Understanding Modern Turkey Through Film and Literature

This course will introduce students to modern Turkey and offer a wide range of perspectives on the society and its culture. Each week, we will focus on a single theme such as: family and gender; social classes and their interaction with each other; Istanbul and its neighborhoods; Turkey’s role within Europe; ethnic identities and their recognition by Turkish society; Turkish media and entertainment; modernism and political Islam; important events in the very recent history of Turkey including the Hrant Dink assassination, terror attacks, and the 2016 coup d’état attempt; education and academic freedom; modern literature; specific cultural practices and rituals; foreigners’ perspectives on Turkish society; and modern Turkish sensory experiences including music and cuisine.