1
Department of Social Services, Hacettepe University, Ankara, 06800, Türkiye
2
Department of Social Services, Hacettepe University, Ankara, 06800, Türkiye
Abstract
This study aims to examine the extent to which the theme of sexuality is addressed in undergraduate social work programs in Turkey and through which thematic areas it is represented. Three hypotheses guided the research: (H1) sexuality-related content is limited in social work curricula; (H2) such themes are concentrated mainly in elective and upper-level courses; and (H3) LGBTQI+ and sexual diversity topics are minimally represented. Using document review and qualitative content analysis, all 69 universities offering social work programs in the 2024–2025 academic year were preliminarily reviewed, and 30 institutions were selected through purposeful sampling to ensure institutional and geographical diversity. A total of 365 courses were analyzed, revealing that 87 courses (23.8%) strongly addressed sexuality-related themes. Findings indicate that sexuality appears predominantly in elective courses (69.1%) and in upper-level years (average: third year). The most frequent themes were Gender and Identity (62) and Sexual Violence and Abuse (46), while LGBTQI+ and Sexual Diversity (17) emerged as the least represented. Sixty-three percent of the courses included cultural or religious references, showing that sexuality is often framed within traditional values. Overall, the findings confirm all three hypotheses and demonstrate that sexuality is represented in Turkish social work curricula in a limited, uneven, and culturally constrained manner. The study highlights the need for an inclusive, rights-based, and culturally sensitive approach from the early stages of professional education.
Keywords
Sexuality,sexual health,curriculum analysis,social work education,Türkiye
How to Cite
Bozan, M., & Ozkan, Y. (2026). Sexuality in social work education: A thematic analysis of the curriculum in Türkiye. International Journal of Eurasia Social Sciences, 17(63), 1–17. https://doi.org/10.70736/ijoess.2032
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Yasemin Ozkan
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