bridges gender politics, Muslim feminism, and authoritarian populism in Turkey.

• PhD in Political Science (2015), Bilkent University
• Postdoctoral researcher, Stockholm University
• Visiting fellow, Rutgers University & CUNY Graduate Center

Her research investigates anti-gender mobilizations, feminist responses to Islamist populism, and the intersection of gender with religious identities. She explores how authoritarian regimes attack gender equality and academic freedom, while documenting Muslim women's strategies to navigate stigma through veiling and urban encounters.

Recent work focuses on Turkey's democratic backsliding, including securitization of gender, crackdowns on Pride events, and transnational feminist networks. She leads projects funded by the Academy of Finland on "The Crisis of Democracy, Gender Backlash and Feminist Resistance" (2022–2027).

Her publications appear in International Feminist Journal of Politics, European Journal of Women's Studies, and Journal of Middle East Women's Studies, covering themes like reproductive citizenship, political sex scandals, and the role of the Istanbul Convention in Turkey's gender politics.

• Current projects: 3 (2022–2027)
• Recent activities: 30 (2016–2025)

Contact: didem.unalabaday@helsinki.fi, +358294123334, P.O. Box 3, Fabianinkatu 33, Helsinki.