Welcome to the Turkish Studies Program at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. This program offers many exciting opportunities to learn Turkish and to study, conduct research on, and learn more about Turkey and Turkish/Turkic populations across the world.  UNC-Chapel Hill is one of few universities in the United States to offer Turkish language courses, to have a number of faculty and students specializing in Turkish Studies, and to organize a series of events in Turkish Studies.

The Republic of Turkey straddles Europe and Asia, playing an important role in two continents, with its influence reaching far beyond the region. We’re excited to explore the country’s history from its Ottoman roots up to the present day, and to reflect on Turkey’s role as a cultural trendsetter of the Muslim World. Cemil Aydin, new to UNC’s History Department, will shed light on the history of the Ottoman Empire, illuminating the Empire’s vibrant cultural and social history that belies the Western stereotype of it as “The Sick Man of Europe.” Geographer Banu Gökariksel will show us how the nation’s consumer landscape has responded to the rise of political Islam, and reveal the tensions between secular and visible Muslim identities. Historian Sarah Shields will discuss Turkey’s new tourist infrastructure, which hopes to redefine the country for a broad audience, emphasizing its natural features, ancient history, and multi-religious past. In the panel session, our speakers will appraise Turkey’s role in the world in light of recent events. At this crossroads, what options are open to Turkey? If it serves as a bridge between East and West, how can Turks and Turkey be sure that the bridge isn’t a bridge to nowhere? Join us at this one-day seminar to find out more.

Topics and Speakers

Turkey’s Ottoman Past
Cemil Aydin, Associate Professor of History

The Cultural Geography of Turkey
Banu Gökariksel, Associate Professor of Geography

Branding Turkey: Tourism and Representation
Sarah Shields, Bowman and Gordon Gray Distinguished Term Professor of History

Turkey at the Crossroads
A panel discussion with our speakers

Time and Cost: 9:15 a.m. – 4:15 p.m. Saturday, June 9, 2012. The tuition is $125 ($110 by May 23). Tuition for teachers is $62.50 ($55 by May 23). 10 contact hours for 1 unit of renewal credit. The optional lunch is $15.00.

For information about lodging click here.

Co-Sponsored by the General Alumni Association. For information about GAA discounts and other scholarships available to Humanities Program participants, click here. Register for this seminar.

Farewell meal with Turkish students on Sunday, May 6, 2012 at the Bosphorus Restaurant, in Cary, NC

Allison Gaby, Gina Suarez, Chris Smith have been taking Turkish classes here at the Department of Asian Studies at the UNC-Chapel Hill since August 2010.  They took four semesters of Turkish language courses.  Elizabeth Johnson joined the third semester Turkish class in fall 2011 and continued her Turkish studies in spring 2012.  They have been very successful.  Their work has been admirable and excellent.  Allison Gaby received a FLAS award to study Turkish during summer 2011 in Istanbul, Turkey.  Elizabeth Johnson received a CLS award and she will continue her Turkish studies in Izmir, Turkey during summer 2012.

To recognize their success the Turkish Studies Program distributed awards to them on March 21, 2012 while we had the honor of having a prominent Sufi teacher Ms. Cemalnur Sargut visiting UNC Chapel Hill.  Students presented their skits and then received their awards from Ms. Sargut.

Their awards were the Turkish to Turkish dictionaries prepared by the late Ms. Ilhan Ayverdi, donated by Prof. Dr. Semahat Yüksel of German Studies of Marmara University from Turkey.

Allison Gaby served as the Turkish Students Association president for spring 2012 with Chris Smith as vice president.  Gina Suarez helped them to promote the Turkish Studies Program here at UNC while distributing Turkish baklava at the pit, in front of the Student Union on February 29, 2012.  They also organized a Turkish movie night and showed the documentary Hiphopistan.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Their Turkish speaking, listening, reading, and writing skills progressed by their enthusiastic studies.  They wrote five beautiful skits, prepared 3 presentations, kept Turkish journals with four different writing assignments.  Turkish students’ voice/video recordings were also on various topics, such as:

1. Pick 3 things that you think represent you the best. Talk about their function, purpose, etc. and make connections to yourself while explaining. After that, think about your favorite person in life. Pick 3 things that represent this person. Make connections between the things and this person. Talk about this for at least 5 minutes.

2. Advertise something. Pick an item, create a brand name for it, and talk about it for at least 5 minutes.

3. Write an announcement or news about something you want. You can search the internet to find out what’s on the news for real or you can make up something and write about it. Minimum length of speech is 5 minutes.

4. Imagine you won the lottery and got 1 billion. What would you do for yourself, for the ones you love, and for the world? Talk about this for minimum of 5 minutes.

5. Turkey is trying to enter the European Union. Do you think Turkey should be a part of the EU or not? Whatever your answer may be, give reasons and explanations. Talk about it for at least 5 minutes.

Grateful to have you all there at this farewell meal, and many thanks for these two wonderful years, Allison, Gina, Chris, Elizabeth, as well as alum Clark Hines.  I wish you all the best in your future endeavors.

Görüşmek dileğiyle sevgiler! Cangüzel hoca 🙂

May 10, 2012

 

By Ansel Mulins

Istanbul’s lokantas, or ‘tradesmen’s restaurants’, are where the locals go for fast, fresh home-style cooking and a lively atmosphere. The Istanbul Eats bloggers select 10 of the best.

Ciya Sofrasi

Thanks to glowing write-ups, this Asian-side eatery is no longer the secret it once was, but the restaurant – possibly the best in Istanbul – has remained true to what made it successful in the first place. Owner-chef Musa Dağdeviren’s commitment to collecting recipes from around Turkey has resulted in a menu that features unusual regional dishes you’re unlikely to find anywhere else, and changes according to what’s in season – such as a springtime meat stew cooked with bracingly tart unripe green plums. Çiya isn’t the fanciest or most cutting-edge place in town, but one rarely leaves it without having had a profoundly memorable taste experience.
• Güneşlibahçe Sokak 43, Kadıköy, +90 216 330 3190, ciya.com.tr, mains TL14 (£5). Open noon-10pm

Read more at Guardian..