Understanding Modern Turkey Through Film, Literature, and Media

This course introduces students to modern Turkey and offers a wide range of perspectives on its society and culture. Themes include family and gender in Turkish society; Turkish social classes; 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; 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.