Turkish Lit in Translation

3 Credits · Level: Graduate, Undergraduate

Turkish Literature in Translation is a course for both undergraduate and graduate students and will be taught in English. The class material will include excerpts from novels, short stories, and poems published since the 1950s. Through the works of names such as Nazım Hikmet, Yaşar Kemal, Orhan Pamuk, Elif Şafak, and Latife Tekin, students will discuss social change in Turkish society and trends in the Turkish literary scene. Secondary sources analyzing these works will also inform these discussions. The students in this class will be asked to express their own creativity through specifically designed assignments. For example, they will be asked to write a film scenario based on a scene from a novel or a short story on the syllabus. In another assignment, they will be expected to incorporate AI as a tool that helps them be creative instead of remaining passive receivers of information. They will use AI to create a mock interview with a literary figure of their choice. Additionally, they will post weekly commentaries on their readings. This course is open to learners and speakers of Turkish who will have the option to submit part of the classwork in Turkish and receive feedback on their linguistic skills.