Bahar Aykan | Marmara University (original) (raw)
Papers by Bahar Aykan
Heritage & Society, 2024
In 2020, the Ilısu Dam partially flooded the historic town of Hasankeyf in southeast Türkiye. To ... more In 2020, the Ilısu Dam partially flooded the historic town of Hasankeyf in southeast Türkiye. To mitigate the impact of flooding, the government launched a program to relocate the town's residents, along with some historic monuments and archaeological remains, to a new town situated on the opposite shore. Hasankeyf's heritage embodied strong social values for its residents and had a central presence in their daily, spiritual, and recreational lives. The mitigation efforts, however, failed to recognize these values, and the townspeople played no role in the decision-making processes. This article examines the adverse impacts of the Ilısu Dam project on Hasankeyf's social values by bringing to the fore local relocation experiences and discussing the sociocultural and economic outcomes that have emerged in the post-relocation context. As the case of Hasankeyf illustrates, mitigation efforts that overlook local concerns might result in heritage destruction for dam-affected populations.
Heritage & Society , 2024
In 2020, the Ilısu Dam partially flooded the historic town of Hasankeyf in southeast Türkiye. To ... more In 2020, the Ilısu Dam partially flooded the historic town of Hasankeyf in southeast Türkiye. To mitigate the impact of flooding, the government launched a program to relocate the town's residents, along with some historic monuments and archaeological remains, to a new town situated on the opposite shore. Hasankeyf's heritage embodied strong social values for its residents and had a central presence in their daily, spiritual, and recreational lives. The mitigation efforts, however, failed to recognize these values, and the townspeople played no role in the decision-making processes. This article examines the adverse impacts of the Ilısu Dam project on Hasankeyf's social values by bringing to the fore local relocation experiences and discussing the sociocultural and economic outcomes that have emerged in the post-relocation context. As the case of Hasankeyf illustrates, mitigation efforts that overlook local concerns might result in heritage destruction for dam-affected populations.
Planlama Dergisi, 2019
Yedikule bostanları İstanbul’un Bizans döneminden günümüze uzanan köklü bostancılık geleneğinin y... more Yedikule bostanları İstanbul’un Bizans döneminden günümüze uzanan köklü bostancılık geleneğinin yaşayan nadir örneklerinden biridir ve UNESCO Dünya Mirası Listesi’ndeki Tarihi Yarımada’nın sınırları içinde yer alır. Tarihi kara surlarını çevreleyen bu bostan- lar, 2013 yılından bu yana park ve rekreasyon alanına dönüştü- rülmesine yönelik projelerle gündeme gelmektedir. Bu durum ilk bakışta bostanların Dünya Mirası statüsü ile çelişiyormuş gibi gö- rülse de bostan alanları kara surlarının çevresindeki ‘yeşil alan’lar olarak kabul edilir ve olduğu gibi koruma statüsünde değildir. Bu makale, Yedikule bostancılarıyla gerçekleştirilen derinlemesine mülakatlara dayanarak, bu geleneğin sürdürülebilmesi için kara surlarıyla bir bütün olarak, kültürel peyzaj yaklaşımıyla ele alınıp korunmasına yönelik sözleşme nezdinde atılabilecek adımları tar- tışmayı amaçlamaktadır. 1992 yılında oluşturulan kültürel peyzaj kategorisi bir alanı Dünya Mirası yapan somut ve somut olmayan özelliklerin birlikte tanımlanıp korunabilmesini mümkün kılmak- tadır. Bu kategori, kuşaktan kuşağa aktarılan geleneksel yöntem ve tekniklerle sürdürülen Yedikule bostancılığının, yüzyıllardır bir arada varolduğu kara surlarıyla birlikte gelişimini sürdüren or- ganik peyzaj olarak yeniden listelenip koruma altına alınmasına olanak sağlamaktadır. Böyle bir değişiklik bostancılığın sürdürül- mesi konusunda ulusal ve uluslararası kamuoyu oluşmasına ve bostancıların bu mirasın taşıyıcıları olarak desteklenerek karar alma süreçlerine dahil edilmesi yönünde politikalar ve projeler geliştirilmesine imkân sağlayacaktır.
Spheres of life incorporated within the orbit of security have been multiplying rapidly for the l... more Spheres of life incorporated within the orbit of security have been multiplying rapidly for the last two decades, marking a global trend. Turkey is no exception. In between multiple layers of the governmental structure, more and more areas are looped into matters of security. This article tries to make sense of this process by looking into the short video clips (or “public spots”) produced by the ministries, made allegedly to inform and educate the public on a variety of issues. Analyzing these clips, Güvenç-Salgırlı and Aykan observe the spread of security having a centrifugal expansion, without any preplanned direction. In so doing it is not only incorporating fields previously unimagined under its domain, but also it produces circuits, which are made up of elements and events that form an environment (milieu) where individuals are expected to govern through their capacities as self-entrepreneurs.
Son yıllarda, kültürel miras hakkı hem insan haklarının hem de kültürel mirasın korunmasına yönel... more Son yıllarda, kültürel miras hakkı hem insan haklarının hem de kültürel mirasın korunmasına yönelik uluslararası sözleşmelerin kapsamına gittikçe artan bir şekilde dahil ediliyor. Kültürel mirası sosyal kimliklerinin bir parçası olarak kabul eden bireylerin ve grupların ona erişimini ve ondan faydalanabilmesini kısıtlayan uygulamaların insan hakları ihlali olarak değerlendirilmesi gerektiği, akademik ve profesyonel çevrelerce de sıkça dile getirilmeye başlandı. Bu makale, kültürel miras hakkı konusundaki güncel akademik tartışmaları ve uluslararası sözleşmeler nezdindeki gelişmeleri “yerel mülkiyet” ve “katılım” odaklı iki farklı yaklaşım üzerinden incelemeyi amaçlıyor. Her iki yaklaşım da kültürel mirasın insan hakları temelli bir anlayışla korunmasının daha demokratik ve eşitlikçi süreçlere olanak vereceğini vurgulasa da, bu hakkın nasıl kavramsallaştırılması, neleri kapsaması ve kim(ler)e tanınması gerektiği konusunda farklı görüşler sergiliyor. Günümüzde “yerel mülkiyet” odaklı yaklaşım, uluslararası hukuk alanında daha yaygın olarak kabul görmektedir. Ancak Ian Hodder (2010) tarafından öne sürülen “katılım” odaklı yaklaşım, kültürel mirasla çeşitli ekonomik, kültürel ve politik amaçlarla ilişki kuran toplumun farklı kesimlerinin hak taleplerini dikkate alması dolayısıyla daha kapsayıcıdır.
In recent years, the right to cultural heritage has come to be included more and more within the framework of international conventions for the protection of human rights and cultural heritage. Furthermore, academic and professional circles have been increasingly considering the idea that practices limiting the access and enjoyment of individuals and groups who claim cultural heritage as part of their social identity should be treated as violations of human rights. This article aims to explore current academic debates on cultural heritage rights and related transformations in international conventions by focusing on “local ownership-based” and “participation-based” approaches. While both emphasize that the adoption of human rights-based approaches in the protection of cultural heritage would allow for more democratic and egalitarian processes, they differ on how this right should be conceptualized, what it should involve, and whose right it should be. Local ownership-based approach is more widely accepted in international law at present. However, participation-based approach put forward by Ian Hodder (2010) is more inclusive because it considers rights claims by different segments of society that relate to cultural heritage for various economic, cultural and political purposes.
Keywords: Cultural Heritage, Identity Politics, Human Rights, Cultural Heritage Rights, International Law.
This article explores the limits and possibilities of international human rights law in protectin... more This article explores the limits and possibilities of international human rights law in protecting cultural heritage from state-led destruction. It does so by focusing on two attempts by activists and non-governmental organizations to have the United Nations and the Council of Europe intervene to save the ancient city of Hasankeyf in Turkey’s southeast region, which will soon be flooded by the reservoir waters of the Ilısu Dam. Adopting a heritage rights focus, these grassroots initiatives have argued that Hasankeyf’s destruction would constitute a violation of human rights because it would deprive people of their right to participate in, and benefit from, cultural heritage. I suggest that, as powerful attempts to link cultural heritage and human rights, these cases demonstrate the need for more effective and legally binding international frameworks to protect heritage rights as an aspect of human rights.
International Journal of Cultural Property, 2018
This article critically examines the nationalistic uses to which UNESCO’s 2003 Convention on inta... more This article critically examines the nationalistic uses to which UNESCO’s 2003 Convention on intangible heritage is put in Western Asia by looking at the conflicts it initiated amongst the countries in the region over the ownership
of shared culinary traditions. I first detail the conflict that has arisen between Armenia and Turkey over the ownership of keşkek dish after its inscription
in the Convention’s Representative List on behalf of Turkey in 2011. Then I discuss the ownership conflicts over tolma dish and lavash bread that ensued in the region following the listing of keşkek. Examined together, these cases demonstrate that while the Convention strongly influences the current processes of heritagization of food in Western Asia, these processes do not primarily serve the Convention’s purposes of safeguarding intangible
heritage and ensuring mutual appreciation of it. The Convention rather functions as a source of nationalism in the region to identify and legitimate transnational food traditions as national heritage and to prevent other
countries from laying claims over them.
Currently, a mass media campaign is underway in Turkey using a new communication means called the... more Currently, a mass media campaign is underway in Turkey using a new communication means called the “public spot” (kamu spotu). This article concentrates on the public spots produced by Turkey’s Ministry of Health, and more specifically on those that advocate quitting smoking and preventing obesity. Drawing on interviews with Ministry of Health personnel and analyzing the content of these spots, we suggest that they operate as risk caveats. They caution individuals against smoking and obesity’s potential harms and guide her/him towards self-health governance by encouraging the maintenance of a particular lifestyle that embraces a balanced diet, regular activity, and no smoking. As such, we read these spots as a technique of neoliberal governmentality. This technique works primarily by responsibilizing individuals as health entrepreneurs investing in risk free lifestyles; that is, by conceptualizing health as a matter of self-conduct where personal responsibilities are emphasized.
In recent years, Turkish audience has been increasingly exposed to a new media product called 'pu... more In recent years, Turkish audience has been increasingly exposed to a new media product called 'public spots'. These are less than a minute short clips produced on issues (such as health, security, social solidarity, and environment) that the Turkish state (and its governmental apparatus) finds crucial to 'inform' and 'educate' the public. Whilst the content and scope of these clips are varied, the thread that weaves them is the goal of improving public awareness on potential risks of life. As such, these clips point to a new relationship that the Turkish state aspires to form with the public. In this article, we rely on the literature on neoliberal governmentality, and its core concept, 'indirect governance', to understand the fabric of this relationship. We use three aspects of indirect governance, i.e. 'attribution of responsibility to the individual', 'development of precautionary measures', and 'generalization of population', to discuss the changing nature of state-society relations in contemporary Turkey.
International Journal of Heritage Studies, May 2015
Borne by people, intangible heritage is not tied to a territory, nor it is necessarily found with... more Borne by people, intangible heritage is not tied to a territory, nor it is necessarily found within the borders of a single country. The 2003 UNESCO Convention for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage recognizes this transnational character of intangible heritage and encourages States Parties to submit joint, multinational, nominations to its lists when a cultural element is commonly found in their territory. Despite such encouragement, there have been very few multinational inscriptions on the Convention’s lists so far. This article examines nationalistic approaches to intangible heritage as a major obstacle in this situation. While the Convention calls for international cooperation to safeguard the world’s intangible heritage, it inadvertently fosters nationalist claims on cultural traditions on the ground. States Parties may treat the Convention as a ‘patent approval system’ and use its lists to register shared traditions as their own national heritage. Their listing on behalf of a single State Party generates conflicts among countries over their origin and ownership. This article examines Karagöz shadow theatre as a case in point.
European Journal of Turkish Studies, 2014
This article problematizes the tendency of States Parties to use UNESCO’s 2003 Convention for the... more This article problematizes the tendency of States Parties to use UNESCO’s 2003 Convention for the Safeguarding of Intangible Cultural Heritage as a political tool for nation-building. Having an overall control and authority over the administration and implementation of this Convention, States Parties often use it to promote an official version of intangible heritage to foster national identity and unity. Such state dominance may in some cases result in strengthening the state’s control over the heritage of minority groups and contribute to the appropriation of their heritage as national heritage, becoming a means to reject their identities and cultures. I discuss these politico-nationalistic issues surrounding the 2003 Convention through the case of "Nevruz", a very controversial festival in Turkey.
Academic Journal of Interdisciplinary Studies, 2013
International Journal of Cultural Property, 2013
This article addresses the shortcomings of UNESCO’s intangible heritage program in developing eff... more This article addresses the shortcomings of UNESCO’s intangible heritage program in developing effective mechanisms for community participation in heritage management. Contrary to its original intentions, by prioritizing national perspectives and interests on heritage, UNESCO’s program inadvertently allows for strengthening the control of the state over the heritage of minorities and other marginalized groups. This article explores the complexities of state-led intangible heritage management, using the Semah ritual of Turkey’s Alevi religious groups as a case in point. I first detail how Alevi voices were silenced during Semah’s intangible heritage nomination process, despite those documents submitted by Turkey to UNESCO that claim Alevis’ active engagement and full support. Then I discuss in what ways the heritage making of Semah plays into the ongoing efforts of the Turkish government to integrate Alevis into dominant Sunni majority. I conclude by arguing that UNESCO’s intangible heritage program, though unintentionally, assists nondemocratic countries in their efforts to force marginalized groups to adopt the mainstream culture.
book chapters by Bahar Aykan
Neye Yarar Hatiralar? Bellek ve Siyaset Calismalari , 2012
Proceedings by Bahar Aykan
Dissertation by Bahar Aykan
Books by Bahar Aykan
![Research paper thumbnail of Intangible Cultural Heritage in Times of Economic Crisis: Marketisation and Resilience [Άυλη Πολιτιστική Κληρονομιά σε καιρούς οικονομικής κρίσης: Ένταξή στην αγορά και ανθεκτικότητα]](https://attachments.academia-assets.com/105410192/thumbnails/1.jpg)
](Η πολιτισμική κληρονομιά βρίσκεται στον πυρήνα πολλών ζητημάτων που απασχολούν τη δημόσια συζήτησ... more Η πολιτισμική κληρονομιά βρίσκεται στον πυρήνα πολλών ζητημάτων που απασχολούν τη δημόσια συζήτηση, τόσο σε εθνικό όσο και σε διεθνικό επίπεδο, ενώ η διαπολιτισμική της διάσταση είναι εξίσου ορατή. Η UNESCO ξεχωρίζει ως ο κύριος παγκόσμιος θεσμός σε αυτόν τον τομέα και το 2023 συμπληρώνονται είκοσι χρόνια από την υιοθέτηση της Σύμβασης για τη Διαφύλαξη της Άυλης Πολιτιστικής Κληρονομιάς (UNESCO 2003), η οποία έχει ήδη αφήσει βαθύ αποτύπωμα στις παγκόσμιες (και τοπικές) πολιτιστικές πολιτικές. Καθώς η Σύμβαση, όπως και η ίδια η έννοια της άυλης πολιτιστικής κληρονομιάς, ενσωματώνεται σε διαφορετικά εθνικά θεσμικά πλαίσια, προκύπτουν ποικίλες αμφισβητήσεις και εντάσεις σχετικά με την ερμηνεία και την εφαρμογή της σε τοπικό επίπεδο.
Αυτός ο συλλογικός τόμος αναδεικνύει τον δημιουργικό διάλογο που προκύπτει από τη συνάντηση των γενικών αρχών της Σύμβασης με τις δημόσιες πολιτικές για την άυλη πολιτιστική κληρονομιά, όπως αυτές σχεδιάζονται και εφαρμόζονται από θεσμούς, πρόσωπα και συλλογικότητες, ειδικά για την αντιμετώπιση διαφόρων ειδών «κρίσεων». Ταυτόχρονα, οι εθνογραφικές μελέτες που παρουσιάζονται στον τόμο, οι οποίες πραγματοποιήθηκαν σε χώρες, όπως η Βραζιλία, η Ελλάδα, η Ιταλία, η Κίνα και η Τουρκία, διερευνούν πώς οι πολιτικές διαφύλαξης της άυλης πολιτιστικής κληρονομιάς ενδυνάμωσαν την σύνδεση της άυλης πολιτιστικής κληρονομιάς με την αγορά και τον τουρισμό, στην προσπάθειά τους να ενισχύσουν ποικίλες μορφές ανθεκτικότητας (resilience).
Heritage & Society, 2024
In 2020, the Ilısu Dam partially flooded the historic town of Hasankeyf in southeast Türkiye. To ... more In 2020, the Ilısu Dam partially flooded the historic town of Hasankeyf in southeast Türkiye. To mitigate the impact of flooding, the government launched a program to relocate the town's residents, along with some historic monuments and archaeological remains, to a new town situated on the opposite shore. Hasankeyf's heritage embodied strong social values for its residents and had a central presence in their daily, spiritual, and recreational lives. The mitigation efforts, however, failed to recognize these values, and the townspeople played no role in the decision-making processes. This article examines the adverse impacts of the Ilısu Dam project on Hasankeyf's social values by bringing to the fore local relocation experiences and discussing the sociocultural and economic outcomes that have emerged in the post-relocation context. As the case of Hasankeyf illustrates, mitigation efforts that overlook local concerns might result in heritage destruction for dam-affected populations.
Heritage & Society , 2024
In 2020, the Ilısu Dam partially flooded the historic town of Hasankeyf in southeast Türkiye. To ... more In 2020, the Ilısu Dam partially flooded the historic town of Hasankeyf in southeast Türkiye. To mitigate the impact of flooding, the government launched a program to relocate the town's residents, along with some historic monuments and archaeological remains, to a new town situated on the opposite shore. Hasankeyf's heritage embodied strong social values for its residents and had a central presence in their daily, spiritual, and recreational lives. The mitigation efforts, however, failed to recognize these values, and the townspeople played no role in the decision-making processes. This article examines the adverse impacts of the Ilısu Dam project on Hasankeyf's social values by bringing to the fore local relocation experiences and discussing the sociocultural and economic outcomes that have emerged in the post-relocation context. As the case of Hasankeyf illustrates, mitigation efforts that overlook local concerns might result in heritage destruction for dam-affected populations.
Planlama Dergisi, 2019
Yedikule bostanları İstanbul’un Bizans döneminden günümüze uzanan köklü bostancılık geleneğinin y... more Yedikule bostanları İstanbul’un Bizans döneminden günümüze uzanan köklü bostancılık geleneğinin yaşayan nadir örneklerinden biridir ve UNESCO Dünya Mirası Listesi’ndeki Tarihi Yarımada’nın sınırları içinde yer alır. Tarihi kara surlarını çevreleyen bu bostan- lar, 2013 yılından bu yana park ve rekreasyon alanına dönüştü- rülmesine yönelik projelerle gündeme gelmektedir. Bu durum ilk bakışta bostanların Dünya Mirası statüsü ile çelişiyormuş gibi gö- rülse de bostan alanları kara surlarının çevresindeki ‘yeşil alan’lar olarak kabul edilir ve olduğu gibi koruma statüsünde değildir. Bu makale, Yedikule bostancılarıyla gerçekleştirilen derinlemesine mülakatlara dayanarak, bu geleneğin sürdürülebilmesi için kara surlarıyla bir bütün olarak, kültürel peyzaj yaklaşımıyla ele alınıp korunmasına yönelik sözleşme nezdinde atılabilecek adımları tar- tışmayı amaçlamaktadır. 1992 yılında oluşturulan kültürel peyzaj kategorisi bir alanı Dünya Mirası yapan somut ve somut olmayan özelliklerin birlikte tanımlanıp korunabilmesini mümkün kılmak- tadır. Bu kategori, kuşaktan kuşağa aktarılan geleneksel yöntem ve tekniklerle sürdürülen Yedikule bostancılığının, yüzyıllardır bir arada varolduğu kara surlarıyla birlikte gelişimini sürdüren or- ganik peyzaj olarak yeniden listelenip koruma altına alınmasına olanak sağlamaktadır. Böyle bir değişiklik bostancılığın sürdürül- mesi konusunda ulusal ve uluslararası kamuoyu oluşmasına ve bostancıların bu mirasın taşıyıcıları olarak desteklenerek karar alma süreçlerine dahil edilmesi yönünde politikalar ve projeler geliştirilmesine imkân sağlayacaktır.
Spheres of life incorporated within the orbit of security have been multiplying rapidly for the l... more Spheres of life incorporated within the orbit of security have been multiplying rapidly for the last two decades, marking a global trend. Turkey is no exception. In between multiple layers of the governmental structure, more and more areas are looped into matters of security. This article tries to make sense of this process by looking into the short video clips (or “public spots”) produced by the ministries, made allegedly to inform and educate the public on a variety of issues. Analyzing these clips, Güvenç-Salgırlı and Aykan observe the spread of security having a centrifugal expansion, without any preplanned direction. In so doing it is not only incorporating fields previously unimagined under its domain, but also it produces circuits, which are made up of elements and events that form an environment (milieu) where individuals are expected to govern through their capacities as self-entrepreneurs.
Son yıllarda, kültürel miras hakkı hem insan haklarının hem de kültürel mirasın korunmasına yönel... more Son yıllarda, kültürel miras hakkı hem insan haklarının hem de kültürel mirasın korunmasına yönelik uluslararası sözleşmelerin kapsamına gittikçe artan bir şekilde dahil ediliyor. Kültürel mirası sosyal kimliklerinin bir parçası olarak kabul eden bireylerin ve grupların ona erişimini ve ondan faydalanabilmesini kısıtlayan uygulamaların insan hakları ihlali olarak değerlendirilmesi gerektiği, akademik ve profesyonel çevrelerce de sıkça dile getirilmeye başlandı. Bu makale, kültürel miras hakkı konusundaki güncel akademik tartışmaları ve uluslararası sözleşmeler nezdindeki gelişmeleri “yerel mülkiyet” ve “katılım” odaklı iki farklı yaklaşım üzerinden incelemeyi amaçlıyor. Her iki yaklaşım da kültürel mirasın insan hakları temelli bir anlayışla korunmasının daha demokratik ve eşitlikçi süreçlere olanak vereceğini vurgulasa da, bu hakkın nasıl kavramsallaştırılması, neleri kapsaması ve kim(ler)e tanınması gerektiği konusunda farklı görüşler sergiliyor. Günümüzde “yerel mülkiyet” odaklı yaklaşım, uluslararası hukuk alanında daha yaygın olarak kabul görmektedir. Ancak Ian Hodder (2010) tarafından öne sürülen “katılım” odaklı yaklaşım, kültürel mirasla çeşitli ekonomik, kültürel ve politik amaçlarla ilişki kuran toplumun farklı kesimlerinin hak taleplerini dikkate alması dolayısıyla daha kapsayıcıdır.
In recent years, the right to cultural heritage has come to be included more and more within the framework of international conventions for the protection of human rights and cultural heritage. Furthermore, academic and professional circles have been increasingly considering the idea that practices limiting the access and enjoyment of individuals and groups who claim cultural heritage as part of their social identity should be treated as violations of human rights. This article aims to explore current academic debates on cultural heritage rights and related transformations in international conventions by focusing on “local ownership-based” and “participation-based” approaches. While both emphasize that the adoption of human rights-based approaches in the protection of cultural heritage would allow for more democratic and egalitarian processes, they differ on how this right should be conceptualized, what it should involve, and whose right it should be. Local ownership-based approach is more widely accepted in international law at present. However, participation-based approach put forward by Ian Hodder (2010) is more inclusive because it considers rights claims by different segments of society that relate to cultural heritage for various economic, cultural and political purposes.
Keywords: Cultural Heritage, Identity Politics, Human Rights, Cultural Heritage Rights, International Law.
This article explores the limits and possibilities of international human rights law in protectin... more This article explores the limits and possibilities of international human rights law in protecting cultural heritage from state-led destruction. It does so by focusing on two attempts by activists and non-governmental organizations to have the United Nations and the Council of Europe intervene to save the ancient city of Hasankeyf in Turkey’s southeast region, which will soon be flooded by the reservoir waters of the Ilısu Dam. Adopting a heritage rights focus, these grassroots initiatives have argued that Hasankeyf’s destruction would constitute a violation of human rights because it would deprive people of their right to participate in, and benefit from, cultural heritage. I suggest that, as powerful attempts to link cultural heritage and human rights, these cases demonstrate the need for more effective and legally binding international frameworks to protect heritage rights as an aspect of human rights.
International Journal of Cultural Property, 2018
This article critically examines the nationalistic uses to which UNESCO’s 2003 Convention on inta... more This article critically examines the nationalistic uses to which UNESCO’s 2003 Convention on intangible heritage is put in Western Asia by looking at the conflicts it initiated amongst the countries in the region over the ownership
of shared culinary traditions. I first detail the conflict that has arisen between Armenia and Turkey over the ownership of keşkek dish after its inscription
in the Convention’s Representative List on behalf of Turkey in 2011. Then I discuss the ownership conflicts over tolma dish and lavash bread that ensued in the region following the listing of keşkek. Examined together, these cases demonstrate that while the Convention strongly influences the current processes of heritagization of food in Western Asia, these processes do not primarily serve the Convention’s purposes of safeguarding intangible
heritage and ensuring mutual appreciation of it. The Convention rather functions as a source of nationalism in the region to identify and legitimate transnational food traditions as national heritage and to prevent other
countries from laying claims over them.
Currently, a mass media campaign is underway in Turkey using a new communication means called the... more Currently, a mass media campaign is underway in Turkey using a new communication means called the “public spot” (kamu spotu). This article concentrates on the public spots produced by Turkey’s Ministry of Health, and more specifically on those that advocate quitting smoking and preventing obesity. Drawing on interviews with Ministry of Health personnel and analyzing the content of these spots, we suggest that they operate as risk caveats. They caution individuals against smoking and obesity’s potential harms and guide her/him towards self-health governance by encouraging the maintenance of a particular lifestyle that embraces a balanced diet, regular activity, and no smoking. As such, we read these spots as a technique of neoliberal governmentality. This technique works primarily by responsibilizing individuals as health entrepreneurs investing in risk free lifestyles; that is, by conceptualizing health as a matter of self-conduct where personal responsibilities are emphasized.
In recent years, Turkish audience has been increasingly exposed to a new media product called 'pu... more In recent years, Turkish audience has been increasingly exposed to a new media product called 'public spots'. These are less than a minute short clips produced on issues (such as health, security, social solidarity, and environment) that the Turkish state (and its governmental apparatus) finds crucial to 'inform' and 'educate' the public. Whilst the content and scope of these clips are varied, the thread that weaves them is the goal of improving public awareness on potential risks of life. As such, these clips point to a new relationship that the Turkish state aspires to form with the public. In this article, we rely on the literature on neoliberal governmentality, and its core concept, 'indirect governance', to understand the fabric of this relationship. We use three aspects of indirect governance, i.e. 'attribution of responsibility to the individual', 'development of precautionary measures', and 'generalization of population', to discuss the changing nature of state-society relations in contemporary Turkey.
International Journal of Heritage Studies, May 2015
Borne by people, intangible heritage is not tied to a territory, nor it is necessarily found with... more Borne by people, intangible heritage is not tied to a territory, nor it is necessarily found within the borders of a single country. The 2003 UNESCO Convention for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage recognizes this transnational character of intangible heritage and encourages States Parties to submit joint, multinational, nominations to its lists when a cultural element is commonly found in their territory. Despite such encouragement, there have been very few multinational inscriptions on the Convention’s lists so far. This article examines nationalistic approaches to intangible heritage as a major obstacle in this situation. While the Convention calls for international cooperation to safeguard the world’s intangible heritage, it inadvertently fosters nationalist claims on cultural traditions on the ground. States Parties may treat the Convention as a ‘patent approval system’ and use its lists to register shared traditions as their own national heritage. Their listing on behalf of a single State Party generates conflicts among countries over their origin and ownership. This article examines Karagöz shadow theatre as a case in point.
European Journal of Turkish Studies, 2014
This article problematizes the tendency of States Parties to use UNESCO’s 2003 Convention for the... more This article problematizes the tendency of States Parties to use UNESCO’s 2003 Convention for the Safeguarding of Intangible Cultural Heritage as a political tool for nation-building. Having an overall control and authority over the administration and implementation of this Convention, States Parties often use it to promote an official version of intangible heritage to foster national identity and unity. Such state dominance may in some cases result in strengthening the state’s control over the heritage of minority groups and contribute to the appropriation of their heritage as national heritage, becoming a means to reject their identities and cultures. I discuss these politico-nationalistic issues surrounding the 2003 Convention through the case of "Nevruz", a very controversial festival in Turkey.
Academic Journal of Interdisciplinary Studies, 2013
International Journal of Cultural Property, 2013
This article addresses the shortcomings of UNESCO’s intangible heritage program in developing eff... more This article addresses the shortcomings of UNESCO’s intangible heritage program in developing effective mechanisms for community participation in heritage management. Contrary to its original intentions, by prioritizing national perspectives and interests on heritage, UNESCO’s program inadvertently allows for strengthening the control of the state over the heritage of minorities and other marginalized groups. This article explores the complexities of state-led intangible heritage management, using the Semah ritual of Turkey’s Alevi religious groups as a case in point. I first detail how Alevi voices were silenced during Semah’s intangible heritage nomination process, despite those documents submitted by Turkey to UNESCO that claim Alevis’ active engagement and full support. Then I discuss in what ways the heritage making of Semah plays into the ongoing efforts of the Turkish government to integrate Alevis into dominant Sunni majority. I conclude by arguing that UNESCO’s intangible heritage program, though unintentionally, assists nondemocratic countries in their efforts to force marginalized groups to adopt the mainstream culture.
Neye Yarar Hatiralar? Bellek ve Siyaset Calismalari , 2012
Η πολιτισμική κληρονομιά βρίσκεται στον πυρήνα πολλών ζητημάτων που απασχολούν τη δημόσια συζήτησ... more Η πολιτισμική κληρονομιά βρίσκεται στον πυρήνα πολλών ζητημάτων που απασχολούν τη δημόσια συζήτηση, τόσο σε εθνικό όσο και σε διεθνικό επίπεδο, ενώ η διαπολιτισμική της διάσταση είναι εξίσου ορατή. Η UNESCO ξεχωρίζει ως ο κύριος παγκόσμιος θεσμός σε αυτόν τον τομέα και το 2023 συμπληρώνονται είκοσι χρόνια από την υιοθέτηση της Σύμβασης για τη Διαφύλαξη της Άυλης Πολιτιστικής Κληρονομιάς (UNESCO 2003), η οποία έχει ήδη αφήσει βαθύ αποτύπωμα στις παγκόσμιες (και τοπικές) πολιτιστικές πολιτικές. Καθώς η Σύμβαση, όπως και η ίδια η έννοια της άυλης πολιτιστικής κληρονομιάς, ενσωματώνεται σε διαφορετικά εθνικά θεσμικά πλαίσια, προκύπτουν ποικίλες αμφισβητήσεις και εντάσεις σχετικά με την ερμηνεία και την εφαρμογή της σε τοπικό επίπεδο.
Αυτός ο συλλογικός τόμος αναδεικνύει τον δημιουργικό διάλογο που προκύπτει από τη συνάντηση των γενικών αρχών της Σύμβασης με τις δημόσιες πολιτικές για την άυλη πολιτιστική κληρονομιά, όπως αυτές σχεδιάζονται και εφαρμόζονται από θεσμούς, πρόσωπα και συλλογικότητες, ειδικά για την αντιμετώπιση διαφόρων ειδών «κρίσεων». Ταυτόχρονα, οι εθνογραφικές μελέτες που παρουσιάζονται στον τόμο, οι οποίες πραγματοποιήθηκαν σε χώρες, όπως η Βραζιλία, η Ελλάδα, η Ιταλία, η Κίνα και η Τουρκία, διερευνούν πώς οι πολιτικές διαφύλαξης της άυλης πολιτιστικής κληρονομιάς ενδυνάμωσαν την σύνδεση της άυλης πολιτιστικής κληρονομιάς με την αγορά και τον τουρισμό, στην προσπάθειά τους να ενισχύσουν ποικίλες μορφές ανθεκτικότητας (resilience).
SALGIN HALLERİ: COVID-19 VE TOPLUMSAL EŞİTSİZLİKLER, 2021
COVID-19, hızlı bulaş riski, yayılma kapasitesi ve dirençli varyantları sebebiyle tüm dünyayı kıs... more COVID-19, hızlı bulaş riski, yayılma kapasitesi ve dirençli varyantları sebebiyle tüm dünyayı kısa sürede etkisi altına aldı. Bu beklenmedik ve endişe verici gelişme, küresel ticaret ve ulaşım ağlarındaki yoğunluk, siyasal öngörüsüzlük, sağlık hizmetleri ve altyapısındaki yetersizlikler gibi faktörlerin eklenmesiyle toplumsal hayatın her alanında giderek derinleşen bir krize dönüştü. Sadece dünyanın her köşesinden milyonlarca insanın yaşamını yitirmesine yol açmadı. Küresel ölçekte yaşanan istihdam kaybı, olağanüstü hâl kapsamında uygulanan sokağa çıkma yasağı, seyahat engeli gibi kısıtlamalar ve aksayan eğitim faaliyetleri milyarlarca insanın hayatına ket vurdu. Hal böyleyken, salgını kontrol altına alabilmenin yollarını araştırmak kamu sağlığı açısından ne kadar önemliyse, salgının sosyo-politik ve ekonomik alandaki tezahürlerini sorgulamak da bu süreçte ortaya çıkan ve pekişen toplumsal eşitsizlikleri anlamak açısından o kadar önemli. Salgın Halleri: COVID-19 ve Toplumsal Eşitsizlikler, salgının bir anda ve tüm çıplaklığıyla ortaya saçtığı bu çok katmanlı eşitsizlikleri mercek altına alıyor.
Dünden Bugüne Bugünden Düne, kültürel miras, kimlik ve bellek inşa süreçlerinin birbirleriyle etk... more Dünden Bugüne Bugünden Düne, kültürel miras, kimlik ve bellek inşa süreçlerinin birbirleriyle etkileşimlerini ve farklı ölçeklerde, muhtelif aktörler tarafından kurgulanış ve temsil biçimlerini Türkiye özelinde ele alıyor. Sosyal inşacı bir anlayış benimseyen bu derleme kitap üç bölümden oluşuyor. İlk bölümdeki yazılar, Cumhuriyetçi ve Yeni-Osmanlıcı milli kimlik ve geçmiş anlatısı arasındaki çatışmaların somutlaştığı mekanları merkeze alıyor. İkinci bölüm, kültürel miras yönetiminin farklı aktörler ve aidiyet ilişkilerini içeren çok katmanlı ve karmaşık yapısını tartışmaya açıyor. Son bölümdeki yazılar ise ‘unutulmaya yüz tutmuş’ geçmişi şimdide yeniden kurma ve canlandırma süreçlerine odaklanıyor.
Pınar Aykaç, Bahar Aykan, Sena Kayasü, Mesut Dinler, Sarper Ataşer, Burcu Selcen Coşkun, Hasan Münüsoğlu, Şule Tepe ve Sena Temel’in katkılarıyla…