- University of Ulster, School of Arts and Humanities, Londonderry, UK
Murat Akser
University of Ulster, School of Creative Arts, Faculty Member
- Film Studies, Film Theory, National Cinemas, Film Genre, Horror Film, Archival Moving Image Preservation and Restoration, and 26 moreInformation/Communication Technologies and Development, Science Fiction Film, Cultural Studies, Television Studies, Media History, Screenwriting, New Media, Film Festival Studies, Political Science, Media Studies, Social Media, Journalism, Digital Media, Mass Communication, Political communication, Historiography, Internet Studies, Turkish and Middle East Studies, Cyber crime, Media Policy, Cyber Terrorism, Turkish Cinema, Cyber Security, Donna Haraway, Nick Couldry, and Political Art Practices and ‘Artivism’edit
This article attempts to explain the current situation of the Turkish media system through the media systems approach as a case study with special attention to the concept of media capture. We propose that the Turkish media system’s shift... more
This article attempts to explain the current situation of the Turkish media system through the media systems approach as a case study with special attention to the concept of media capture. We propose that the Turkish media system’s shift is heavily influenced by media capture. We associate four of Hallin and Mancini’s media systems concepts related to the effects of media capture in the Turkish media system shift: rise of political parallelism, erosion of journalistic professionalism (ethics), controlling role of the state, and government-friendly ownership concentration. In explaining the shift from a pluralist polarised to captured media in Turkey, we acknowledge the potential for new, independent, and alternative media to emerge. The article also comments that the potential reason for this shift from a captured liberal to a captured media in Turkey is the climate of fear that has allowed successive governments in Turkey to attempt media capture. In general, this article attempts to provide insight into the current relationship between media and politics in Turkey.
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This article offers a critical reading of Nuri Bilge Ceylan’s Ahlat Ağacı (The Wild Pear Tree) through an exploration and critique of the mythmaking and monumentalization surrounding the Gallipoli Battle and the multiple ways in which... more
This article offers a critical reading of Nuri Bilge Ceylan’s Ahlat Ağacı (The Wild Pear Tree) through an exploration and critique of the mythmaking and monumentalization surrounding the Gallipoli Battle and the multiple ways in which Ceylan’s film unsettles the foundational myths of the last century in Turkey. Ceylan’s scenes and characters are constructed in such a way that the male characters and particularly Sinan (the main character) refuse to succumb to hegemonic codes of masculinity. Through this cinematic refusal by an anti-hero (Sinan), the film addresses the crisis of hegemonic masculinities in their interconnectedness to militarism, nationalism, capitalism, and heteronormativity. Through Sinan’s quest for self-realization, the film signals not only the impotence and vanity of nationalist masculinities but also the caesuras and instabilities in national myths. As the last film of Nuri Bilge Ceylan’s new Land of Ghosts trilogy, which started with Once Upon a Time in Anatolia and Winter Sleep, Ahlat Ağacı seems to close the cycle with a final scene that bespeaks the possibility of unearthing lost others of national mythmaking, bringing fertility and hope to the lands in which collective amnesia reigns supreme.
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There have been more than 150 popular Hollywood films that presented Turkey and the Turks in an Orientalist manner. That is, after more than sixty years of participating in Western democracy, having established a liberal market economy,... more
There have been more than 150 popular Hollywood films that presented Turkey and the Turks in an Orientalist manner. That is, after more than sixty years of participating in Western democracy, having established a liberal market economy, and enjoying a functioning multi-party democratic political system, the image of Turkey in Hollywood is still emphatically that of the Eastern, lustful, and barbaric Turk. Against that background, the Turkish cinema's depiction of the Westerner has been one of a cowardly, clumsy enemy. This piece will look at the discourses of Orientalism and Occidentalism that Turkish and Hollywood cinemas feed upon and reflect on each other.
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On july 27, 1966, the renowned Turkish film director Halit Refig ̆ angrily left a panel dis cussion on Turkish cinema. Organized by the film writers’ association Sinematek, the panel was titled “The Social Structure of Turkey, Turk ish... more
On july 27, 1966, the renowned Turkish film director Halit Refig ̆ angrily left a panel dis cussion on Turkish cinema. Organized by the film writers’ association Sinematek, the panel was titled “The Social Structure of Turkey, Turk ish Cinema and Its Future.” According to Refig ̆, the panel had expanded from a discussion of Turkish cinema and its future and turned into a courtroom in which Turkish filmmakers were put on trial, and filmmakers including Refig ̆ were deeply insulted at being framed as the enemies of society (Refig ̆ 71). After intense disagreement with Sinematek writers on the condition of Turkish cinema, Halit Refig ̆ and some other film directors developed the con cept of what they called ulusal sinema (national cinema).
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Halit Refiğ had impact on debates around Turkish national cinema both as a thinker and as a practitioner. Instrumental in establishing the Turkish Film Institute under MSU along with his director colleagues like Metin Erksan and Lutfi... more
Halit Refiğ had impact on debates around Turkish national cinema both as a thinker and as a practitioner. Instrumental in establishing the Turkish Film Institute under MSU along with his director colleagues like Metin Erksan and Lutfi Akad, Refiğ lectured for many years at the first cinema training department. This translation is from his 1971 collection of articles titled Ulusal Sinema Kavgasi (Fight For National Cinema). Here Refiğ elaborates on the concept of national cinema from cultural perspectives framing Turkey as a continuation of Ottoman Empire and its culture distinct and different from western ideas of capitalism, bourgeoisie art and Marxism. For Refiğ, Turkish cinema should be reflected as an extension of traditional Turkish arts. Refiğ explores the potential to form a national cinema through dialogue and dialectic within Turkish traditional arts and against western cinematic traditions of representation.
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From its inception, depiction of sexuality on screen outside of heteronormative behavior has consistently been met with censorship by the state and negative criticism from the media. Yet, beginning with mid 1960s and spanning latter... more
From its inception, depiction of sexuality on screen outside of heteronormative behavior has consistently been met with censorship by the state and negative criticism from the media. Yet, beginning with mid 1960s and spanning latter decades, Turkish filmmakers have become far more open and daring in their depiction of the gay and lesbian relationships. It is the aim of this essay to outline a history of LGBT representations in Turkish cinema over the last fifty years, depictions progressing from lesbian to transsexual and finally to homosexual males during the period, 1962 to the present.
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Turkish Cinema studies goes back to 1968 with the publication of Nijat Ozon’s filmography. Before that, there has been film criticism by journalists in short-lived film magazines and newspapers. The first theoretical attempt define... more
Turkish Cinema studies goes back to 1968 with the publication of Nijat Ozon’s filmography. Before that, there has been film criticism by journalists in short-lived film magazines and newspapers. The first theoretical attempt define Turkish cinema as a culturally distinct cinema came from a film director, Halit Refiğ’s Fight For a National Cinema (Ulusal Sinema Kavgasi), and works after that came to view Turkish cinema as an umbrella term used to describe the cinema produced by filmmakers living in the
Republic of Turkey established in 1923.
Republic of Turkey established in 1923.
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This is a reading of David Mulholland Drive through psychoanalytic approach of Lacan from the perspective of formation of fantasy and shifting identities. Lynch constructs his films consciously choosing his themes from the... more
This is a reading of David Mulholland Drive through psychoanalytic approach of Lacan from the perspective of formation of fantasy and shifting identities. Lynch constructs his films consciously choosing his themes from the sub(versive/conscious) side of human mind. Previous attempts to read Lynch’s films are fixed around the idea that Lynch is using film genres to create postmodern pastiches. Mulholland Drive has been analyzed several times from different approaches ranging from gender to narratology . Elements of film noir, musical, caper films can be identified in Lynch’s films. This detailed textual analysis intends to rationalize Lynch’s narrative structure through Lacanian terms in reference to Zizekian terminology.
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This issue of CINEJ Cinema Journal observed the slow recovery from the destructive effects of COVID-19 global pandemic on filmmaking, film distribution and exhibition, and teaching film at HE institutions. One development that is on the... more
This issue of CINEJ Cinema Journal observed the slow recovery from the destructive effects of COVID-19 global pandemic on filmmaking, film distribution and exhibition, and teaching film at HE institutions. One development that is on the agenda is diversity and inclusion in film industry, film education and film studies/criticism as institution. The diversity of film sets has been voiced and is gaining momentum at creative top of the line levels of director, producer and screenwriters. Still obstacles remain for those who want to move from entry to mid-level both in film industry as creatives and for academics who want to enter white dominated academia.
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This issue of CINEJ Cinema Journal witnessed the devastating effects of COVID-19 global pandemic on filmmaking, film distribution and exhibition, and teaching film at HE institutions. Global shifts in production and distribution gave rise... more
This issue of CINEJ Cinema Journal witnessed the devastating effects of COVID-19 global pandemic on filmmaking, film distribution and exhibition, and teaching film at HE institutions. Global shifts in production and distribution gave rise to new stars, streaming services. The diversity of film sets was gaining momentum as film productions were halted. Ne reports and new investment for the future of filmmaking are at stake at this juncture. As the year closed there have losses like Fernando Solanas and Sean Connery.
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Defined by some critics as the ultimate national cinema movement piece, Halit Refiğ's I Lost My Heart to a Turk (1969), the love story of a German woman and a Turkish worker in the ancient town of Kayseri becomes an allegory for the... more
Defined by some critics as the ultimate national cinema movement piece, Halit Refiğ's I Lost My Heart to a Turk (1969), the love story of a German woman and a Turkish worker in the ancient town of Kayseri becomes an allegory for the Turkish nation's identity crisis. This paper identifies the parameters used by Refiğ to position the Turkish identity in his film and emphasize the special role of women in Turkish modernization.
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This essay will hunt down and classify the concept of the national as a discourse in Turkish cinema that has been constructed back in 1965, by the film critics, by filmmakers and finally by today’s theoretical standards. So the questions... more
This essay will hunt down and classify the concept of the national as a discourse in Turkish cinema that has been constructed back in 1965, by the film critics, by filmmakers and finally by today’s theoretical standards. So the questions we will be constantly asking throughout the essay can be: Is what can be called part of national film culture and identity? Is defining a film part of national heritage a modernist act that is also related to theories of nationalism? Is what makes a film national a stylistic application of a particular genre (such as melodrama)? Does the allure of the film come from the construction of a hero-cult after a director deemed to be national?
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This paper outlines a theory of style and performance in Canadian film based on geography, gender and genre. It is possible to form a theory of Canadian cinema based on theme-genre (strong women, nature as oppressor in dysfunctional... more
This paper outlines a theory of style and performance in Canadian film based on geography, gender and genre. It is possible to form a theory of Canadian cinema based on theme-genre (strong women, nature as oppressor in dysfunctional family melodramas) in which female characters, as well as their personas, interact with both a physical geography and a social space to define a Canadian identity.
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Antalya and Adana are run by competing and conflicting political parties. The film festivals in both cities underwent changes in programming and other activities due to municipal election results in 2009. As Turkey’s oldest existing film... more
Antalya and Adana are run by competing and conflicting political parties. The film festivals in both cities underwent changes in programming and other activities due to municipal election results in 2009. As Turkey’s oldest existing film festival, Antalya’s lack of consistency attracted the attention of other city-run film festivals across the country that consider it a model for their own events. Neither Antalya nor Adana fulfill their missions to act as truly national events. Instead, by fuelling rival programming they have polarised filmmakers and the public. In addition, because they devote a great deal of resources to local activities and the national political agenda, neither festival can be considered transnational in scope. Political rivalry mixed with populism reduces the visibility of Turkish filmmakers both nationally and internationally, while nepotism and political discourses stoke the popularity of local government at the expense of filmmakers and audiences alike.
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The Antalya Golden Orange Film Festival was established in 1964. It is considered by many to be Turkey’s foremost film festival—a festive environment where film critics, directors, stars and spectators mingle in press conferences and... more
The Antalya Golden Orange Film Festival was established in 1964. It is considered by many to be Turkey’s foremost film festival—a festive environment where film critics, directors,
stars and spectators mingle in press conferences and parties, a spectacular event likened to Cannes Film Festival by those organising and attending it (Akser, “Antalya” 595). It is the oldest
surviving film festival in Turkey, with a tradition of attendance by local cinephiles, spectacular parades of Turkish film stars and gala events for films that have won international acclaim at
other festivals.
stars and spectators mingle in press conferences and parties, a spectacular event likened to Cannes Film Festival by those organising and attending it (Akser, “Antalya” 595). It is the oldest
surviving film festival in Turkey, with a tradition of attendance by local cinephiles, spectacular parades of Turkish film stars and gala events for films that have won international acclaim at
other festivals.
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Halit Refig had impact on Turkish national cinema both as a thinker and practitioner. He worked his way up from the 1950s as a film critic and become a film director practicing until the day he died. He also worked along with other... more
Halit Refig had impact on Turkish national cinema both as a thinker and practitioner. He worked his way up from the 1950s as a film critic and become a film director practicing until the day he died. He also worked along with other directors like Metin Erksan, Lütfi Akad, Memduh Un, Duygu Sagiroglu. Ertem Görec, Nedim Otyam, Ilhan Arakon at Mimar Sinan University's Turkish Film Institute, the first cinema training department at a University for 25 years training generations of film directors. This except is from a 1968 film magazine essay.
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This article examines the historical roots of the role of successive Turkish governments' fear of media and Turkish media's fear of government authority with respect to the development of press freedom over the long run and closely... more
This article examines the historical roots of the role of successive Turkish governments' fear of media and Turkish media's fear of government authority with respect to the development of press freedom over the long run and closely analyzes the historical pressures imposed on journalists through legal and informal means. We focus particularly on the economic and political pressure on the media in Turkey and offer three arguments regarding the fear in Turkish media: (1) Media fear is historical rather than a rupture that happened during the Justice and Development Party era; (2) out of fear of losing power, the governments use structural, legislative and extra-legal factors to the advantage of the ruling party to support a friendly media-ecology; and (3) the repressed media attempt to come out of this ecology of fear by utilizing new tactics of reporting, such as alternative media and citizen journalism.
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This paper reveals the ways in which media autocracy operates on political, judicial, economic and discursive levels in post-2007 Turkish media. Newsmakers in Turkey currently experience five different systemic kinds of neoliberal... more
This paper reveals the ways in which media autocracy operates on political, judicial, economic and discursive levels in post-2007 Turkish media. Newsmakers in Turkey currently experience five different systemic kinds of neoliberal government pressures to keep their voice down: conglomerate pressure, judicial suppression, online banishment, surveillance defamation and accreditation discrimination. The progression of restrictions on media freedom has increased in volume annually since 2007; this includes pressure on the Doğan Media Group, the YouTube ban, arrests of journalists in the Ergenekon trials, phone tapping/taping of political figures and the exclusion of all unfriendly reporters from political circles. The levels and tools of this autocracy eventually lead to certain conclusions about the qualities of this media environment: it is a historically conservative, redistributive, panoptic and discriminatory media autocracy.
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The relationship between Turkish media conglomerates and the Justice and Development Party (AKP) government has shown increased conflict since 2009. The AKP, under the leadership of Recep Tayyip Erdogan, has displayed increasing fear of... more
The relationship between Turkish media conglomerates and the Justice and Development Party (AKP) government has shown increased conflict since 2009. The AKP, under the leadership of Recep Tayyip Erdogan, has displayed increasing fear of and suspicion toward Turkey's liberal media. Censorship of the news in Turkey intensified after the failed coup attempt of July 2016. Media control tools used by business moguls were supported by the government and led the way to the creation of a corporatist media, which in turn has come under increased government pressure. This essay also highlights an ever-present tension within media and politics in Turkey. Turkish journalists tend to define themselves as liberals who historically assigned themselves the mission to inform the public and to raise public awareness on political issues independent of ruling governments. In contrast, successive Turkish governments, both conservative and liberal, have tended to view the media either as an ally or as an enemy to be feared.
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Turkey has been undergoing a transition in governance over decades, most recently in the sociopolitical transformation from Kemalist laicism to Islamic-dominated politics. The shifts have been uneven, with government frequently overtaken... more
Turkey has been undergoing a transition in governance over decades, most recently in the sociopolitical transformation from Kemalist laicism to Islamic-dominated politics. The shifts have been uneven, with government frequently overtaken by military control, and then returned to some form of democratic functioning, with associated changes in the laws reflecting greater or lesser tolerance for multi-party politics, public religious practice, and EU-inspired civic liberties. Throughout, the experience has engaged a tension between Western influences and Islamic norms as interpreted through processes of modernization and economic liberalization. The media’s role as a conveyor of cultural imaginaries and national identities has led it to play an important part in this trajectory. Yet, although its autonomy has varied depending on those in power—at times being a tool
entirely controlled by government, at others operating with few fetters—the laws and regulations surrounding the media have varied much less, suggesting the legal structure defining Turkish media
reflects in general terms the public’s view of its position and role in society. This is despite the fact that the media laws in Turkey have not been holistically forged, nor rigorously updated to accommodate technological change. What is suggested here is that the media’s status as a strategic circulator of ideas within social relations and as an ideological bellwether of public values, has been translated into the legal corpus, creating a uniquely Turkish interpretation of the media’s agency, and instrumentality,
which we suggest is made comprehensible through Values and Status Negotiation Theory (VSN).
entirely controlled by government, at others operating with few fetters—the laws and regulations surrounding the media have varied much less, suggesting the legal structure defining Turkish media
reflects in general terms the public’s view of its position and role in society. This is despite the fact that the media laws in Turkey have not been holistically forged, nor rigorously updated to accommodate technological change. What is suggested here is that the media’s status as a strategic circulator of ideas within social relations and as an ideological bellwether of public values, has been translated into the legal corpus, creating a uniquely Turkish interpretation of the media’s agency, and instrumentality,
which we suggest is made comprehensible through Values and Status Negotiation Theory (VSN).
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This paper is an attempt in interpreting the relationship between the adoption of new communications technologies such as the internet and how they are transformed and used in expression of a resisting cultural identity through content... more
This paper is an attempt in interpreting the relationship between the adoption of new communications technologies such as the internet and how they are transformed and used in expression of a resisting cultural identity through content creation, namely internet flash animation in Turkey. The study discusses the Turkish adaptation of media of communication as social practice and as a means of social resistance and cultural expression. Its main focus is on internet use and especially around the use of humorous
animated stories on the web.
animated stories on the web.
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Late in 2019 film studies lost two of its founding members that help define the field as a discipline with their work in the last 50 years. Thomas Elsaesser was one of the founding members of the editorial board of CINEJ Cinema Journal.... more
Late in 2019 film studies lost two of its founding members that help define the field as a discipline with their work in the last 50 years. Thomas Elsaesser was one of the founding members of the editorial board of CINEJ Cinema Journal. His contribution to the study of German Cinema, founding of Amsterdam School of Cultural Studies and training of countless PhD students in the field will be a long-lasting legacy for this giant figure of cinema and media studies. Peter Wollen will be remembered for his Signs and Meaning in the Cinema and as the father of structuralism in film studies. Along with his partner Laura Mulvey he will also be remembered as a pioneering experimental media producer.
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This paper is about two things. On the one hand it tries to observe some of the changes after the digital revolution, changes that had an impact on film festivals. The digital projection and acceptance of digital films to film festivals... more
This paper is about two things. On the one hand it tries to observe some of the changes after the digital revolution, changes that had an impact on film festivals. The digital projection and acceptance of digital films to film festivals have been achieved. Yet an aspect of this digitization is under attack. The film submissions through digital portals. The second aspect is often neglected and an under the other topic: short film festivals, especially for and by the young.
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The Western imagination that converts the tranquil Oriental space into a place of action knows no limits, as it also creates false geographies. In these films we see one example of how Western film productions create fake places so they... more
The Western imagination that converts the tranquil Oriental space into a place of action knows no limits, as it also creates false geographies. In these films we see one example of how Western film productions create fake places so they can be whatever they want.
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Akser looks at the establishing factors of the production mode in Turkish cinema from the perspective of finance, production regime, the role of the screenwriter, and presentation of stars. Focusing on the organization and production of... more
Akser looks at the establishing factors of the production mode in Turkish cinema from the perspective of finance, production regime, the role of the screenwriter, and presentation of stars. Focusing on the organization and production of the Turkish film industry, this chapter also draws attention to the change within Turkish cinema from an artisanal, local Asian aesthetic to its reemergence as a televisual western artifact of modernity. Akser later explores the use of traditional Turkish art forms in the creation of a film aesthetics within the production modes of the 1960s–1970s Turkish cinema. “Locating Turkish Cinema” concludes with a discussion of how the production modes, narrative forms, genres, and acting styles borrowed from Western cinema conform to Turkish traditional arts.
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This chapter provides an overview and analysis of the key periods, directors, feature films, and aesthetic styles in Turkish independent cinema. Without financial backing and with little public interest and an authoritarian censorship... more
This chapter provides an overview and analysis of the key periods, directors, feature films, and aesthetic styles in Turkish independent cinema. Without financial backing and with little public interest and an authoritarian censorship board – curtailing individualistic and political forms of expression – Turkish independent cinema developed, against all odds, in the 1960s. Since that time independent filmmaking has evolved as a result of different movements led by urban and well- educated directors. Yet, many of these cinematic movements never made it past their fringe existence, Because Turkey’s mainstream film industry has always relied on the commercial and entertainment aspects of film production. Consequently, these movements played a minor role in the country’s overall cinema history; nevertheless, their influence and importance with respect to inspiring new generations of filmmakers continues to this day.
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The management of Turkish film festivals is determined more by the politics around the festivals, which were heavily invested in by the municipal authorities as cultural showcases of successful city management. Indeed, political... more
The management of Turkish film festivals is determined more by the politics around the festivals, which were heavily invested in by the municipal authorities as cultural showcases of successful city management. Indeed, political decisions influence the management, jury selection and activities of Turkish film festivals so much that they may explode or implode during the terms of different successive mayors.
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Online distribution is playing an increasingly important role in Turkish Indie filmmaking practices. In the Turkish context, online distribution differs in its impact based on the format and genre of the fi lm in question. For... more
Online distribution is playing an increasingly important role in Turkish
Indie filmmaking practices. In the Turkish context, online distribution differs in its impact based on the format and genre of the fi lm in question.
For political/social documentaries, it is vital; for short films, it is the only
source. For Indie features, it is an arena for monetization and, finally, for
‘edgy’ series (like Phi-Fi , or Behzat C .) it is an escape from the legal restraints of broadcast television, where serials can be viewed without the binds ofcensorship.
Indie filmmaking practices. In the Turkish context, online distribution differs in its impact based on the format and genre of the fi lm in question.
For political/social documentaries, it is vital; for short films, it is the only
source. For Indie features, it is an arena for monetization and, finally, for
‘edgy’ series (like Phi-Fi , or Behzat C .) it is an escape from the legal restraints of broadcast television, where serials can be viewed without the binds ofcensorship.
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For every generation of film historians, there are new discourses and methods of film historiography regarding Turkish cinema. The methods, periodization, and discursive practices of Turkish film historiography have evolved.
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Drama is a broad category that covers a wide range of films. Drama in general and melodrama in particular are the prevailing genres in the history of cinema in Turkey. The films discussed in this category differ in their content and... more
Drama is a broad category that covers a wide range of films. Drama in general and melodrama in particular are the prevailing genres in the history of cinema in Turkey. The films discussed in this category differ in their content and styles as well as their modes of production and release dates; yet there are certain elements or concepts that bring these films together. These films not only indicate the characteristics of the body of work by a variety of film-makers, but also represent aspects of different cultural, social and political realities in Turkey.
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The term blockbuster came to be used for Turkish cinema on three different occasions.
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This chapter sets out to examine not only how media structures have de- veloped and what they actually mean but also why the structures themselves reflect sociocultural assemblages, in Turkey’s case, favouring a media that serves to... more
This chapter sets out to examine not only how media structures have de- veloped and what they actually mean but also why the structures themselves reflect sociocultural assemblages, in Turkey’s case, favouring a media that serves to protect dominant values—the family, the state, the nation and Islam—that is, a privileging of media as an expression of community col- laboration over individual rights and freedom of expression. To do so, we utilize the idea of status as it relates to values in the framework of Values and Status Negotiation theory, VSN, discussed in the section below (for a fuller elaboration, see Introduction in this volume). This is followed by a brief history of the media’s regulatory and legal frameworks not only as they project Turkish state values but also as they have redefined the range of accepted journalistic coverage as those values have been resignified through contestation and ideological repositioning. The final section looks at the role of the courts in the context of structuring media status, offering a case study of the triangular relationship between the executive, the judiciary and the communication sector.
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his book looks at the structural, economic and political reasons why the current media system fails urban educated young professionals in Turkey and led them to a month long resistance and protest through the use of social media during... more
his book looks at the structural, economic and political reasons why the current media system fails urban educated young professionals in Turkey and led them to a month long resistance and protest through the use of social media during OccupyGezi movement. The book outlines the history of alternative media use and the ways in which it has become a tool for the critics of the neoliberal economic system in Turkey. The collection concentrates on social media use within social movements and applies interdisciplinary approaches and research methods, ranging from cinema and visual arts to sociology, political science, content analysis and ethnographic study.
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The democratic rights claimed to be enshrined but curtailed under the AKP government’s repressive regime was counterbalanced by Redhack, a Turkish hacktivist group online. Through their diverse tactics such as resistance, revelation and... more
The democratic rights claimed to be enshrined but curtailed under the AKP government’s repressive regime was counterbalanced by Redhack, a Turkish hacktivist group online. Through their diverse tactics such as resistance, revelation and countering Redhack’s activity led to a digital transformation in Turkish politics. Redhack’s opposition is towards AKP’s neo-liberal patronage policies. The resistance took many forms: (1) defacing government websites that misuse public resources. (2) revelation to counter censorship against traditional media by the AKP government. By revealing documents related to AKP government’s corruption, Redhack led the way for traditional media to bring the issue to public scrutiny. The third tactic of taking direct action in the form of counter-attack came as a result of the Gezi Park Occupy Istanbul movement. Redhack actively used television to voice their agenda and called people to action. A networked discourse analysis that looks at mediation of playful tactics by hacktivists is a new transformative phase in how cyber security shifts from terrorism into information resistance, revelation and countering.
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The research literature on online dating has mostly concentrated on two strands of research: on who uses these services and why-how misrepresentation of self happens. The early assumptions of who were the shy people used online dating to... more
The research literature on online dating has mostly concentrated on two strands of research: on who uses these services and why-how misrepresentation of self happens. The early assumptions of who were the shy people used online dating to their advantage. Yet further studies revealed that more aggressive, and less shy people overly use these services.
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Mobile learning applications are widely used in various levels of education process. In developing and developed countries, educational institutions use tablets and personal computers for supporting learning processes. Mobile learning... more
Mobile learning applications are widely used in various levels of education process. In developing and developed countries, educational institutions use tablets and personal computers for supporting learning processes. Mobile learning practices are generally used for overcoming time-space constraints in traditional learning process. This study covers both lecturer’s and students’ tablet usages and achievements of tablet usage on Introduction to New Media Course in Kadir Has University undergraduate New Media program, including a comparison with traditional and online-blended lectures in previous yearsThanks to mobile course tablet application developed, students have been able to watch live broadcasts and video records of lectures, see lecture presentations and read e-materials submitted online, while they were able to submit their assignments, exams and response papers. Interaction between lecturer and students is improved by tablet application, lecture narrations were followed online and archived. Mobile application is integrated to Facebook for improving students’ social interactions with the course materials and lecturer which paves the way for social learning concept. A course which has already been complemented by social networks and another online education software was chosen for the study. With almost same syllabus that was used for two years before, comparative data about student and lecturer performances have been obtained. It is found out that average class success increased by %8 compared to previous years, mobilization and online interaction level increased, average time spent for class increased and 3G was used more than Wifi technologies during the semester that enables the mobility and allows time-space independency for the students.
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The School of Creative Arts & Technologies at Ulster University (Magee) has brought together the subject of computing with creative technologies, cinematic arts (film), drama, dance, music and design in terms of research and education. We... more
The School of Creative Arts & Technologies at Ulster University
(Magee) has brought together the subject of computing with creative technologies, cinematic arts (film), drama, dance, music and design in terms of research and education. We propose here the development of a flagship computer software platform, SceneMaker, acting as a digital laboratory workbench
for integrating and experimenting with the computerprocessing of new theories and methods in these multidisciplinary fields. We discuss the architecture of SceneMaker and relevant technologies for processing within its component modules. SceneMaker will enable the automated production of multimodal animated scenes from film and drama scripts or screenplays. SceneMaker will highlight affective or emotional content in digital storytelling with particular focus on character body posture, facial expressions, speech, non-speech audio, scene composition, timing, lighting, music and cinematography. Applications of SceneMaker include automated simulation of productions.
(Magee) has brought together the subject of computing with creative technologies, cinematic arts (film), drama, dance, music and design in terms of research and education. We propose here the development of a flagship computer software platform, SceneMaker, acting as a digital laboratory workbench
for integrating and experimenting with the computerprocessing of new theories and methods in these multidisciplinary fields. We discuss the architecture of SceneMaker and relevant technologies for processing within its component modules. SceneMaker will enable the automated production of multimodal animated scenes from film and drama scripts or screenplays. SceneMaker will highlight affective or emotional content in digital storytelling with particular focus on character body posture, facial expressions, speech, non-speech audio, scene composition, timing, lighting, music and cinematography. Applications of SceneMaker include automated simulation of productions.
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Eyvah Eyvah is a musical blockbuster using local town folklore in a colourful manner. Just like the other hit films by BKM, such as Vizontele, the festivity of the small town, the nostalgia and childlike innocence of the townsfolk are... more
Eyvah Eyvah is a musical blockbuster using local town folklore in a colourful manner. Just like the other hit films by BKM, such as Vizontele, the festivity of the small town, the nostalgia and childlike innocence of the townsfolk are ever-present.
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Eyvah Eyvah 2 begins right where the first film ends. The first film centres around the adventures of the naive peasant Hüseyin in the big city. In the sequel, Füruzan finds herself at the heart of the countryside in a remote village. The... more
Eyvah Eyvah 2 begins right where the first film ends. The first film centres around the adventures of the naive peasant Hüseyin in the big city. In the sequel, Füruzan finds herself at the heart of the countryside in a remote village. The nostalgia theme of the first film continues in the second.
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Recep Ivedik has been more than a blockbuster; it has turned into
a cultural phenomenon. The film was made for a small sum, less
than a million dollars, but grossed to be the greatest box-office
winner to date.
a cultural phenomenon. The film was made for a small sum, less
than a million dollars, but grossed to be the greatest box-office
winner to date.
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The sequel to the incredibly successful Recep Ivedik comes with a bigger budget and a more developed story. We get to see Recep (Sahan Gökbakar) in his own neighbourhood, where he is everybody’s best friend.
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Though Av Mevsimi also borrows from Seven in terms of characterization (wise investigator and the rookie cop), it is a masterpiece in its own right in terms of story, character development and visual style.
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Yahs¸i Batı is a daring parody by Ömer Faruk Sorak and Cem Yılmaz, the team which previously made GORA the sci-fi parody in 2004. The film is a proud statement about the mastery of cinematic technology in Turkish cinema.
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Vizontele is both a commercial and subtly political film about
today’s Turkey. It also proudly shows off the capabilities of new
Turkish cinema, as we see the images of the town and its people
through hovering skycams.
today’s Turkey. It also proudly shows off the capabilities of new
Turkish cinema, as we see the images of the town and its people
through hovering skycams.
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Vizontele Tubaa takes the audience back to the same nostalgic town of the first film, Vizontele. This time the politics are more visible, as right-wing Adalet Partisi (Justice Party) and left-wing Cumhuriyet Halk Partisi (Republican... more
Vizontele Tubaa takes the audience back to the same nostalgic
town of the first film, Vizontele. This time the politics are more
visible, as right-wing Adalet Partisi (Justice Party) and left-wing
Cumhuriyet Halk Partisi (Republican Party) fight (physically and
ideologically) over the nation’s future.
town of the first film, Vizontele. This time the politics are more
visible, as right-wing Adalet Partisi (Justice Party) and left-wing
Cumhuriyet Halk Partisi (Republican Party) fight (physically and
ideologically) over the nation’s future.
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GORA is a product of the new televisual production regime in Turkey. GORA represents the coming together of two products of television in Turkey: the technical excellence of the television infrastructure and the new, popular television... more
GORA is a product of the new televisual production regime in
Turkey. GORA represents the coming together of two products of
television in Turkey: the technical excellence of the television infrastructure and the new, popular television talent. The year 1999 was a turning point for cinema in Turkey as digital post-production facilities came in line with their American counterparts in terms of quality.
Turkey. GORA represents the coming together of two products of
television in Turkey: the technical excellence of the television infrastructure and the new, popular television talent. The year 1999 was a turning point for cinema in Turkey as digital post-production facilities came in line with their American counterparts in terms of quality.
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Rusya'dan Sevgilerle (1963) isimli James Bond filmlerinin İkincisi egzotik mekân olarak İstanbul'u seçeli elli yıl oluyor. Son zamanlara dek Hollywood'da Türkleri ve Türkiye'yi temsil eden 150'den fazla filmin çekilmiş olduğunu görüyoruz... more
Rusya'dan Sevgilerle (1963) isimli James Bond filmlerinin İkincisi egzotik mekân olarak İstanbul'u seçeli elli yıl oluyor. Son zamanlara dek Hollywood'da Türkleri ve Türkiye'yi temsil eden 150'den fazla filmin çekilmiş olduğunu görüyoruz (Scognamillo 2006). Batının demokrasi anlayışına altmış yılı aşkın süredir bağlı olmasının yanında, liberal pazar ekonomisini kurup çok partili sistemi işlev selleştirse de, Türkiye Hollywood'un hayalinde hâlâ Doğulu bir imge olarak yaşam ını sürdürüyor. Öyleyse Hollywood'a göre İstanbul kimin şehri? İstanbul'un imajını "Doğulu" kılan şey nedir? İstanbul bir yanıyla küreselleşmiş, diğer yanıyla oryantalist edebiyatta kayda değer, neredeyse sonsuz formda, yeniden hayat bulmuş bir şehir. Oryantalizm söyleminin kökenlerini Kahire, Şam, Bağdat ve Tahran gibi Doğu şehirlerinde bulabiliriz.
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Panaroma KHAS no27 Spring 2018
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Panorama KHAS No. 26, February 2018
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Panorama KHAS No. 25, November 2017
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Martin Scorsese
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Türk sineması lgbt eşcinsellik quir sinema ve temsili
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Dünya sinema ve kültür tarihinde yer eden en önemli roman ve film kahramanlarından biridir. James Bond. Soğuk savaş döneminin İngiliz ajanı üzerine yarı anı, yarı kurgu olarak yazılmış bir dizi romandan yola çıkan filmler dünya çapında... more
Dünya sinema ve kültür tarihinde yer eden en önemli roman ve film kahramanlarından biridir. James Bond. Soğuk savaş döneminin İngiliz ajanı üzerine yarı anı, yarı kurgu olarak yazılmış bir dizi romandan yola çıkan filmler dünya
çapında bir kültürel ikonun doğuşuna şahitlik etti.
çapında bir kültürel ikonun doğuşuna şahitlik etti.
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Dini sinema, 1970'1i yıllarda ahlaki değerlerin korunması üzerinden yapılan bir siyasal söylem sineması olarak ortaya çıkar. Başlangıçta marjinal konumunda sınırlı seyirciye hitap eden dini sinema 2000'li yıllara geldiğinde bir... more
Dini sinema, 1970'1i yıllarda ahlaki değerlerin korunması üzerinden yapılan bir siyasal söylem sineması olarak ortaya çıkar. Başlangıçta marjinal konumunda sınırlı seyirciye hitap eden dini sinema 2000'li yıllara geldiğinde bir cemaatin kitlesel kültürel ifadesine yarayan sinemasal anlatım biçimine evrilir.
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Kuzey irlanda’nin baskenti Belfast’ta Ulster University bünyesinde 2015’in mart ay›nda Sanat ve Tasar›m Festivali düzenlendi. Festivale grafik, mimari, animasyon, illüstrasyon, heykel ve performans sanati dallarinda dünyaca ünlü... more
Kuzey irlanda’nin baskenti Belfast’ta Ulster University bünyesinde 2015’in mart ay›nda Sanat ve Tasar›m Festivali düzenlendi. Festivale grafik, mimari, animasyon, illüstrasyon, heykel
ve performans sanati dallarinda dünyaca ünlü sanatçilar katildi. Belfast tam bir festivaller sehri:müzik, sinema ve di¤er sanat dallar›nda y›l boyunca festivaller var. Belfast’›n yak›n tarihinden gelen çatisma ve acilar da kentin dokusunda sanat ve yaflam›n performansla yogruldugu bir ortam yarat›yor.
ve performans sanati dallarinda dünyaca ünlü sanatçilar katildi. Belfast tam bir festivaller sehri:müzik, sinema ve di¤er sanat dallar›nda y›l boyunca festivaller var. Belfast’›n yak›n tarihinden gelen çatisma ve acilar da kentin dokusunda sanat ve yaflam›n performansla yogruldugu bir ortam yarat›yor.
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Türk sineması 100 yaşında
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2013 yılında ilk defa kültür başkenti uygulamasına başlayan İngiltere, tarihi ve sanatsal açıdan zirveye ulaşmış İrlanda ile İngiltere’nin ucunda bir kenti seçti: Derry.
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Yılın başında ve yılın en son ayında birbiri ardına gelen sinemasal başarılarla 2013 seyirciyi tekrar sinemalara çekti ve keyifli anlar yaşattı.
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Sinema sanatının kurucu ustalarından Akira Kurosawa’nın doğumunun 100. yılı sessiz sakin geçip gitti. Bu yıl, Kurosawa uzmanı Donald Richie’nin de vefatı anısına Kurosawa’nın sinemasındaki temel tematik ve estetik kaygıları bir yazıda... more
Sinema sanatının kurucu ustalarından Akira Kurosawa’nın doğumunun 100. yılı sessiz sakin geçip gitti. Bu yıl, Kurosawa uzmanı Donald Richie’nin de vefatı anısına Kurosawa’nın sinemasındaki temel tematik ve estetik kaygıları bir yazıda toplamak istedim.
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This volume covers approaches concerning the relationship between innovation in cinema and the politics of filmmaking in new cinema practices in Turkey. The contributors focus on historiography, genres, mainstream and art cinema... more
This volume covers approaches concerning the relationship between innovation in cinema and the politics of filmmaking in new cinema practices in Turkey. The contributors focus on historiography, genres, mainstream and art cinema production, and transnational cinema, as well as changing narratives and identities. The new cinema movement in Turkey is here analysed from perspectives of new technologies, new production and distribution structures, the impact of film training, the televisual industry, new actors in commercial and art cinema, as well as the impact of the film festival circuit. Additionally, recurring themes of memory, trauma, and identity are dealt with from multidisciplinary angles. The volume covers in depth analyses of the internationally renowned filmmakers Nuri Bilge Ceylan, Fatih Akın, Semih Kaplanoğlu, Reha Erdem, Zeki Demirkubuz, Yeşim Ustaoğlu and Derviş Zaim. A timely study on the centenary of Turkish cinema in 2014, students of Middle Eastern Studies, Film Studies, Cultural Studies, Urban Studies, Gender Studies, and Identity Studies will find this volume extremely relevant to their work.
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Giriş, "Başka İstanbul Yok mu?", s. 11-15 Kent, onu meydana getiren plan ve hesapların, eski ve yeni mimari yapıların, yasa ve geleneklerin, rastlantılarla örülü tarihsel birikiminin bir sonucudur. O aynı zamanda, şimdinin uzamında... more
Giriş, "Başka İstanbul Yok mu?", s. 11-15
Kent, onu meydana getiren plan ve hesapların, eski ve yeni mimari yapıların, yasa ve geleneklerin, rastlantılarla örülü tarihsel birikiminin bir sonucudur. O aynı zamanda, şimdinin uzamında koşuşturan veya artık var olmayan insanların, yok olup gitmiş ya da artık başka bir şeye dönüşmüş canlı ya da cansız bin bir çeşit nesnenin de bileşkesidir. Her türlü öykü, söylen, olasılık ve kavram, kentten hayat bulan ve yine onu sarıp sarmalayan, işaretleri kentin izleri arasında yitmiş insan imgesi hesaba katılmadan, belirgin ve anlamlı bir varlık edinemez.
Vittorio de Sica Bisiklet Hırsızları (Ladri di biciclette, 1948) filminde savaş fırtınaları dindikten sonra, tarihin “bütün yolları çıkardığı Roma”ya bakar. Kent, tıpkı Roma Açık Şehir’deki (Roma, città aperta, 1945) gibi, ateş çemberlerinden geçip tazelenmiş “insani değerlerle” yeniden kurulmaktadır. Bu değerler her zaman iyi ve doğrunun hizmet ettiği amaçlarla değil, aynı zamanda karanlık niyetlerin, kötülüğün hayatta kalma içgüdüsüyle aklanabildiği değerlerdir. Filme set olarak hizmet eden kent normalleşme yoluna girmiş, yaşayan ve bir o kadar da değişken bir “organizmadır”. Kente bakış, onu bize savaş sonrasının alelacele yapılmış makyajı ile sunmaz.
Tersine en kasvetli ve uğursuz arka sokaklarında bile yeşeren ve umudunu sonuna kadar koruyan sıradan insanın arayışına odaklanır. Savaşın tüm akıldışılığı ile insani değerleri yeraltına iten öğütücü hâkimiyeti henüz dinmekte, insan yavaş yavaş gündelik yaşamına ve küçük evreninde cereyan eden trajedilerine dönmektedir. Kent, seyirlik bir metafora dönüşerek bu geçişe sessizce eşlik etmektedir. Kurosawa benzer bir vurguyu, Kuduz Köpek’te (Nora Inu, 1949) yapar. Bu defa masalsı anlatılardaki benzerleri gibi yolculuğun sonsuz çevrimini mümkün kılan “kayıp nesne” bir bisiklet değildir. Savaş sonrasının canlanıp hayata tutunmaya başlayan Tokyo’sunda, filmin başkahramanı olan polisin film boyunca arayıp bir türlü bulamadığı kendi silahıdır. Her iki filmde de kahramanlar çoğunlukla yürüyerek kenti dolaşır ve bizim için kentin insanı, insanın da kenti yeniden inşa edişine her aşamasında kılavuzluk ederler.
Savaşın kentler üzerindeki bu yıpratıcı ve dönüştürücü etkisinden uzak kalan İstanbul’da ise 1950’li ve 1960’lı yıllarda başka bir hareketliliğe tanık oluruz. İstanbul artan büyük bir ivmeyle kırsal bölgelerden kentlere göçün yaşandığı günlerde, Anadolu’nun her köşesinden, kendi payına düşen fırsatları gidip bulmak için yollara düşenlerin ilk durağı haline gelmiştir. Yönetmen Halit Refiğ’in 1964’te çektiği Gurbet Kuşları bu dönemleri anlatan pek çok filmin özelliklerini bir araya getiren önemli bir örnektir. Orhan Kemal’in 1962 tarihli aynı adlı romanından uyarlanan film, “taşı toprağı altın” kentin büyüsüne kapılmış insanları ve onların sıradan yaşamlarındaki hızlı ve çoğunlukla kötüye giden değişimlerini gerçekçi bir anlatıyla sunar. İstanbul, karşı konulmaz bir çekim merkezi olarak, pek çoğu açıkça trajik bir sona doğru giden öykülere ev sahipliği yapmaktadır. Yüzeyde, insanların kente ve onun kültürel değerler sistemine uyumlanma sorunu gibi duran bu öykülerin özünde sınıfsal gerilimler örtük fakat güçlü bir dille gözler önüne serilmektedir. Kentin bu yeni sakinleri kentte meraklı bir açlıkla dolaşırlar; onu ve sunduğu fırsatları tanımak, çalışıp kazanarak kentin bir parçası olunabileceğine inanmak, onlar için bu büyük yaratık tarafından yenilip yutulmadan ona tutunabilmek için gerekli tek yol gibidir. Fakat zaman, yekpare ve biricik imgesiyle İstanbul’un çekimine uzak diyarlardan kapılıp gelen, kenti dolaşıp tanımaya başlayanlara onun başka yüzlerini de gösterecektir: Köhne ve karanlık sırlarını insanlara sunup onları bu çarka katılmaya zorlayan, masum sevinçler, yaşam coşkuları ve başka bir insan olabilme hayallerini sömürüp tüketen bir sürü İstanbul ile yüzleşmek, kentin bu yeni sakinlerini hızla açmazlara sürükleyecektir.
Başka İstanbul Yok!
“Başka İstanbul yok!” sözü, muhtemelen kentteki bu yeni arayış ve karşılaşmalar sırasında yaygınlaşan ve sonraki yıllarda asıl anlamını edinen, döneme dair bir içerik özeti olarak karşımıza çıkıyor. Söz, çoğunlukla kent yaşamına ayak uydurmaya çalışan fakat henüz tam olarak terk edemediği yaşama biçimlerinin düşünce ve davranışlarını sergileyen yeni İstanbulluları, örneğin kaldırımlarda dikilip yüksek binaları seyre dalanları, vapurlarda yatıp uyuyanları, Taksim’in orta yerinde çıkınını açıp karnını doyuranları, kente “yeniler”den belki birkaç sene önce gelmiş olan hemşerileri gerçek “İstanbullu” gibi düşünmeye ve davranmaya “kibarca” davet ediyordu. Bu üç sözcükten oluşan uyarı, sakin bir öfke barındıran tonu ile sözü söyleyen kişinin daha eski bir “İstanbullu” olduğu anlamını ve bir dizi alaycı imayı da birlikte içeriyordu. Artık kır-kent karşıtlığının, kentlerin yapısında meydana gelen değişimler nedeniyle de anımsanmadığı şu günlerde pek duyulmayan bu söz, elbette bir nasihat niteliği de taşıyordu: “Başka İstanbul yok!”
Son zamanlarda gündelik yaşamda ağırlığını kaybeden ve duyulmayan bu söz artık, İstanbul’a sonradan gelen ve hızla İstanbullu olan yeni sakinleri aynı zamanda kenti kendilerine benzettiği için mi duyulmuyor? Yoksa İstanbul kentin sakinlerince defalarca yeniden üretilme özgürlüğü edindiği için bir “teklik” olmaktan mı çıktı? Ya da hızlı ve düzensiz bir büyüme ile etki ve temas olarak birbirinden uzaklaşmış parçalara bölündüğü için mi duyulmuyor bu söz? Belki de herkes, kendi yaşadığı kent parçasının “İstanbullu”su olduğu için diğer olasılıklar ona artık şaşırtıcı, tuhaf gelmiyor. Bir yandan farklı pek çok kültürel kimlik ve yaşama biçimi üzeri zorla örtülmüş ya da iradi olarak gizlenmeyi seçmiş, öyle gibi görünen, bildik değer ve davranış kategorileri halinde bir arada yaşamını sürdürürken, bizim için kentin tek bir boyutunun, onun aynı cepheden görünen ve herkes için aynı anlamları ifade eden tek bir yüzünün olduğunu söylemek zaten hiçbir zaman mümkün olmadı. Bu düşünce ikna edici olmadığı gibi, kentlerin yükselişinin çoksesli, çokkültürlü dönüşümünün geri dönüşsüz olduğuna dair güçlü işaretlere de sahibiz.
Michel de Certeau kentin insan tarafından yürüyerek inşa edilişini, dilin konuşmayla mümkün olan kuruluşuna benzetirken, kentin asli dokusunu işleyen bu kuruluşun tıpkı dil gibi sonsuz bir uzama dağıldığını, kenti alımlayan her bir insan kadar kategoriye bölünebildiğini ima ediyordu. Tıpkı gramer kitaplarının üstlendiği ve asla var olmayan “mükemmel dil” tarifinin, dilin olasılıklarını ve sonsuz zenginliğiyle pratiğin seçeneklerini gösteremeyişi gibi, kentin formel kurucularının hesaba katmadığı her türden dinamiğin hayat bulması, kentin asıl kültürel, fakat aynı zamanda siyasal kurucu aktörüne dönüşmesi, görmezden gelinse de engellenemez bir gerçeğe işaret ediyor: İnsan, Vygotsky’nin bir yerde, her bir sözcüğe atfettiği vurguyla, sözcüğün köklü tarihsel evriminde katettiği aşamalar da hesaba katıldığında onu “bir sanat eseri” kadar kıymetli ve vazgeçilmez kılması gibi, enerjisini öykünün tümlüğüne nakşeden ve yokluğu bütün anlatıyı baştan aşağı değiştiren o sıradan, tek bir sözcük gibidir.
Kenti, onunla didişerek inşa ettiği yaşam alanları dolayısıyla sahiplenen ve koruyanlar, iştahı kabarmış finans kapitalin icra araçlarıyla, eşitsiz, gerilimli güç ve denge pratiklerinde karşı karşıya gelmektedir. Kamusal denetimin gözden kaçırdığı kent alanları, insani zenginliğin üretildiği birer kendini ifade edebilme araçları bolluğu sunmaktadır. Çünkü kent sakinleri, eskimiş ve ancak karşıtlarının varlığıyla bir yaşama ideali edinen demokrasi teorilerinin açıklayamayacağı bir çeşitlilik ve konuşma arzusuna sahiptir. Geleneksel medya ve devlet araçları, insanların bu konuşkan bir toplum ve dünya yaratma çabalarına bir ortam sunamamakta, kentte formel alanlar, onu biçimlendiren araçsal aklın yeniden ürettiği mekânlara dönüşmektedir.
İstanbul’u bu inisiyatifle yazmak, onun turist rehberleri ya da kitle iletişim araçlarıyla sunulan merkez kentinkinden daha başka suretlerde görünen ve yaşayan İstanbullarını tasvir edebilmek, başka bir dille söylemek gerekirse başka İstanbullara temas edebilmek demektir. Elbette her kent için geçerli olan bu çerçeve, kenti kendi duyarlılıklarıyla yaşayan her bir sakinin ona kattığı yaşam zenginliğiyle, her gün yeniden çizilmektedir. Bu çerçeve, “Bu kent kimin?” sorusunu adına taşıyan kitabın biçimselliğini de yönlendiren bir dizi sorunsalın ve onları birer araştırma alanına dönüştüren soru başlıklarının doğuşuna da aracılık etmiştir. Bu zemin, pek çok farklı disiplinden gelen akademisyenin de aynı soruyu başka biçimlerde sorabilmelerini mümkün kılmaktadır: “İstanbul kimin?” sorusu, İstanbul’u çokdisiplinli perspektifler yardımıyla inceleyebilme gerekliliği, farklı alanlardan pek çok araştırmacının bir araya gelmelerini bu nedenle zorunlu kılmıştır. Çünkü artık kent, kendisini yalnızca idari, mühendislik ya da demografik ölçütleriyle irdeleyen araştırmaların veya tek bir çalışma alanının sınırlayıcılığıyla ele alan yaklaşımlardan daha fazlasına ihtiyaç duymaktadır. Antropoloji, sosyoloji, iletişim bilimleri, sanat ve mimari, vd. pek çok farklı alan ve disiplinden araştırmacının bir araya gelmesi, kenti birlikte düşünmelerini, böylelikle özgün ve dikkat çekici yeni düşünme ve tartışma yöntem ve biçimlerini meydana getirmelerini olanaklı kılan bir zemine aracılık etmektedir.
Kent, onu meydana getiren plan ve hesapların, eski ve yeni mimari yapıların, yasa ve geleneklerin, rastlantılarla örülü tarihsel birikiminin bir sonucudur. O aynı zamanda, şimdinin uzamında koşuşturan veya artık var olmayan insanların, yok olup gitmiş ya da artık başka bir şeye dönüşmüş canlı ya da cansız bin bir çeşit nesnenin de bileşkesidir. Her türlü öykü, söylen, olasılık ve kavram, kentten hayat bulan ve yine onu sarıp sarmalayan, işaretleri kentin izleri arasında yitmiş insan imgesi hesaba katılmadan, belirgin ve anlamlı bir varlık edinemez.
Vittorio de Sica Bisiklet Hırsızları (Ladri di biciclette, 1948) filminde savaş fırtınaları dindikten sonra, tarihin “bütün yolları çıkardığı Roma”ya bakar. Kent, tıpkı Roma Açık Şehir’deki (Roma, città aperta, 1945) gibi, ateş çemberlerinden geçip tazelenmiş “insani değerlerle” yeniden kurulmaktadır. Bu değerler her zaman iyi ve doğrunun hizmet ettiği amaçlarla değil, aynı zamanda karanlık niyetlerin, kötülüğün hayatta kalma içgüdüsüyle aklanabildiği değerlerdir. Filme set olarak hizmet eden kent normalleşme yoluna girmiş, yaşayan ve bir o kadar da değişken bir “organizmadır”. Kente bakış, onu bize savaş sonrasının alelacele yapılmış makyajı ile sunmaz.
Tersine en kasvetli ve uğursuz arka sokaklarında bile yeşeren ve umudunu sonuna kadar koruyan sıradan insanın arayışına odaklanır. Savaşın tüm akıldışılığı ile insani değerleri yeraltına iten öğütücü hâkimiyeti henüz dinmekte, insan yavaş yavaş gündelik yaşamına ve küçük evreninde cereyan eden trajedilerine dönmektedir. Kent, seyirlik bir metafora dönüşerek bu geçişe sessizce eşlik etmektedir. Kurosawa benzer bir vurguyu, Kuduz Köpek’te (Nora Inu, 1949) yapar. Bu defa masalsı anlatılardaki benzerleri gibi yolculuğun sonsuz çevrimini mümkün kılan “kayıp nesne” bir bisiklet değildir. Savaş sonrasının canlanıp hayata tutunmaya başlayan Tokyo’sunda, filmin başkahramanı olan polisin film boyunca arayıp bir türlü bulamadığı kendi silahıdır. Her iki filmde de kahramanlar çoğunlukla yürüyerek kenti dolaşır ve bizim için kentin insanı, insanın da kenti yeniden inşa edişine her aşamasında kılavuzluk ederler.
Savaşın kentler üzerindeki bu yıpratıcı ve dönüştürücü etkisinden uzak kalan İstanbul’da ise 1950’li ve 1960’lı yıllarda başka bir hareketliliğe tanık oluruz. İstanbul artan büyük bir ivmeyle kırsal bölgelerden kentlere göçün yaşandığı günlerde, Anadolu’nun her köşesinden, kendi payına düşen fırsatları gidip bulmak için yollara düşenlerin ilk durağı haline gelmiştir. Yönetmen Halit Refiğ’in 1964’te çektiği Gurbet Kuşları bu dönemleri anlatan pek çok filmin özelliklerini bir araya getiren önemli bir örnektir. Orhan Kemal’in 1962 tarihli aynı adlı romanından uyarlanan film, “taşı toprağı altın” kentin büyüsüne kapılmış insanları ve onların sıradan yaşamlarındaki hızlı ve çoğunlukla kötüye giden değişimlerini gerçekçi bir anlatıyla sunar. İstanbul, karşı konulmaz bir çekim merkezi olarak, pek çoğu açıkça trajik bir sona doğru giden öykülere ev sahipliği yapmaktadır. Yüzeyde, insanların kente ve onun kültürel değerler sistemine uyumlanma sorunu gibi duran bu öykülerin özünde sınıfsal gerilimler örtük fakat güçlü bir dille gözler önüne serilmektedir. Kentin bu yeni sakinleri kentte meraklı bir açlıkla dolaşırlar; onu ve sunduğu fırsatları tanımak, çalışıp kazanarak kentin bir parçası olunabileceğine inanmak, onlar için bu büyük yaratık tarafından yenilip yutulmadan ona tutunabilmek için gerekli tek yol gibidir. Fakat zaman, yekpare ve biricik imgesiyle İstanbul’un çekimine uzak diyarlardan kapılıp gelen, kenti dolaşıp tanımaya başlayanlara onun başka yüzlerini de gösterecektir: Köhne ve karanlık sırlarını insanlara sunup onları bu çarka katılmaya zorlayan, masum sevinçler, yaşam coşkuları ve başka bir insan olabilme hayallerini sömürüp tüketen bir sürü İstanbul ile yüzleşmek, kentin bu yeni sakinlerini hızla açmazlara sürükleyecektir.
Başka İstanbul Yok!
“Başka İstanbul yok!” sözü, muhtemelen kentteki bu yeni arayış ve karşılaşmalar sırasında yaygınlaşan ve sonraki yıllarda asıl anlamını edinen, döneme dair bir içerik özeti olarak karşımıza çıkıyor. Söz, çoğunlukla kent yaşamına ayak uydurmaya çalışan fakat henüz tam olarak terk edemediği yaşama biçimlerinin düşünce ve davranışlarını sergileyen yeni İstanbulluları, örneğin kaldırımlarda dikilip yüksek binaları seyre dalanları, vapurlarda yatıp uyuyanları, Taksim’in orta yerinde çıkınını açıp karnını doyuranları, kente “yeniler”den belki birkaç sene önce gelmiş olan hemşerileri gerçek “İstanbullu” gibi düşünmeye ve davranmaya “kibarca” davet ediyordu. Bu üç sözcükten oluşan uyarı, sakin bir öfke barındıran tonu ile sözü söyleyen kişinin daha eski bir “İstanbullu” olduğu anlamını ve bir dizi alaycı imayı da birlikte içeriyordu. Artık kır-kent karşıtlığının, kentlerin yapısında meydana gelen değişimler nedeniyle de anımsanmadığı şu günlerde pek duyulmayan bu söz, elbette bir nasihat niteliği de taşıyordu: “Başka İstanbul yok!”
Son zamanlarda gündelik yaşamda ağırlığını kaybeden ve duyulmayan bu söz artık, İstanbul’a sonradan gelen ve hızla İstanbullu olan yeni sakinleri aynı zamanda kenti kendilerine benzettiği için mi duyulmuyor? Yoksa İstanbul kentin sakinlerince defalarca yeniden üretilme özgürlüğü edindiği için bir “teklik” olmaktan mı çıktı? Ya da hızlı ve düzensiz bir büyüme ile etki ve temas olarak birbirinden uzaklaşmış parçalara bölündüğü için mi duyulmuyor bu söz? Belki de herkes, kendi yaşadığı kent parçasının “İstanbullu”su olduğu için diğer olasılıklar ona artık şaşırtıcı, tuhaf gelmiyor. Bir yandan farklı pek çok kültürel kimlik ve yaşama biçimi üzeri zorla örtülmüş ya da iradi olarak gizlenmeyi seçmiş, öyle gibi görünen, bildik değer ve davranış kategorileri halinde bir arada yaşamını sürdürürken, bizim için kentin tek bir boyutunun, onun aynı cepheden görünen ve herkes için aynı anlamları ifade eden tek bir yüzünün olduğunu söylemek zaten hiçbir zaman mümkün olmadı. Bu düşünce ikna edici olmadığı gibi, kentlerin yükselişinin çoksesli, çokkültürlü dönüşümünün geri dönüşsüz olduğuna dair güçlü işaretlere de sahibiz.
Michel de Certeau kentin insan tarafından yürüyerek inşa edilişini, dilin konuşmayla mümkün olan kuruluşuna benzetirken, kentin asli dokusunu işleyen bu kuruluşun tıpkı dil gibi sonsuz bir uzama dağıldığını, kenti alımlayan her bir insan kadar kategoriye bölünebildiğini ima ediyordu. Tıpkı gramer kitaplarının üstlendiği ve asla var olmayan “mükemmel dil” tarifinin, dilin olasılıklarını ve sonsuz zenginliğiyle pratiğin seçeneklerini gösteremeyişi gibi, kentin formel kurucularının hesaba katmadığı her türden dinamiğin hayat bulması, kentin asıl kültürel, fakat aynı zamanda siyasal kurucu aktörüne dönüşmesi, görmezden gelinse de engellenemez bir gerçeğe işaret ediyor: İnsan, Vygotsky’nin bir yerde, her bir sözcüğe atfettiği vurguyla, sözcüğün köklü tarihsel evriminde katettiği aşamalar da hesaba katıldığında onu “bir sanat eseri” kadar kıymetli ve vazgeçilmez kılması gibi, enerjisini öykünün tümlüğüne nakşeden ve yokluğu bütün anlatıyı baştan aşağı değiştiren o sıradan, tek bir sözcük gibidir.
Kenti, onunla didişerek inşa ettiği yaşam alanları dolayısıyla sahiplenen ve koruyanlar, iştahı kabarmış finans kapitalin icra araçlarıyla, eşitsiz, gerilimli güç ve denge pratiklerinde karşı karşıya gelmektedir. Kamusal denetimin gözden kaçırdığı kent alanları, insani zenginliğin üretildiği birer kendini ifade edebilme araçları bolluğu sunmaktadır. Çünkü kent sakinleri, eskimiş ve ancak karşıtlarının varlığıyla bir yaşama ideali edinen demokrasi teorilerinin açıklayamayacağı bir çeşitlilik ve konuşma arzusuna sahiptir. Geleneksel medya ve devlet araçları, insanların bu konuşkan bir toplum ve dünya yaratma çabalarına bir ortam sunamamakta, kentte formel alanlar, onu biçimlendiren araçsal aklın yeniden ürettiği mekânlara dönüşmektedir.
İstanbul’u bu inisiyatifle yazmak, onun turist rehberleri ya da kitle iletişim araçlarıyla sunulan merkez kentinkinden daha başka suretlerde görünen ve yaşayan İstanbullarını tasvir edebilmek, başka bir dille söylemek gerekirse başka İstanbullara temas edebilmek demektir. Elbette her kent için geçerli olan bu çerçeve, kenti kendi duyarlılıklarıyla yaşayan her bir sakinin ona kattığı yaşam zenginliğiyle, her gün yeniden çizilmektedir. Bu çerçeve, “Bu kent kimin?” sorusunu adına taşıyan kitabın biçimselliğini de yönlendiren bir dizi sorunsalın ve onları birer araştırma alanına dönüştüren soru başlıklarının doğuşuna da aracılık etmiştir. Bu zemin, pek çok farklı disiplinden gelen akademisyenin de aynı soruyu başka biçimlerde sorabilmelerini mümkün kılmaktadır: “İstanbul kimin?” sorusu, İstanbul’u çokdisiplinli perspektifler yardımıyla inceleyebilme gerekliliği, farklı alanlardan pek çok araştırmacının bir araya gelmelerini bu nedenle zorunlu kılmıştır. Çünkü artık kent, kendisini yalnızca idari, mühendislik ya da demografik ölçütleriyle irdeleyen araştırmaların veya tek bir çalışma alanının sınırlayıcılığıyla ele alan yaklaşımlardan daha fazlasına ihtiyaç duymaktadır. Antropoloji, sosyoloji, iletişim bilimleri, sanat ve mimari, vd. pek çok farklı alan ve disiplinden araştırmacının bir araya gelmesi, kenti birlikte düşünmelerini, böylelikle özgün ve dikkat çekici yeni düşünme ve tartışma yöntem ve biçimlerini meydana getirmelerini olanaklı kılan bir zemine aracılık etmektedir.
This study shows the shift in meaning generation across time in Turkish cinema by comparing genre films of the 1960s of the Green Pine (Yesilcam) cinema and parody films of the new televisual production regime in Turkish cinema of the... more
This study shows the shift in meaning generation across time in Turkish cinema by comparing genre films of the 1960s of the Green Pine (Yesilcam) cinema and parody films of the new televisual production regime in Turkish cinema of the 2000s. At the intertextual level, popular ...
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Nowadays, cinema schools from all over the world have to cope with the disappearance of film, which has been the medium on which cinematographic pictures are etched. Now schools have to adapt themselves to digital technologies, the new... more
Nowadays, cinema schools from all over the world have to cope with the disappearance of film, which has been the medium on which cinematographic pictures are etched. Now schools have to adapt themselves to digital technologies, the new medium making its way to the big screen. This change implies an important reshaping of the way of working with pictures, and subsequently of the way the profession is taught.
Research Interests: Digital Humanities, Film Studies, Digital Media, Pedagogy, Cinema, and 3 moreFilm, Films, and Film Education
Held in October 2013, ‘Istanbul Conversations’ was the first public event organised by the Social Science Research Council’s Transregional Virtual Research Initiative (TVRI) on media, activism, and the new political. The TVRI brings... more
Held in October 2013, ‘Istanbul Conversations’ was the first public event organised by the Social Science Research Council’s Transregional Virtual Research Initiative (TVRI) on media, activism, and the new political. The TVRI brings together scholars from a range of disciplines and world regions to examine the interrelationship of media and politics within and across ‘InterAsia’, a spatially and historically networked expanse stretching from the Middle East through East Asia.
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Upon receiving best director award at Cannes Festival for his Üç Maymun (Three Monkeys) in 2008, a somber Nuri Bilge Ceylan dedicated the award to his “lonely and beautiful country.” Since then, Ceylan went on to win Palme d’Or for his... more
Upon receiving best director award at Cannes Festival for his Üç Maymun (Three Monkeys) in 2008, a somber Nuri Bilge Ceylan dedicated the award to his “lonely and beautiful country.” Since then, Ceylan went on to win Palme d’Or for his Kış Uykusu (Winter Sleep) in 2014, becoming the first
Turkish film director do so. (In 1982, Yılmaz Güney’s Yol had shared this award with Costa-Gavras’s Missing.)
Turkish film director do so. (In 1982, Yılmaz Güney’s Yol had shared this award with Costa-Gavras’s Missing.)
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Stefania Milan’s book is about the interaction between social movements and how they use media technologies. Her main premise is that communication technologies are instrumental in giving social movements a voice, and that beyond this,... more
Stefania Milan’s book is about the interaction between social movements and how they use media technologies. Her main premise is that communication technologies are instrumental in giving social movements a voice, and that beyond this, they are part of the impact of the social movements and they affect the way these movements operate. She calls the real life use of media in social movement activism “Emancipatory Communication Practices,” which she treats as a function of technological development that in return changes the political culture
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Research Interests:
Ozlem Koksal’s book focuses on the representation of minorities in Turkish cinema from a transnational perspective. The book examines recent filmic explorations of the three large minorities that disappeared from Turkey after World War I... more
Ozlem Koksal’s book focuses on the representation of minorities in Turkish cinema from a transnational perspective. The book examines recent filmic explorations of the three large minorities that disappeared from Turkey after World War I and with the establishment of Turkish Republic in the 1920s: the Greek, Jewish and Armenian minorities. The book also looks at films that depict a Muslim ethnic minority community, the Kurds, who were suppressed until the 1990s and found
their cinematic representation in post-1990 cinema in Turkey. Koksal calls for the definition of a new ‘aesthetics of displacement’ through the selection of post-1990 transnational films on Turkish minorities that focus on remembering the moves from the home of the past to the home of the
present.
their cinematic representation in post-1990 cinema in Turkey. Koksal calls for the definition of a new ‘aesthetics of displacement’ through the selection of post-1990 transnational films on Turkish minorities that focus on remembering the moves from the home of the past to the home of the
present.
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Attacks by Turkish hackers on sites criticizing Islam and Turkey have been common since 9/11. This paper aims to identify and classify the thematic concerns of the kind of attacks by these hackers. The hackers work in groups in their... more
Attacks by Turkish hackers on sites criticizing Islam and Turkey have been common since 9/11. This paper aims to identify and classify the thematic concerns of the kind of attacks by these hackers. The hackers work in groups in their defacing i.e. changing the appearance of the site. They have patriot names like Ayyıldız team or Bozkurts. Their actions have been so far ignited by Turkish-Greek relations, on the news of Turkish soldiers’ deaths, Mavi Marmara Incident to Danish caricature crisis. The damage they do is not financial but for their universal message of brotherhood. Hence, a new definition of cyber terror, that of aktivist discursive hacking is needed to identify the concerns of these attacks.
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short film, directing, screnwriting
Research Interests: Film Studies and Cinema
Screenwriting module
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National and transnational contexts of contemporary cinema as well as historical practices of film production and criticism across these contexts. Discussion of these frameworks alongside other related concepts: genre, industry economics,... more
National and transnational contexts of contemporary cinema as well as
historical practices of film production and criticism across these contexts. Discussion of these frameworks alongside other related concepts: genre, industry economics, cross-cultural remakes, festival culture, globalization, media regulation, nationalism, and reception. This module addresses national and transnational contexts of contemporary cinema as well as historical practices of film production and criticism across these contexts. These frameworks will be discussed alongside other related concepts: genre, industry economics, cross-cultural remakes, festival culture, globalization, media regulation, nationalism, and reception.
historical practices of film production and criticism across these contexts. Discussion of these frameworks alongside other related concepts: genre, industry economics, cross-cultural remakes, festival culture, globalization, media regulation, nationalism, and reception. This module addresses national and transnational contexts of contemporary cinema as well as historical practices of film production and criticism across these contexts. These frameworks will be discussed alongside other related concepts: genre, industry economics, cross-cultural remakes, festival culture, globalization, media regulation, nationalism, and reception.
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This module encourages an in-depth exploration of independent cinema around the world, film festivals and their impact on development of independent cinema and independent filmmaking in Irish and UK contexts. Students will consider how... more
This module encourages an in-depth exploration of independent cinema around the world, film festivals and their impact on development of independent cinema and independent filmmaking in Irish and UK contexts. Students will consider how independent filmmaking works in terms of development, financing, cultural policy and film festival circles. Students will be provided with the necessary skills and techniques for successfully writing, film policy papers and film festival reports.
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This seminar examines the social, political, and technological dynamics of contemporary media. The seminar will outline the history and theory of new media from cultural and political perspectives and investigate how new media frame our... more
This seminar examines the social, political, and technological dynamics of contemporary media. The seminar will outline the history and theory of new media from cultural and political perspectives and investigate how new media frame our experience of the world and shape our political involvement (covering issues related to participatory politics, public sphere, censorship and governments) in it, and how new media intersect with individuals sense of identity and involvement in culture.
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The mass media are institutions and technologies whose business is the communication of symbols, stories, and information. In this class we will examine such culture industries as the internet, radio, television, movies, newspapers,... more
The mass media are institutions and technologies whose business is the communication of symbols, stories, and information. In this class we will examine such culture industries as the internet, radio, television, movies, newspapers, advertising, and public relations, as well as larger issues such as globalization. The media touch our lives in intimate ways, in our tastes, pleasures, and dreams; they also
wield significant political, economic, and social power. Because they are so pervasive, media are often invisible. This class aims to be a citizen's guide to the mass media and thereby to explore some key questions today. Since the media constantly impose
themselves on people it is advantageous to know more about them: their functions, responsibilities, purpose and economic structure. The course will provide a basic knowledge of the communication system, the uses of media, and means of objectively evaluating media performance in light of media problems, promises and potential.
wield significant political, economic, and social power. Because they are so pervasive, media are often invisible. This class aims to be a citizen's guide to the mass media and thereby to explore some key questions today. Since the media constantly impose
themselves on people it is advantageous to know more about them: their functions, responsibilities, purpose and economic structure. The course will provide a basic knowledge of the communication system, the uses of media, and means of objectively evaluating media performance in light of media problems, promises and potential.
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This course aims to introduce the students to the art, craft and technique of filmmaking. Students are expected to learn basic principles of filmic design, four foundational elements of film style (mise-en-scene, cinematography, editing,... more
This course aims to introduce the students to the art, craft and technique of filmmaking. Students are expected to learn basic principles of filmic design, four foundational elements of film style (mise-en-scene, cinematography, editing, sound), tools of camera and editing and be able to visualize a basic story idea.
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This is a course that introduces students to the methods of historical research in innovation of media technology. The theories of media innovation and development will be critically approached. Students are also required to analyze and... more
This is a course that introduces students to the methods of historical research in innovation of media technology. The theories of media innovation and development will be critically
approached. Students are also required to analyze and invent new media forms as a term project.
approached. Students are also required to analyze and invent new media forms as a term project.
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This course introduces on key aspects of the development of communication and media theory. The course alternates a working dialogue between the two approaches to the study of media; as the study of transmission of information and its... more
This course introduces on key aspects of the development of communication and media theory. The course alternates a working dialogue between the two approaches to the study of media; as the study of transmission of information and its effects and as media as the site of meaning production. In this quest different schools of research will be emphasized ranging from Toronto to Chicago Schools to political economy and culture/creative industries approaches.
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In this course basic theories of representation in art and film are examined. Methods of seeing and critiquing media texts are taught. How to examine issues related to RTF media and institutions in depth is studied. In the end an... more
In this course basic theories of representation in art and film are examined. Methods of seeing and critiquing media texts are taught. How to examine issues related to RTF media and institutions in depth is studied. In the end an undergraduate level academic film studies paper is written.
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With an emphasis on variety of film practice, this module aims to introduce students to the essential elements of film narrative and engage them in thinking critically about the choices made by filmmakers in constructing the look and... more
With an emphasis on variety of film practice, this module aims to introduce students to the essential elements of film narrative and engage them in thinking critically about the choices made by filmmakers in constructing the look and sound of their films. We will be asking, therefore, how meaning is created in the cinema, as well as what ideas and arguments such meanings may generate among critically aware spectators of it. In doing so we will be exploring the richness and complexity of cinema's potential to communicate with its spectators through a carefully selected variety of films. Represented amongst these will not only be the classic Hollywood model with which we are all most familiar, but also films from other national and artistic traditions. These will be examined in the context of both weekly lecture/workshops and practical tutorials.
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This module will provide an introduction to critical moving image theory and the use of technology in moving image related contexts. The module aims to introduce students to storytelling and the construction thereof.
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The course examines the emergence of global corporate media, and evaluates arguments concerning their scale, scope and impacts. Arguments will be critically assessed concerning the terms ‘globalization’, ‘internationalization’, ‘cultural... more
The course examines the emergence of global corporate media, and evaluates arguments concerning their scale, scope and impacts. Arguments will be critically assessed concerning the terms ‘globalization’, ‘internationalization’, ‘cultural imperialism’ and regionalization. Empirical examples will be studied from journalism, advertising, entertainment and telecommunications.
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The module will comprise of twelve talks addressing specific artists working in contemporary Art. These will look at the works aesthetic and its contextualization within the Art history and theory of the 20th and 21st centuries.
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The Art and Civilizations lecture will deal primarily with the political, social, economic and cultural history of the world with special attention to the development of media. Communication of information, ideas and entertainment in... more
The Art and Civilizations lecture will deal primarily with the political, social, economic and cultural history of the world with special attention to the development of media. Communication of information, ideas and entertainment in words images by means of speech, writing, music, print, telegraphy, telephony, radio, television and most recently, by the internet, but physical
communication will also be considered.
communication will also be considered.
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The aim of this course is to introduce the students to the foundations of social theory. The course looks at social theorists’ conceptualization of social transformations through their analysis of society. We will also look at the... more
The aim of this course is to introduce the students to the foundations of social theory. The course looks at social theorists’ conceptualization of social transformations through their analysis of society. We will also look at the interconnections between individual self and broad social structures. We will approach each theorist systematically, looking at the theorist’s work as a whole, searching for the inner logic.
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Digital Filmmaker Oct. 9, 2014 issue. It is an interview with me on making a short film using RED Epic camera.
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This thesis is a study of the critique of Turkish modernization in Halit Refig's films made between 1961-69 with special emphasis on Refig's de/reconstruction of Turkish identity. The analysis argues that Halit Refig's films make a... more
This thesis is a study of the critique of Turkish modernization in Halit Refig's films made between 1961-69 with special emphasis on Refig's de/reconstruction of Turkish identity. The analysis argues that Halit Refig's films make a critique of the modernization project stated in the later days of Ottoman Empire and deepened by the Kemalist elite and its effects on the collective consciousness of Turkish people. Refig deconstructs Turkish identity on three levels: the clash between Kemalist (constructed) identity and Turkish people's (authentic) cultural identity; the tension between east and west, represented by urban and rural in the big city; finally, the use of women as ideological tools by the Kemalist elite to construct the new national identity.
This study also aims to bring new debate on one of the most prolific Turkish cinema and its auteurs. Included in the introduction is a literature review to establish a theoretical framework and clarify theoretical issues relevant to the thesis.
Chapter One examines the Kemalist intellectual and their representation in Watchmen of the Dawn (1963) and Stranger in the City (1962). Both films emphasize the Kemalist intellectual's journey to his people and his portrayal of populist democracy as evil.
Chapter Two examines urban-rural conflict in Girls of Istanbul (1965) and Birds of Exile (1965). The immigrants' responses to urban life and the clash of three civilizations (Turkish-Ottoman-Western) in the urban Istanbul landscape are the focus of analysis.
Chapter Three examines women and history and allegory in Four Women in the Harem (1965). I Lost My Heart to a Turk (1969). The use of women as symbolic, ideological markers of modernization is explored.
This study also aims to bring new debate on one of the most prolific Turkish cinema and its auteurs. Included in the introduction is a literature review to establish a theoretical framework and clarify theoretical issues relevant to the thesis.
Chapter One examines the Kemalist intellectual and their representation in Watchmen of the Dawn (1963) and Stranger in the City (1962). Both films emphasize the Kemalist intellectual's journey to his people and his portrayal of populist democracy as evil.
Chapter Two examines urban-rural conflict in Girls of Istanbul (1965) and Birds of Exile (1965). The immigrants' responses to urban life and the clash of three civilizations (Turkish-Ottoman-Western) in the urban Istanbul landscape are the focus of analysis.
Chapter Three examines women and history and allegory in Four Women in the Harem (1965). I Lost My Heart to a Turk (1969). The use of women as symbolic, ideological markers of modernization is explored.
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In this study, the revolutionary intellectual, as portrayed in the March 12 novels, is discussed. First, the intellectual is defined and the qualities of the revolutionary intellectuals in March 12 novels discussed. It is argued that they... more
In this study, the revolutionary intellectual, as portrayed in the March 12 novels, is discussed. First, the intellectual is defined and the qualities of the revolutionary intellectuals in March 12 novels discussed. It is argued that they had a persistent criticism of the bourgeois class and sympathy for the underprivileged people. They had a mission to civilize and protect their people. Second, revolution and revolutionary ideals were discussed. The revolutionaries shape their identity as a reaction to authority and to their parents who are usually of Kemalist origin. They are assisted by a local intellectual instead. It is also argued that the revolutionaries in fact cannot agree on a shared definition of revolution. Third, the psychological breakdown of the revolutionary intellectual is discussed. They experience paranoia and feel guilty and hopeless. It is argued that they also think their failure was result of their fragmentation and because were so removed from the people. And finally, revolutionary women are discussed. The role of women in nation building process is mentioned and it is seen that Turkish women are used as ideological markers of modernity and did not fight for citizenship right like their European counterparts. Though they want to act on their own, they are prevented by a public patriarchy. Revolutionary women violate this code and are treated like prostitutes. Criticism of bourgeois women is noted in their depiction as perfect consumers. Also the contrast between the rural and urban women is described.
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Ya Sonra filmiyle yönetmen olarak sinema dünyasına başarı ile adını yazdıran Özcan Deniz bu ikinci filminde duvara toslamış. Öncelikle 2004 yapımı bir Kore film olan A Moment to Remember’ın birebir uyarlamasını yaparak bir yanlışa imza... more
Ya Sonra filmiyle yönetmen olarak sinema dünyasına başarı ile adını yazdıran Özcan Deniz bu ikinci filminde duvara toslamış. Öncelikle 2004 yapımı bir Kore film olan A Moment to Remember’ın birebir uyarlamasını yaparak bir yanlışa imza atmış.
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Çanakkale 1915 ilkokuldan üniversite yıllarında kadar her TC vatandaşının tarih derslerinde sıkılarak ezberlediği Çanakkale Savaşı ile ilgili her olayı anlatmaya çalışmakta. Mustafa Kemal ve şarapnel isabet eden saati, Nusret mayın... more
Çanakkale 1915 ilkokuldan üniversite yıllarında kadar her TC vatandaşının tarih derslerinde sıkılarak ezberlediği Çanakkale Savaşı ile ilgili her olayı anlatmaya çalışmakta. Mustafa Kemal ve şarapnel isabet eden saati, Nusret mayın gemisi, Seyit Ali ve kaldırdığı 200 kglık top mermisi bu olaylar arasında.
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Osman Sınav’ın lisans mezuniyet filmi olarak magazin basınımızda yer bulan Uzun Hikaye başarılı bir roman uyarlaması. Mustafa Kutlu’nun aynı adlı eserinden uyarlanan bu filmde 1940lı yıllarda Bulgaristan’dan göçen ‘Bulgaryalı’ Ali’nin... more
Osman Sınav’ın lisans mezuniyet filmi olarak magazin basınımızda yer bulan Uzun Hikaye başarılı bir roman uyarlaması. Mustafa Kutlu’nun aynı adlı eserinden uyarlanan bu filmde 1940lı yıllarda Bulgaristan’dan göçen ‘Bulgaryalı’ Ali’nin 1950lerde yazlık sinema işletmecisinin kızı Münire’ye aşık olup onu kaçırmasının hikayesi.
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Cemal Şan’ın Alinin 8 Günü filmi bir üçlemenin Ruh-Akıl-Kalp üçlemesinin son filmi.
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7 Kocalı Hürmüze bakmaktıüımızdafilmin ulusal sanat-ulusal sinema bağlamında Türk modernleşmesinde önemli yeri olan kadının toplumsal alandaki yeri konusunda ağırlık taşıdığını görüyoruz.
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Tunç Okan'ın uzun yıllar sonra yönetmen olarak yaptığı film Umut Üzümleri yüksek beklentileri karşılayamıyor. Otobüs filmiyle anılan ve siyasal ve sanatsal olarak tavrı ile sinema tarihimimize giren Tunç Okan'ın Kırım Tatarlarının... more
Tunç Okan'ın uzun yıllar sonra yönetmen olarak yaptığı film Umut Üzümleri yüksek beklentileri karşılayamıyor. Otobüs filmiyle anılan ve siyasal ve sanatsal olarak tavrı ile sinema tarihimimize giren Tunç Okan'ın Kırım Tatarlarının Anadolu'ya göçtükten sonrasını, günümüzü anlatan filmi Umut Üzümleri.
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Festivalde Ulusal yarışmanın ilk filmi olan Çağatay Tosun'un yönettiği DERİN DÜŞÜN-CE bir Altın Portakal'ı daha skandalla başlattı. Annesi ölen ve mafya babasıyla tek başına kalan küçük kız Derin'in sıradışı öyküsü en başta kız çocuk... more
Festivalde Ulusal yarışmanın ilk filmi olan Çağatay Tosun'un yönettiği DERİN DÜŞÜN-CE bir Altın Portakal'ı daha skandalla başlattı. Annesi ölen ve mafya babasıyla tek başına kalan küçük kız Derin'in sıradışı öyküsü en başta kız çocuk sahibi jüri başkanı Hülya Avşarı kızdırdı. Küçük bir kız çocuğunu yetişkin bir kadın çerçevesi ile anlatımsal olarak konuşlandıran filmin yönetmeninin yaptığı bu estetik yanlış ona sanatsal olarak pahalıya mal. olacak gibi gözüküyor.
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30 yıldır reklam film yönetmeni olarak sektörde saygın bir yere sahip olan Rezzan Tanyeli'nin bu ilk uzun metraj filmi. Fantastik bir komedi denebilecek film genelde güzel görseller ve müziği ve naif anlatma çabasıyla seyirciyi... more
30 yıldır reklam film yönetmeni olarak sektörde saygın bir yere sahip olan Rezzan Tanyeli'nin bu ilk uzun metraj filmi. Fantastik bir komedi denebilecek film genelde güzel görseller ve müziği ve naif anlatma çabasıyla seyirciyi taşıyabiliyor.
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49. Altın Portakal Film Festivali 5. günüde halkın beğenisini kazanan filmini buldu. Ali Adnan Özgür'ün yönettiği Toprağın Çocukları 1940larda Köy Ensititülerini anlatan ve ona karşı olan faşizan saldırıları aktaran bir film.
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012 Altın Portakal'ın öne çıkan bir özelliği erkek karakter ağırlıklı film seçkisi oldu. Bu seçki içinde Zerre sadece kadın bir karakterin ön planda olduğu tek film şu an. Erdem Tepegöz'ün yönettiği Zerre annesi ve engelli kızıyla tek... more
012 Altın Portakal'ın öne çıkan bir özelliği erkek karakter ağırlıklı film seçkisi oldu. Bu seçki içinde Zerre sadece kadın bir karakterin ön planda olduğu tek film şu an. Erdem Tepegöz'ün yönettiği Zerre annesi ve engelli kızıyla tek başına İstanbul'da yaşam mücadelesi veren Zeynep'in bir haftasını anlatıyor.
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49. Antalya Altın Portakal Film Festivali'nin dördüncü gününe Ali Aydın'ın Venedik Film Festivali'nde gösterdiği başarı ile merakla beklenen KÜF damgasını vurdu. Yaşlı bir tren istasyonu bekçisi olan Sabri'nin onsekiz yıl önce üniversite... more
49. Antalya Altın Portakal Film Festivali'nin dördüncü gününe Ali Aydın'ın Venedik Film Festivali'nde gösterdiği başarı ile merakla beklenen KÜF damgasını vurdu. Yaşlı bir tren istasyonu bekçisi olan Sabri'nin onsekiz yıl önce üniversite öğrencisiyken gözaltında kaybolan oğlunu ararken kaybettiği mücadelesinin öyküsü Küf.
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Research Interests:
Turkey has been undergoing a transition in governance over decades, most recently in the sociopolitical transformation from Kemalist laicism to Islamic-dominated politics. The shifts have been uneven, with government frequently overtaken... more
Turkey has been undergoing a transition in governance over decades, most recently in
the sociopolitical transformation from Kemalist laicism to Islamic-dominated politics. The shifts have been uneven, with government frequently overtaken by military control, and then returned to some form of democratic functioning, with associated changes in the laws reflecting greater or lesser tolerance for multi-party politics, public religious practice, and EU-inspired civic liberties.
Throughout, the experience has engaged a tension between Western influences and Islamic norms as interpreted through processes of modernization and economic liberalization. The media’s role as a conveyor of cultural imaginaries and national identities has led it to play an important part in this trajectory. Yet, although its autonomy has varied depending on those in power—at times being a tool entirely controlled by government, at others operating with few fetters—the laws and regulations surrounding the media have varied much less, suggesting the legal structure defining Turkish media reflects in general terms the public’s view of its position and role in society. This is despite the fact that the media laws in Turkey have not been holistically forged, nor rigorously updated to accommodate technological change. What is suggested here is that the media’s status as a strategic circulator of ideas within social relations and as an ideological bellwether of public values, has been translated into the legal corpus, creating a uniquely Turkish interpretation of the media’s agency, and instrumentality, which we suggest is made comprehensible through Values and Status Negotiation Theory (VSN).
the sociopolitical transformation from Kemalist laicism to Islamic-dominated politics. The shifts have been uneven, with government frequently overtaken by military control, and then returned to some form of democratic functioning, with associated changes in the laws reflecting greater or lesser tolerance for multi-party politics, public religious practice, and EU-inspired civic liberties.
Throughout, the experience has engaged a tension between Western influences and Islamic norms as interpreted through processes of modernization and economic liberalization. The media’s role as a conveyor of cultural imaginaries and national identities has led it to play an important part in this trajectory. Yet, although its autonomy has varied depending on those in power—at times being a tool entirely controlled by government, at others operating with few fetters—the laws and regulations surrounding the media have varied much less, suggesting the legal structure defining Turkish media reflects in general terms the public’s view of its position and role in society. This is despite the fact that the media laws in Turkey have not been holistically forged, nor rigorously updated to accommodate technological change. What is suggested here is that the media’s status as a strategic circulator of ideas within social relations and as an ideological bellwether of public values, has been translated into the legal corpus, creating a uniquely Turkish interpretation of the media’s agency, and instrumentality, which we suggest is made comprehensible through Values and Status Negotiation Theory (VSN).
Research Interests: Critical Theory, Sociology, Cultural Studies, Political Sociology, Political Economy, and 15 moreMedia Studies, Media and Cultural Studies, Social Sciences, Political Science, Democratization, Governance, Social Media, Turkish History, Turkish Economy, Media Theory, Turkish Studies, New Media Studies, Turkish politics, Turkish Media, and Hybrid Regimes
In the beginning of the pandemic most countries shut down film productions, film theatres and universities where new generation of filmmakers were trained. These developments came just after the bright future promised in academic studies... more
In the beginning of the pandemic most countries shut down film productions, film theatres and universities where new generation of filmmakers were trained. These developments came just after the bright future promised in academic studies and reports in the UK and Ireland on the future of cinema (Stolz, A., Atkinson, S. A., & Kennedy, 2020; Barton
and Murphy, 2020). Based on their research Sarah Atkinson and her fellow researchers defined the future of cinema as worldbuilding that integrated different aspects of media industry into a unified model (see chart below).
and Murphy, 2020). Based on their research Sarah Atkinson and her fellow researchers defined the future of cinema as worldbuilding that integrated different aspects of media industry into a unified model (see chart below).