Re-Conquering Istanbul: Space, Time, and Resistance in the Neoliberal City by Assoc. Prof. Dr. Ayşe Serdar

 

• In her recentGeoforumpublication titled “Production of space and time in ‘New’ Turkey: Re-conquest and resistance in the making of Istanbul Airport”, Asst. Prof. Dr. Ayşe Serdar examines the Istanbul Airport as a site where the dynamics of neoliberalism, state power, and labor intersect. The study highlights how the concept of re-conquest shapes both the material and symbolic production of space and time in Turkey’s largest infrastructure project. This research invites us to rethink Istanbul’s monumental projects as spaces of both domination and contestation.
• https://doi.org/10.1016/j.geoforum.2025.104277

   

  Ignorance, Risk, and Resistance: Assoc. Prof. Dr. Ebru Yetişkin on Disaster Governance in Turkey

   

• In her recent article, Ignorance Production in National Disaster Risk Governance and Emergency Response-abilities of Commoning Collectives: The 2023 Earthquakes in Turkey, published in the International Journal of Disaster Risk Reduction, Assoc. Prof. Dr. Ebru Yetişkin critically examines how Turkey’s disaster governance model produces ignorance. By focusing on the 2023 earthquakes, Yetişkin highlights how top-down risk management marginalizes non-state knowledge and grassroots actors. Her research emphasizes the crucial role of commoning collectives in emergency response and argues for participatory, democratic governance as the key to effective disaster risk reduction.
• https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijdrr.2024.105114

   

  Between Empire and Faith: Assoc. Prof. Dr. Fatma Sel Turhan on Bosnian Catholics in the Ottoman Millet System

   

• In her article The Bosnian Catholics during the Nineteenth Century in the Context of the Ottoman Millet System Discussions, published in the Journal of Islamic Studies, Assoc. Prof. Dr. Fatma Sel Turhan revisits the complex relationship between the Ottoman state and the Bosnian Catholic community. Drawing on rich archival materials, the study questions whether Bosnian Catholics were officially recognized as a separate millet and explores their legal status through the Ahdname of Mehmed II. Turhan sheds light on the intricate network of negotiations, expectations, and intermediaries that shaped the Bosnian Catholics’ interactions with the Ottoman centre.
• https://doi.org/10.1093/jis/etaf019

   

   

   

  Earthquake Watchers of Byzantium: Research Asst. Kutsi Aybars Çetinalp and Prof. Dr. Celâl Şengör on the Forgotten Origins of Seismology

   

• In their article Byzantine Views on Earthquakes, Seismoskopoi, and the Origin of the Term Seismology, published in the International Journal of Earth Sciences, Research Asst. Kutsi Aybars Çetinalp and Prof. Dr. Celal Şengör challenge the widespread belief that seismology as a term and field originated in the 19th century. Drawing on historical sources, they reveal that the term seismology and the concept behind it trace back to tenth-century Constantinople. Their research uncovers the seismoskopoi, Byzantine earthquake watchers who, though not scientists in the modern sense, were regarded as experts in their time.
• https://doi.org/10.1007/s00531-025-02510-5

 

 

 

Exploring Genre in Ḥadīth Commentary: New Insights from Prof. Dr. Nurullah Ardıç

 

• Prof. Dr. Nurullah Ardıç and Assoc. Prof. Dr. Mustafa Macit Karagözoğlu from Marmara University’s articleGenre Analysis and Religious Texts: A Methodological Model of Ḥadīth Commentaryhas been published in theJournal of Islamic Studies. The article proposes a four-step genre analysis model for examining ḥadīth commentary texts. By analyzing 23 Sunni ḥadīth commentaries from the tenth century to the present, the study offers a systematic framework for exploring the rhetorical structures, internal organization, and discursive features of these texts, making them more accessible for scholarly research.
• https://doi.org/10.1093/jis/etae068

 

 

 

The research project Rethinking Technoscientific Imaginaries in Political Ecology (Project No. 44898), led by Assoc. Prof. Dr. Ebru Yetişkin Doğrusöz and supported by the Istanbul Technical University Scientific Research Program (BAP), offers a critical investigation into how society envisions its shared future through science and technology. Rooted in the conceptual framework of technoscientific imaginaries from Science and Technology Studies (STS), the project focuses on the formation of collective visions, particularly in relation to emerging technologies, and their influence on political and ecological discourse.

 

Technoscientific imaginaries refer to how different social groups imagine, relate to, and negotiate technological futures. These imaginaries shape not only how technologies are developed but also how policies are formed and public life is organized. Importantly, the project emphasizes the need to explore alternative and critical imaginaries, visions that challenge dominant techno-political narratives and open up possibilities for more inclusive, just, and sustainable futures.

 

Assoc. Prof. Dr. Yetişkin Doğrusöz’s research focuses on the field of contemporary art in Turkey, particularly video-based works that address political-ecological crises. Following a preliminary review, four significant video artworks were selected for detailed analysis. These works are examined as cultural interventions that articulate alternative understandings of science, technology, nature, and responsibility.

 

By examining how artists use audiovisual media to express dissent, reimagine ecological relations, and critique established knowledge regimes, the study reveals how art can function as a mode of public engagement and speculative critique. The concept of response-ability—the ability to respond in an informed, ethical, and situated manner—is central to this approach.

 

This interdisciplinary research not only contributes to academic debates in political ecology and STS but also demonstrates the relevance of contemporary art in shaping public imaginaries of science, technology, and ecological futures. Through this project, Assoc. Prof. Dr. Ebru Yetişkin Doğrusöz highlights the transformative potential of art in articulating visions that resist dominant paradigms and propose new ways of living with uncertainty.

The Special Call General Research Project (ÖÇ-GAP) “Building Collective Immunity and Resilience through Digital Commoning: Web 2.0 and Web 3.0 Activities During the 2023 Kahramanmaraş Earthquake”, led by Assoc. Prof. Dr. Ebru Yetişkin and funded by the Istanbul Technical University Scientific Research Projects Coordination Unit (Project No. 44462), aims to critically reframe the widely used concept of resilience in disaster studies. The project approaches resilience not as a neutral technical term but through the critical frameworks of Science and Technology Studies (STS), particularly drawing on theories of biopolitics and immunology.

 

This exploratory research was developed in direct response to the urgent knowledge needs arising during the 2023 Kahramanmaraş Earthquake. It focuses on the emergency intervention period, analyzing how digital platforms shaped collective action, knowledge production, and community coordination. Specifically, the study examines Web 2.0 and Web 3.0 environments as digital commons; spaces where citizens collaboratively shared crowdsourced information, organized aid, and fostered solidarity.

 

The project explores how these digital commoning practices contribute to what it calls societal immunity—the collective capacity to respond to crises through digitally mediated cooperation. By conceptualizing immunity beyond the biomedical field, the research investigates how digital infrastructures and participatory technologies shape social resilience in times of disaster.

 

This interdisciplinary inquiry bridges urban political ecology, disaster governance, and digital cultures, offering a fresh theoretical approach to understanding resilience. It also contributes to rethinking how technological systems, when appropriated collectively, can serve as tools for both survival and resistance.

 

Assoc. Prof. Dr. Ebru Yetişkin Doğrusöz’s project stands as an example of timely, critical, and collaborative research that engages with contemporary crises while contributing to the development of innovative academic frameworks.

On May 31, 2025, Prof. Dr. Nurullah Ardıç was invited to deliver a seminar in Skopje, North Macedonia, titled Eurocentrism, Islam and the Ottoman Modernization. The seminar examined the complex relationship between religion and politics in the context of Ottoman modernization, with a particular focus on the late-Ottoman and early-Republican periods.

 

Beginning with a critical discussion of Eurocentrism, Prof. Dr. Ardıç explored how Western-centric frameworks have influenced the historiography of the Middle East and shaped understandings of secularism and political reform in Turkey. He highlighted how these perspectives often portray the Ottoman experience as a delayed or incomplete version of Western modernization, overlooking indigenous intellectual, religious, and institutional developments.

 

The seminar proceeded with a panoramic and chronological overview of the modernization process in the Ottoman Empire, particularly from the late 18th century to the early 20th century. Ardıç focused on the evolving role of Islam during this transformative period, analyzing the ways in which religious institutions, legal reforms, and state policies interacted with broader socio-political change.

 

A key part of the seminar involved a comparison of two dominant interpretive frameworks in existing scholarship: the conflict paradigm, which views religion and modernization as inherently antagonistic, and the accommodation paradigm, which emphasizes negotiation, adaptation, and continuity between Islamic tradition and modern political structures. Prof. Dr. Ardıç critically engaged with both approaches, suggesting that a more nuanced understanding must account for the multiplicity of positions within Ottoman thought and governance, rather than reduce the narrative to a binary opposition.

 

The seminar concluded by calling for a reassessment of modernization in non-Western contexts through decolonial and locally grounded frameworks. Prof. Dr. Nurullah Ardıç’s contribution offered a timely and critical intervention in debates on secularism, religion, and political reform in the modern Middle East.

Prof. Dr. Tuncay Zorlu has authored a chapter titled Naval History of the Black Sea in the forthcoming academic volume Handbook on the History and Culture of the Black Sea Region, to be published in 2025. The chapter provides a comprehensive overview of the maritime history of the Black Sea, focusing on its enduring strategic importance and the evolving role of naval power in shaping the region’s historical trajectory.

 

The study explores the Black Sea as a contested and dynamic maritime space, situated at the intersection of empires, trade, and conflict. From ancient naval engagements to the shifting alliances and rivalries of the early modern and modern periods, Prof. Dr. Zorlu traces how the sea has been a vital zone of military, commercial, and diplomatic activity.

 

Key themes include the development of naval infrastructure, the use of the sea as a corridor for trade and expansion, and the role of naval supremacy in broader geopolitical struggles. The chapter also considers the influence of surrounding powers—ranging from Byzantium and the Ottoman Empire to Russia and modern coastal states—in shaping the maritime history and strategic balance of the region.

 

By examining naval conflicts, technological advancements in shipbuilding, and the integration of maritime routes into imperial strategies, the chapter provides insight into how the Black Sea has functioned as a space of both competition and connectivity.

 

Prof. Dr. Tuncay Zorlu’s contribution brings together political, economic, and technological perspectives on naval history, making it a valuable resource for scholars of maritime studies, regional history, and international relations. The chapter underscores how control of the sea has historically translated into regional power, reinforcing the Black Sea’s significance in both past and present geopolitical contexts.

 

This interdisciplinary inquiry bridges urban political ecology, disaster governance, and digital cultures, offering a fresh theoretical approach to understanding resilience. It also contributes to rethinking how technological systems, when appropriated collectively, can serve as tools for both survival and resistance.

Hande Vural Çelik, a graduate student in our department and a research assistant, has been accepted as a Visiting Researcher at the History of Science Museum, University of Oxford for the Spring 2025 academic semester.

 

At Oxford, Vural Çelik will conduct a project titled "Standardisation of Ottoman Measurement Instruments", which investigates how scientific tools used in the Ottoman Empire were developed, standardized, and embedded in administrative, commercial, and scientific practices. The research explores how measurement instruments served not only as technical devices but also as instruments of governance and knowledge-making within the broader political and intellectual contexts of their time.

 

Engaging with historical artifacts, archival sources, and the museum’s rich collections, she will examine the role of standardization in shaping epistemic authority and administrative control. Her work contributes to both Ottoman studies and global history of science by situating Ottoman practices within comparative frameworks of early modern scientific development.

 

We congratulate Hande Vural Çelik on this important achievement and wish her a productive and inspiring research term at Oxford!

On April 15, 2025, Assoc. Prof. Dr. Aslı Çalkıvik was invited by the Center for Urban and Global Studies at Trinity College-Hartford to present a lecture titled Digital Thingification in the PostColony: How Data is Transforming the Policing of Refugees. In her talk, Çalkıvik offered a critical examination of the role data plays in contemporary refugee governance, with a particular focus on how digital infrastructures reanimate colonial dynamics within the Global South.

 

While International Relations scholarship has increasingly addressed the political impact of digital technologies, critical engagement with the politics of data often remains limited to the contexts of the Global North, such as biometric border systems in Europe and the United States or algorithmic warfare targeting racialized populations. In contrast, Çalkıvik shifted the focus to the Global South, probing how everyday data practices in refugee management contribute to the reproduction of the coloniality of power.

 

Central to her analysis was the concept of thingification, a process by which individuals are stripped of political subjectivity and rendered into data points to be classified, monitored, and managed. Drawing from decolonial theory, Çalkıvik argued that datafication does more than record social life; it actively transforms displaced persons into administrative objects within logistical systems of control. These processes, while often framed as humanitarian or technocratic, in fact mirror and perpetuate historical structures of imperial domination.

 

Çalkıvik’s lecture called for a critical reassessment of digital governance and refugee policy, emphasizing the need to understand data not as a neutral tool but as a socio-technical artifact shaped by political interests. By highlighting the structural injustices embedded in digital infrastructures, she urged scholars and policymakers to consider alternative frameworks of data justice—ones grounded in collective rights, dignity, and democratic accountability.

 

Digital Thingification in the PostColony not only contributes to debates in International Relations and postcolonial studies but also opens new pathways for confronting the ethical and political challenges of the digital age.

In “Inventing Necessity: Nietzsche, Kandinsky, and Artistic Self-Confidence,” Chapter 10 of Mind over Matter: How Spirituality Changes Lives, Dr. Kerem Eksen offers a deep philosophical exploration into the roots of artistic self-confidence. At times when historical and cultural structures crumble, particularly during the birth of the modernist avant-garde artists are left without fixed norms or secure reference points. In such turbulent conditions, the burden and opportunity fall on the artist to invent the values and principles that will guide their work.

 

Eksen delves into how this creative necessity challenges artists to construct their own inner frameworks, what Nietzsche might see as a manifestation of the "soul of artists." Rather than viewing self-confidence as merely psychological or unstable, Eksen argues for a more substantial, philosophical understanding: one rooted in the necessity to create meaning where none is given. Drawing inspiration from both Nietzsche’s concept of artistic strength and Kandinsky’s spiritual quest in art, Eksen illustrates how self-confidence can be an authentic, grounded virtue in artistic practice.

 

This chapter invites readers to consider: What makes artistic conviction genuine? How do artists distinguish between confident expression and hollow imitation? And most importantly, how can creativity become not just an act of making art, but of making values?

Khamseen: Islamic Art History Online, founded under the University of Michigan in 2020, is a free, open-access platform dedicated to supporting the study and teaching of Islamic art, architecture, and visual culture. In addition to educational content, Khamseen supports large-scale digital projects involving significant cultural artifacts and historic sites.

 

Its latest project is a collaboration with the Sadberk Hanım Museum (SHM), set to run from 2025 to 2027. Co-directed by Prof. Dr. Christiane Gruber (University of Michigan) and Assoc. Prof. Dr. Aslıhan Erkmen Birkandan (Istanbul Technical University), this initiative will unite a group of esteemed local and international scholars specializing in Islamic and Ottoman book arts.

 

The project will focus on scholarly and digital explorations of selected masterpieces from SHM’s collections. Notably, all project outcomes will be published bilingually (English and Turkish) on the Khamseen platform, an unprecedented step for the project offering lasting and accessible knowledge for researchers, educators, and the wider public.

 

This collaboration marks a significant milestone in increasing global access to reliable and scholarly resources on Islamic and Ottoman visual heritage.

Prof. Dr. Nurullah Ardıç and Doç. Dr. Mustafa Macit Karagözoğlu’s co-authored article, Genre Analysis and Religious Texts: A Methodological Model of Ḥadīth Commentary, has been published in the Journal of Islamic Studies. The study proposes a new methodological model that applies genre analysis techniques to the study of ḥadīth commentary texts, an important yet underexplored aspect of the Islamic intellectual tradition.

 

The model is developed through an analysis of 23 Sunni ḥadīth commentaries written between the tenth century and the present. Inspired by John Swales’s genre analysis approach, the model consists of four analytical steps: identifying the main generic features of ḥadīth commentary texts, examining their internal structures as constructed by commentators, exploring the characteristics of their expository and hortatory discourses, and applying a move analysis of rhetorical structures twice, once to the introduction, and once to the body of the text.

 

This model offers a systematic framework for analyzing the commonalities and differences within the tradition of ḥadīth commentary, helping to clarify how these texts are structured and how they function within broader intellectual and religious contexts. The study’s findings contribute to a deeper understanding of the genre’s development over time and across the Muslim world, providing valuable tools for researchers in Islamic studies, textual analysis, and the study of religious discourse.

 

The article highlights the potential of interdisciplinary methods to enrich the study of classical Islamic texts and suggests new pathways for exploring the transmission, interpretation, and communication of religious knowledge across generations.

We are delighted to share the news that our department chair, Assoc. Prof. Dr. Ebubekir Ceylan, has been elected as the President of the Association of Academics and Writers from Islamic Countries (AYBİR). This esteemed organization serves as a vital platform for fostering dialogue, collaboration, and knowledge exchange among scholars, writers, and intellectuals from the Islamic world.

 

As President of AYBİR, Dr. Ceylan will play a pivotal role in shaping the organization’s vision and activities. His leadership will focus on strengthening networks among academics and writers, supporting research and publication initiatives, and creating opportunities for meaningful dialogue on shared challenges and aspirations within the Islamic world.

We are proud to share that Doç. Dr. Aslı Çalkıvik, a distinguished faculty member of our Department of Sociology, has been elected as Chair of the Long-Range Planning Committee under the Governing Council of the International Studies Association (ISA). The ISA, with over 7,000 members worldwide, is a leading scholarly association that fosters the study of international affairs and global issues through interdisciplinary collaboration.

 

Dr. Çalkıvik officially began her term at the ISA’s annual convention held in Chicago, where she joined colleagues and thought leaders from around the world to discuss pressing issues in international studies. Her role as Chair of the Long-Range Planning Committee is a critical leadership position within the ISA, responsible for shaping the association’s strategic vision, ensuring its growth, and addressing emerging challenges and opportunities in the field.

 

Her term will continue until March 2027, and during this time, she will play a key role in ensuring that the ISA remains a vital platform for dialogue, research, and collaboration across disciplines and borders. Dr. Çalkıvik’s leadership promises to bring fresh perspectives and a strong commitment to academic excellence.

 

We congratulate Dr. Çalkıvik on this prestigious appointment and look forward to the innovative contributions she will make to the ISA and the broader academic community.

As part of the Digital Humanities Seminars, Dr. Abdurrahman Atçıl and Dr. Gürzat Kami delivered a thought-provoking presentation titled Analyzing the Careers of Ottoman Scholars through Social Network Analysis. Their talk explored how computational methods, particularly social network analysis, can shed new light on the complex patterns of scholarly careers in the Ottoman Empire. By mapping networks of patronage, mentorship, and institutional affiliations, the speakers demonstrated how Ottoman scholars navigated the social and political landscapes of their time. The presentation showcased the value of digital tools in revisiting historical data, offering fresh insights into the dynamics of knowledge production, career advancement, and intellectual exchange in the Ottoman context. This seminar underscored the growing relevance of Digital Humanities approaches in enriching our understanding of historical phenomena and bridging disciplinary boundaries.

The history of seismology has long been tied to Robert Mallet, hailed as the founder of the discipline in the 19th century. Yet in their groundbreaking article Byzantine Views on Earthquakes, Seismoskopoi, and the Origin of the Term Seismology, published in the International Journal of Earth Sciences, Research Asst. Kutsi Aybars Çetinalp and Prof. Dr. Celal Şengör argue that the roots of seismology are far older, reaching back to the heart of the Byzantine Empire.

 

Through meticulous historical research, Çetinalp and Şengör demonstrate that the term seismology, or rather, its earlier variant seismologion, was in use as early as the tenth century in Constantinople. This concept did not emerge from scientific inquiry as we understand it today but rather from a unique blend of observational practice and interpretative frameworks shaped by Byzantine cosmology, theology, administrative and military needs. At the centre of this system were the seismoskopoi, a specialized group within the Byzantine military and administrative apparatus whose task was to interpret earthquakes—a role that places them at the intersection of the early history of military geology and military history.

 

The seismoskopoi were not like the natural philosophers of ancient Greece, but more like Babylonian astrologers or soothsayers, blending careful observation with elements of divination. Yet in the eyes of their contemporaries, they were recognized as ‘earthquake experts,’ holding an official role in advising the state and the army on seismic events. This study not only sheds light on a little-known aspect of Byzantine history but also invites reflection on how societies across time have sought to understand and manage natural hazards.

 

By challenging conventional narratives about the origins of seismology, Çetinalp and Şengör open up new avenues for interdisciplinary dialogue between earth sciences, history, military history and the study of knowledge systems. Their work underscores the importance of looking beyond modern scientific frameworks to appreciate the rich and diverse ways in which human societies have engaged with the forces of nature.

The Ottoman millet system has long been seen as a hallmark of the empire’s approach to governing its diverse religious communities. Yet, as Assoc. Prof. Dr. Fatma Sel Turhan demonstrates in her article The Bosnian Catholics during the Nineteenth Century in the Context of the Ottoman Millet System Discussions, published in the Journal of Islamic Studies, the reality of how this system functioned on the ground was far more complex and negotiated than often assumed.

 

Turhan’s research, grounded in meticulous analysis of nineteenth-century Ottoman archival documents, investigates how the Bosnian Catholic community navigated its relationship with the Ottoman centre during a period of significant political and social change. The article first examines how Bosnian Catholics were defined within the framework of the Ottoman system, posing the critical question of whether they were officially recognized as a distinct millet. This question leads to a detailed analysis of the Ahdname granted to Bosnian Catholics by Mehmed II, which served as a foundational document for their legal and social status within the empire.

 

Beyond legal definitions, the article delves into the daily realities of negotiation and cooperation. Turhan traces how Bosnian Catholic clergy and community leaders engaged with Ottoman authorities, highlighting both the opportunities and the constraints they faced. The study uncovers a complex web of intermediaries, including other states and religious institutions, that Bosnian Catholics relied on to advocate for their interests and seek intervention from the Ottoman centre when disputes or challenges arose.

Turhan’s work offers a nuanced portrait of the Ottoman millet system as a dynamic, contested, and evolving framework of governance. By focusing on the Bosnian Catholic experience, the article challenges simplistic narratives of religious governance in the Ottoman Empire and provides valuable insights into the ways in which local communities shaped, and were shaped by, imperial power structures.

Technology is no longer just a tool; it is a socio-technical system that shapes the very fabric of political life. In her book 21. Yüzyılda Teknoloji, Güvenlik, Savaş: Yeni Sorular, Yeni Sorunlar, published by ITU Press, Assoc. Prof. Dr. Aslı Çalkıvik offers a thought-provoking exploration of the shifting frontiers of war, security, and technology in the 21st century. Bridging the disciplines of International Relations and Science-Technology-Society (STS) studies, Çalkıvik unpacks how technological advancements, from nuclear deterrence to cyber capabilities, autonomous weapons, “smart borders,” and the emerging field of astropolitics, are reshaping global risk perceptions, military structures, and patterns of human movement.

 

The book challenges readers to rethink technology not merely as a set of neutral tools but as deeply embedded in political power structures and decision-making processes. Through clear, accessible language and rich examples, Çalkıvik demonstrates how digital transformation has reconfigured the global security architecture, influencing everything from defense strategies to border control regimes. She highlights how new technologies can both enable and constrain human agency, creating novel vulnerabilities while also offering possibilities for resistance and reimagining.

 

Importantly, 21. Yüzyılda Teknoloji, Güvenlik, Savaş speaks to a wide audience; social scientists seeking to understand the politics of technology, as well as engineers and technical experts interested in the broader implications of their work. By encouraging critical reflection on the intersections of technology, security, and governance, the book calls attention to the risks of “technological sleepwalking”—the uncritical adoption of technological solutions without fully considering their political and ethical ramifications.

 

Assoc. Prof. Dr. Aslı Çalkıvik’s work is a timely and essential contribution to contemporary debates on global security. It invites readers to ask new questions, confront emerging challenges, and rethink the role of technology in shaping the future of war and peace.

• Disaster governance is not a neutral process but one shaped by political choices and economic priorities. In her article, Ignorance Production in National Disaster Risk Governance and Emergency Response-abilities of Commoning Collectives: The 2023 Earthquakes in Turkey, published in the International Journal of Disaster Risk Reduction, Assoc. Prof. Dr. Ebru Yetişkin Doğrusöz investigates how Turkey’s disaster management system, designed as a top-down mechanism, systematically produces ignorance, marginalizing knowledge, voices, and efforts that do not align with state-led development goals or profit-driven agendas.

   

  Yetişkin’s research delves into the dynamics of the 2023 earthquakes, revealing how disaster risk reduction policies are deeply entangled with necropolitical strategies and populist politics. Her analysis demonstrates that data, expertise, and community input, especially from non-state stakeholders and scientists are frequently disregarded when they challenge the state’s priorities. This ignorance production, she argues, is not accidental but a calculated outcome of a governance model that uses the social construction of polarized communities to obscure facts, deflect accountability, and justify political decisions.

   

  Central to the article is the role of commoning collectives, grassroots networks that mobilized during the earthquakes to provide emergency aid and care where official responses faltered. These collectives exemplify alternative forms of resilience, built on solidarity and participatory action rather than state control or market logic. Yetişkin’s work highlights that disaster risk reduction is not just a technical challenge but a fundamentally political one, requiring inclusive, democratic governance that centers the voices and needs of those most affected.

   

  By exposing the structures of ignorance embedded in disaster governance, Yetişkin’s research invites critical reflection on how societies prepare for and respond to crises. Her call is clear: to move beyond state-centric, profit-driven models and towards a participatory approach where knowledge is shared, accountability is upheld, and disaster risk reduction becomes a collective responsibility.

   

The Istanbul Airport, often celebrated as a symbol of national pride and global ambition, is also a space of profound contradictions. In her thought-provoking article published in Geoforum, Asst. Prof. Dr. Ayşe Serdar explores how the airport embodies what she terms a mode of re-conquest: a deliberate strategy to remake space and time in line with neoliberal ideals of progress and economic growth. Re-conquest, in this context, operates through the alliance of state and capital, shaping landscapes not only in terms of physical infrastructure but also through narratives of national strength and modernity.

 

Serdar’s study offers a critical lens on the dialectical production of precarious space and precarious time. While the airport is presented as a seamless triumph of engineering, the lived experiences of the workers tell a different story—one marked by instability, exploitation, and resistance. The research foregrounds the class dynamics inherent in such projects, showing how the state-capital nexus relies on the labor of a multi-ethnic workforce, often drawn from marginalized and precarious communities, to materialize grand visions of development.

 

Importantly, the study highlights how workers do not passively accept these conditions. Protests, strikes, and everyday forms of resistance emerge as counter-narratives to the spectacle of progress, revealing the fractures in the project’s glossy surface. Serdar’s analysis challenges us to reconsider the Istanbul Airport not merely as a technical achievement but as a political space, a site where contestations over land, labor, and national identity play out in complex and often contradictory ways.

 

By situating the Istanbul Airport within broader debates on urbanization, labor precarity, and neoliberalism, Serdar’s work contributes to our understanding of how monumental infrastructures shape, and are shaped by, both domination and struggle. Her research offers valuable insights for scholars, policymakers, and the public alike, calling for a more critical engagement with the forces that mold our urban futures.

On 20th November 2024, Prof. Dr. Nurullah Ardıç was invited to deliver a lecture at Azad Jammu Kashmir University, Pakistan, titled “From Istanbul to the Hijaz and the Maghrib: Struggle over the Caliphate.” The talk focused on the complex and multifaceted history of the Caliphate, examining the political and ideological struggles that unfolded across key regions, including Istanbul, the Hijaz, and the Maghrib.

The first lecture of this terms, Social Sciences and Humanities Colloquium, the annual lecture series held by the Department of Sociology, was presented by Dr. Darina Martykánová from the Autonomous University of Madrid. In her talk, titled “The Emergence of Modern Engineering Professions: A Transnational Perspective (1770s-1910s),” Dr. Martykánová explored the development of engineering professions in the 19th century, focusing on national and imperial professional cultures.

 

Dr. Martykánová’s presentation offered valuable insights into the history of modern engineering, examining how different cultures influenced the professionalization of engineering and how these professions played a crucial role in shaping industrialization across various nations and empires.

 

This insightful lecture provided an opportunity to reflect on the transnational dynamics that defined the engineering professions, offering a deeper understanding of their global impact. We thank Dr. Martykánová for her engaging presentation and look forward to future colloquium events.