Lectures and Events

The Institute sponsors or co-sponsors lectures and seminars by scholars, government officials, and business leaders. 

2007-2008 Academic Year

Guenter Lewy will be speaking about his book
"The Armenian Massacres in Ottoman Turkey: A
Disputed Genocide"

The Stevens Institute of Techonology's Program in Gender and Cultural Studies is hosting Guenter Lewy for a discussion on his work. ITS Director David Cuthell will be offering an introduction.

Monday April 28th, 2008 at 6:30 PM
228 Kidde
Stevens Institute of Technology

The US Presidential Election & Its Implications for Turkey

April 9th, 2008
7:00pm-9:30pm

Georgetown University
Intercultural Center, Main Floor
The Ambassador George McGhee Memorial Library

UPDATE: THIS EVENT IS NOW FULL
to be included on the waitlist, please send an email to
rdura@turkishstudies.org

ARI Foundation and the Institute of Turkish Studies cordially invite you to the panel

This Fall will bring a new administration into the White House.  What are the candidates’ positions on topics which will influence Turkey’s future? What are the differences between the Republican candidate and the Democrats?  How would a different US policy on Iraq, such as a withdrawal, affect Turkey?  How can a new administration improve US-Turkish relations?  Please join us for a panel on these and other topics relevant to the future of the US-Turkish relationship.  The panel participants are:

David Mercer, President of Mercer & Associates, Inc
Charles R. Johnston Jr., the Chairman of International Transactions and Trade Group and Legal Counsel of the American Turkish Council (ATC)
Tulin Daloglu, freelance writer for Washington Times
Ali Gunertem, ARI Foundation founder and advisor (panel moderator)

For more information, please download the flyer.

New Gendered Migrations to Turkey: Tourist-Traders, 'Natashas,' and Domestics

A talk by Dr. Leyla Keough of the Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars

Wednesday
April 16th, 2008
12:00 PM
(Light lunch will be served)

Georgetown University
Intercultural Center
George McGhee Library (Main Floor)

Dr. Keough conducted 14 months of multi-sited ethnographic research on women labor migrants who travel from Moldova to work in Turkey and on policymaking regarding migration and trafficking in this region. In the book she is working on as a research scholar this year at the Kennan Institute of the Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars, entitled, "Driven Women in Postsocialist Europe: Gender, Migration, and Moralities," she tracks both the supply and demand for this labor, offering a comprehensive study which includes the perspectives of families in Moldovan villages, employers in Istanbul, policymakers at the International Organization for Migration and, most importantly, the migrants themselves.

She received generous support for her research from the Institute of Turkish Studies.

American University's Conflict Resolution Program:
Seminar on Cyprus

Dr. David Cuthell was invited to speak at a seminar hosted by American University's Conflict Resolution Program. He briefly discussed the main issues surrounding Cyprus and many of the recent developments in the peace negotations.

Outreach Program:
Bahcesehir University Students Visit ITS

Turkey's Constitutional Reform:
Prospects and Pitfalls

ITS is pleased to host Dr. Mustafa Kocak for a lecture on the constitutional reform process currently being conducted by the Turkish government. Dr. Kocak is a Turkish legal expert currently at Georgetown University as a visiting scholar. His lecture will address the current draft of the proposed constitution, as created under the direction of Prof. Ergun Ozbudun, and the critiques of this document put forth by interest groups in Turkey.  This lecture is the first in a two-part series.  The second lecture will be held this Spring after the final draft of the proposed constitution is submitted to the Grand National Assembly of Turkey.

December 4, 2007
12:00pm-1:00pm
Georgetown University
Intercultural Center 301
McGhee Library

Turkey: Culture at the Crossroads

Johns Hopkins University is holding a special lecture series on Turkey and Turkish culture from October 4th to November 29th. On November 15th, Dr. David Cuthell - Executive Director of ITS - will be delivering a lecture titled "Turkey at the Crossroads." For more information on this event and the lecture series, please see the official Johns Hopkins website.

David Phillips: Disarming, Demobilizing and Reintegrating
the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK)

David L. Phillips, an advisor and project director of the National Committee on American Foreign Policy, recently wrote a report titled "Disarming, Demobilizing and Reintegrating the Kurdistan Worker's Party".  

Mr. Phillips will be at Georgetown University to present his report on Friday, November 9th. The presentation will be held in the Mortara Center from 11:45 to 1:00.

ATATURK LECTURE

As part of the annual commemoration program of Mustafa Kemal Atatürk, founder of the Republic of Turkey, this year’s Atatürk Lecture, which is sponsored by the Turkish Embassy in Washington, will be given at Georgetown University on Wednesday November 7, 2007.

This year’s guest speaker is Dr. Arnold Reisman who was a Professor at Case Western Reserve University and Sabanci University in Turkey.  His latest book is "Turkey's Modernization:  Refugees from Nazism and Atatürk's Vision."

Dr. Reisman’s subject will be Atatürk’s reforms with particular emphasis on his university reforms.

The lecture will take place on November 7 at Georgetown University, in the ICC Auditorium.  The event is scheduled for 2 hours, from 6-8 p.m.

The lecture will be followed by a Q&A session.

Islam in Turkey Today: A Symposium

November 2nd & 3rd, 2007
Columbia University

On November 2 and 3, Columbia University’s Middle East Institute, along with the Turkish Cultural Center (New York) and the Institute of Turkish Studies, will sponsor a symposium dedicated to examining Islam’s role in contemporary Turkey. Entitled “Islam in Turkey Today,” the symposium will showcase the work of a global array of scholars working on the interaction between Islam and state in Turkey. Sessions on Friday, November 2 will focus broadly on the role of Islam in the Ottoman empire, along with Islamic movements that sprung up in the aftermath of its collapse, from the more traditionally based to the Gulen movement that has served to inspire today’s crop of Islamist politicians. Saturday’s sessions will spotlight the current relationship between Islam and politics, examining both the 2007 elections and the interplay between gender and religion in Turkish politics.

     

Please visit the official website of this conference:
http://www.islaminturkeytoday.org/

2006-2007 Academic Year

The Role of Islam in Modern Turkey
The Council of Foreign Relations is hosting ITS Director David Cuthell on March 29th to hear his thoughts on the role of Islam in modern Turkey.

The Current State of Turkey's Accession Prospects to the EU
On March 23rd, ITS Director David Cuthell will be speaking at McGill University in Montreal on the topic of Turkey's accession prospects to the EU.

"Turkish Diplomacy in Cyprus: Changes and Continuities in Practice of Nationalism"
TUSIAD and ITS co-host Prof Gul Inanc for a roundtable discussion on nationalism in Turkish Cyprus. The event will take place Monday, March 5th, 2007, at the TUSIAD main office and will last from 12:00 to 1:30.

A Prospect for Turkish Irredentism: The Kirkuk Turkmen
ITS Director David Cuthell will be presenting his thoughts on the relationship between Turkey and the Turkmen of northern Iraq at the University of South Carolina on March 6th, 2007.

“Impressions from Northern Iraq and the Critical Role of Turkmens in Democratic and United Iraq”

This seminar will bring together the two Turkish parliamentarians, Dr. Turhan Çömez and Dr. Orhan Z. Diren, who have recently visited Northern Iraq, to share with us their impressions from the area and to highlight the critical role of Turkmens in the challenging endeavors facing Iraq today. The American public, academia, media and students specializing in the relevant fields are invited.

New York:
February 6, 2007
Columbia University, Middle East Institute
International Affairs Building, Room 1118
12:30pm-2:30pm

Washington, DC:
February 8, 2007
Georgetown University, McGhee Library
International Cultural Center, Room 301
12:30pm-2:30pm

Seats are limited. RSVP is strongly recommended.
Please email: reservations@turkmeninstitute.org
No registration fee.

Andrew Mango Lecture

On November 16th, the Institute of Turkish Studies at Georgetown University and the Embassy of the Republic of Turkey will host a forum on the leadership and legacy of Mustafa Kemal Ataturk, the founder of the Republic of Turkey.  Distinguished scholars will address Ataturk’s decisive role at the end of the age of imperialism, and how his vision of the nation forged a democratic course that continues today.  Panelist at this forum will include:

Andrew Mango, Ph.D. – Authoritative biographer of Ataturk and longtime Southern European expert for the British Broadcasting Service

Mustafa Ozcan, Ph.D. – Assistant Professor, Rhode Island College

ITS also supported another lecture by Mr. Mango at Columbia University in New York City on November 14th.

Exhibition of Salih Memecan's Political Cartoons

Salih Memecan, cartoonist of Bizimcity for Sabah newspaper, will be at Georgetown University on Monday, November, 6th for an exhibition of his cartoons. The exhibition will last the entire day and will be displayed on the main floor of the Intercultural Center (the ICC Galleria on the 3rd floor). The exhibition will be accompanied by a workshop with the artist in the Center for Contemporary Arab Studies Boardroom from 3pm to 5 pm. Following the workshop, there will be a reception in the McGhee Library on the Galleria level of the ICC from 5pm to 7pm. This event is co-sponsored by The BMW Center for Germanic and European Studies, The Center for Eurasian, Russian, and East European Studies, Division of Eastern Mediterranean Languages and Center for Muslim Christian Understanding.

"Modern Crusaders"
"Go on Brother Cartoonists - You go ahead, we're right behind you"

Lecture for the Northeast Turkish-American Academicians

On November 4th, 2006, ITS director David Cuthell was invited to speak in the Northeast Turkish-American Academicians' (New Jersey) Lecture Series. His address to the group of academicians was titled "An Ottoman Blueprint for the EU."

2005-2006 Academic Year:

Television Interview with Director David Cuthell
ITS director David Cuthell was interviewed on Turkish-American TV, a DC-area television program that promotes Turkish cultural activites. To watch the interview, please click the picture below:

Annual Board Meeting
The Institute of Turkish Studies held its annual board meeting on Saturday, May 6th.

Grant awards for the 2006-2007 academic year were announced at this meeting. Official notifications were sent to all applicants beginning Monday, May 15th.

Outreach Activity with World Affairs Council of Philadelphia
Professor David Cuthell, director of ITS, met with a group of high school students at Georgetown's Intercultural Center on May 17th. These students were on an educational trip sponsored by the World Affairs Council of Philadelphia to promote a better understanding of Turkey.

Book Reading with Dr. Soner Chagaptay
Please join ITS in celebrating the publication of Soner Chagaptay's latest book, Islam, Secularism, and Nationalism in Modern Turkey: Who Is A Turk? He will be discussing his research and reading from this work on May 9th from 6pm to 8pm. The event will take place in the McGhee Library, located in Georgetown University's Intercultural Center. Wine and appetizers will be served.

Lecture with Dr. Don Quataert
Please join us for a lecture by Don Quataert, professor of history at Binghamton University, entitled Labor History Writing in Middle Eastern Studies: The Example of Coal Miners in the Late Ottoman Empire. Dr. Quataert is the author of six monographs and the editor or co-editor of another ten books dealing with various aspects of the history of the Ottoman Empire. The lecture will be held from 4pm to 6pm May 4th at the McGhee Library in Georgetown University's Intercultural Center. Directions can be found by clicking here.

Also, please check out the supplemental resources Dr. Quataert has made available to the public. His archived materials can be found by clicking here.

The Ataturk Society of America
ATATURK'S REFORMS AS A RESPONSE TO RADICAL ISLAM
Wednesday, April 26, 2006
Location: Leavey Center Program Room,
Georgetown University  Campus, Washington, DC
6:30 - 7:00 pm Appetizers
7:00 - 9:00 pm Panel Discussion

Ataturk's reforms in the fields of law, education, economy and society paved the road towards new traditions of secularism and the separation of religion and state. Ataturk believed that in order to reach the level of modern civilization, continuous renewal and progression were necessary. As a result of this philosophy and the great achievement of laicism, Turkey represents the model of political and social development for the future of Muslim countries. In the context of the Middle East today, can we look at Ataturk's reforms as a model to bring peace to Middle East?

Talk with Jonathan Katz
On Wednesday, April 19th, ITS hosted a talk by Jonathan Katz called "Turkey, the EU and the United States: A View from Capitol Hill." Mr. Katz is the legislative director for Congressman Wexler D-FL. The talk was held at Georgetown University, Reynolds Hall, Room 133 from 4pm-6pm. For directions, please click here.

Talk with Amb Marc Grossman
We were pleased to host Ambassador Marc Grossman for a talk on contemporary issues in Turkey. The event took place April 11th from 4:00-6:00pm in the McGhee Library at Georgetown University's Intercultural Center. Directions to the event can be found here.

Nevruz Celebrations
The Institute of Turkish Studies was proud to be one of the sponsors of the Nevruz Celebrations of the Turkic World 2006 on Sunday, 9 April 2006, 12:00 noon- 5 pm at the Gaston Hall, Healy Building
Georgetown University.

For more information, please click on the banner:

Book Signing with Caroline Finkel
The Institute in cooperation with TUSIAD-US sponsored a book signing for Caroline Finkel's new history Osman's Dream: The History of the Ottoman Empire on March 30, 2006. After a brief reading by the author, Dr. David Cuthell led a Q&A session.

TASSA Conference
The Institute was happy to participate in the second Turkish American Scientists and Scholars Association (TASSA) Annual Conference at Drexel University in Philadelphia, PA, on March 25-26, 2006. Please click here for the conference booklet.

Roundtable Luncheon with Ambassadors Gunduz Aktam and Omer Lütem
The Institute sponsored “Prospects for Turkish-Armenian Reconciliation,” an open forum luncheon exploring possible avenues of approach to break the current logjam in Turkish-Armenian relations on March 22, 2006.

Cyprus Conference
The Institute and TUSIAD-US held a panel discussion entitled "The Cypress Impasse: Prospects for a Breakthrough" on November 2, 2005 at The Fairmont Hotel in Washington, DC. Dr. David Cuthell served as moderator for the discussion.

AATT's Graduate Student Pre-Conference
The Institute of Turkish Studies was proud to sponsor the First Annual Graduate Student Pre-Conference on Turkish and Turkic Studies along with the AATT, The Ertegun Foundation and The Turkish Cultural Foundation. The conference was held at Georgetown University November 18-19, 2005.

Previous Lectures and Events:

• "Misunderstanding Turkey" by Dr. Andrew Mango, Former Head of BBC's Turkish Service.

• "The Ottoman Red Crescent: Crossing to Modernity" by Professor Ernest Tucker, US Naval Academy.

• "Domesticating the Global: A Turkish Village Study" by Professor Sylvia Wing Onder, Georgetown University.

• "The Birth of Modernity in the Ottoman Empire" by Professor Hakan Erdem, Bogazici University.

• "Afghanistan: Prospects for Peace and Security" by General Hilmi Akin Zorlu, Commander ISAF.

• “Perspectives on the Turkic World” by Turan Yazgan, Turkic World Research Foundation, Istanbul and Brent Kennedy, University of Virginia.
  Co-sponsored with the Center for Eurasian, Russian and East European Studies, and US-Azerbaijan Council.

• “The Earthquake in Turkey: Analysis and Discussion” with Sabri Sayari, Institute of Turkish Studies, Scott Redford Georgetown University, and Catherine Stevens, World Bank.

• "God's Wrath and the Engineers: Some Cultural Echoes of the Turkish Earthquake" by Prof. Serif Mardin, Sabanci University, Istanbul, Turkey.

• “Dilemmas and Contradictions: Women and Tradition in Contemporary Turkey” by Dilek Cindoglu, Bilkent University, Ankara.