transnational feminist policies

2022/23 Mercator-ipc fellowship

Documenting Turkey’s Withdrawal from the Istanbul Convention and Discussing This Decision’s Potential for EU Member States 

ABSTRACT

Gender-based discrimination and violence does not differentiate geography.

Today, in various lands around the world—including in EU countries such as Hungary, Poland, Italy, and Germany—several “anti-gender” movements have emerged out of conservative right-wing ideas. This has exposed transnational human rights violations against women and LGBTİ+ individuals regardless of religion, language, and race. Therefore, Turkey’s official withdrawal from the Istanbul Convention (IC) in July 2021 should not be read as an isolated case but rather as the tip of the iceberg exposing more extensive European gender politics promoting institutional and structural patriarchy.  

Such Europe-wide right-wing populist political discourses on gender equality have conceived the IC as a threat to family, along with a rising rate of racism against non-Western migrant and refugee communities. Due to (hetero-)sexism against the right to self-determination in certain European societies (e.g., failing to acknowledge reproductive rights, accept gender diversity, combat gender stereotypes, or grant the right to same-sex marriages or gender transitioning), the IC has still neither been ratified nor comprehensively implemented in numerous EU member states.

This research project explores the ten years of the IC in force in Turkey, focusing on queer-feminist movements that have been active since 1990s, together with the state’s increasing emphasis on “conservative family” policies. Because Turkey’s withdrawal from the IC without having received any international political sanctions exposes, on the one hand, EU-Turkey relations within the framework of the so-called “EU-Turkey Refugee Deal”; on the other, the potential for implementing the IC comprehensively from an intersectional perspective in EU member states in the face of increasing “anti-gender” movements.

video interview series

İstanbul Convention :: Geography Is Not Destiny!

March 2024

Play

This study explores the evolution of the Istanbul Convention in Turkey over its ten-year implementation, tracing the AKP (Justice and Development Party)’s trajectory from being the initial signatory to becoming the first to withdraw, especially at the intersection of EU-Turkey joint refugee policies. The analysis centers on the “İstanbul Convention :: Geography Is Not Destiny!” video interview series featuring perspectives from Feride Acar, Canan Arın, Meral Danış Beştaş, and Yakın Ertürk. The series critically examines the culturalization of gender inequality through geographical determinism within the framework of national and transnational patriarchal state policies. Anchored in the concept of the ‘right to self-determination,’ this study contends that transnational feminist politics has the potential to prompt Turkey’s renewed commitment to the Istanbul Convention and its comprehensive implementation across diverse geographical contexts by reinforcing sanctions derived from interlinking the mutually binding provisions of various international conventions.

Research: Elif Çiğdem Artan
Production: Mercator-IPC Fellowship Program
Video and Audio Recording: Serra Akcan, Güliz Sağlam
Photos: Serra Akcan
Edit: Güliz Sağlam
Archive: Serra Akcan, Güliz Sağlam
Music: https://pixabay.com/music/corporate-minimal-documentary-ambient-165049/

#FerideAcar #CananArın #MeralDanışBeştaş #YakınErtürk #LawNo6284 #Gender #GenderEquality #AntiGender #RefugeeRights #Intersectionality

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publications :: talks

#Publications

Law No. 6284 in Practice After Withdrawing from the Istanbul Convention

April 2023

At the 25 th Assembly on Women’s Shelters and Solidarity Centers, lawyers, counselors, and shelter and
solidarity center staff discussed the implications of Turkey’s family-oriented state policies and decision to
withdraw from the Council of Europe Convention on Preventing and Combating Violence against Women
and Domestic Violence, known in short as the Istanbul Convention, on patriarchal violence. The resultant
Concluding Declaration of the Assembly revealed the demands for combating violence against women and
LGBTI+ individuals and for gender equality. Against this backdrop and in line with the latest discussions held
at the assembly, this paper seeks to answer the following question: What are the political and legal implica-
tions of Turkey’s decision to withdraw from the Istanbul Convention for Law No. 6284 in practice? However,
Turkey’s decision to withdraw from the Istanbul Convention should be evaluated not only in the context
of national but also transnational policies. For instance, if and how Turkey’s decision to withdraw from the
Istanbul Convention affected EU-Turkey relations should be evaluated within the framework of rising anti-
gender movements and increasing militarism across the EU.

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#conference

EU is ‘Concerned,’ but is it Enough?: Review on Europewide Migration and Gender Politics Following Turkey’s Withdrawal from the Istanbul Convention

International Conference on Gender Studies: Gender and Power, London, 25-26 Feb. 2023

Turkey withdrew from the Istanbul Convention (IC) on July 1, 2021, following a Presidential decree
issued on March 20, 2021, on the grounds that the IC was “hijacked” to “normalize” homosexuality and that it
is incompatible with the “state family values.” However, Turkey’s withdrawal from the IC without having
received any international political sanctions should not be read as an isolated case but rather as the tip of the
iceberg exposing more extensive European gender politics promoting institutional and structural patriarchy, along with a rising rate of racism against non-Western migrant and refugee communities.
For instance, The IC has still neither been ratified nor comprehensively implemented in several EU
states; the EU has not required gender equality policies as part of its legal acquis even after signing the IC in
Moreover, the so-called “EU-Turkey Refugee Deal” restricts the freedom of mobility from the Middle
East to Europe by keeping the “unwanted” migrants and refugees in Turkey in exchange for millions of euros.
Consequently, the EU’s lack of legally binding protection measures exposes migrant and refugee women,
children, and LGBTI+ persons to racist and (hetero-)sexist discrimination and violence in Turkey.
Under these conditions, the EU keeps expressing its concerns regarding Turkey’s gender politics,
including state recommendations, but is it enough to achieve gender equality for ALL regardless of language,
religion, ethnicity, and geography? In this framework, this study discusses Turkey’s withdrawal from the IC in
the context of current EU migration and gender politics. The examination of IC’s ten years in Turkey analyzes
the potential for its comprehensive implementation from an intersectional perspective in the face of
increasing “anti-gender” movements and militarism in the EU member states. The discussion is rooted in
ethnographic research, including interviews with policymakers on migration and gender in Turkey.

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#workshop

Final Evaluation Presentation

IPC-Fellowship Meeting, Istanbul, 5 Sept. 2023

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#MEDIA

Nasıl Bir Dünya, Nasıl Bir Türkiye?

@medyascope, 14 March 2024

“İstanbul Sözleşmesi: Coğrafya Kader Değil” [The Istanbul Convention: ‘Geography Is Not Destiny’], with Prof. Feride Acar

Turkish

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#MEDIA

Nasıl Bir Dünya, Nasıl Bir Türkiye?

@medyascope, 16 March 2023

”Depremde Kırılgan Gruplar—Sorunlar ve Çözüm Yolları” [Vulnerable Populations in Earthquake Situations: Problems and Possible Solutions], with Hilal Gençay and Gökhan Yıldırımkaya

Turkish

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postfolio

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portfolio*

Inclusive Storytelling in Academia, Arts and Culture, and Civil Society

Migrant Women’s Memory Box

#ParticipatoryCuratorship Migrant Women’s Memory Box archived by the Bibliothek der Generationen housed at the Histroical Museum Frankfurt Story of A curatorship with marginalized communities The Library of Generations is an artistic reminiscence project developed by artist Sigrid Sigurdsson in 2005 and will be housed in the Historisches Museum Frankfurt (Historical Museum Frankfurt) until 2105. In…
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DFG Doctoral Fellowship

sociology of memory DFG Doctoral Fellowship The Future of the Present: Autonomous Archiving of Activist Videos ABSTRACT This study examines the contribution of activist videos from the Occupy Wall Street and the Occupy Gezi Park movements to non-authoritarian and non-linear history-writing. To this end, it focuses on three major domains with particular points of interest…
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Vehbi Koç Foundation M.A. Fellowship

consumption society Vehbi Koç Foundation M.A. Fellowship Private Museology: Establishing New Cultural Industries in Istanbul ABSTRACT My research on private museology encompasses two distinct yet interconnected studies. The first leg, building upon my undergraduate thesis in sociology at Galatasaray University (Istanbul), ventures into private museology’s integration within Istanbul’s cultural industry in the 21st century. Focusing…
Read More Vehbi Koç Foundation M.A. Fellowship

2022/23 Mercator-IPC fellowship

transnational feminist policies 2022/23 Mercator-ipc fellowship Documenting Turkey’s Withdrawal from the Istanbul Convention and Discussing This Decision’s Potential for EU Member States  ABSTRACT Gender-based discrimination and violence does not differentiate geography. Today, in various lands around the world—including in EU countries such as Hungary, Poland, Italy, and Germany—several “anti-gender” movements have emerged out of conservative right-wing…
Read More 2022/23 Mercator-IPC fellowship

anti-racist feminist policy-making

DaMigra e.V. anti-racist feminist policy-making Expertise in the comprehensive implementation of the Istanbul Convention in Germany from an intersectional perspective OVErview Between May 2019 and September 2022, I worked as a researcher at DaMigra (Dachverband der Migrantinnen e.V.—the Umbrella Organization of Migrant Women’s Self-Associations) in Berlin on racism and (hetero-)sexist gender-based violence. My expertise at…
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#WritingForVariousAudiences

Critical Insights on Autonomous Archiving, Intersectional Feminism,
and Participatory Museology

The Future of the Present: Autonomous Archiving of Activist Videos. Approved by Faculty I – Humanities and Educational Sciences, Technische Universität Berlin. Submitted in fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy (Dr. Phil.). 2021.

Private Museology: Establishing New Cultural Industries in Istanbul. Lambert Academic Publishing, Sept. 2011.

“Migrant Women’s Reminiscence Box in Frankfurt.” Feminist Pedagogy: Museums, Memory Sites, and Practices of Remembrance, edited by Meral Akkent and S. Nehir Kovar, İstos Publication, Nov. 2019.

“Panel: ‘Tırnak İçinde Çağdaş Müzecilik’ (Contemporary Museology in Quotes).” 29. Müzeler Haftası, Kültür Mirası ve Müzeler Öğrenci Konferansı, edited by Arş. Gör. Hanzade Uralman, Yıldız Teknik University, 2011.

“Çağdaş Müzecilik ve Postmodernliğin Yansımaları” [Contemporary Museology and Postmodernism]. Kırılmalar, Sınırlar, Yolculuklar: Sanat ve Felsefe Buluşması, edited by Aslıhan Erkmen, Ayşe N. Erek, and Nazlı Eda Noyan, Arkeoloji ve Sanat Yayınları, 2010.

“Mabet Yeri ya da Panayır Alanı Olarak Müzeler” [Museum Places: Temple or Fairground]. Özneler, Durumlar, ve Mekanlar, edited by Emre Işık and Yıldırım Şentürk, Bağlam Yayınları, 2009, pp. 185-193.

“‘#OccupyGezi Architecture’ and Archival Tactics of Resistance.” International Journal of Islamic Architecture, vol. 9, no. 2, 1 July 2020, pp. 409-430.

“Etkileşim Düzlemi ve Tüketim Mekanı Olarak Postmodern Müzeler: İstanbul’daki Özel Müzeler Üzerine Bir İnceleme” [Postmodern Museums as an Interactive Matrix and a Consumption Ground: A Study on the Private Museums in Istanbul].Aynalı Labirent: Küreselleşen Kentte Tüketim, edited by Ali Ergur, Galatasaray University Faculty of Communications Publication, Special Publication No. 2, July 2012, pp. 105-132.

“Communication Strategies in Postmodern Museology: Communicated and Conceived Identity of the Pera Museum.” The International Journal of the Humanities, vol. 8, no. 11, 2011

“Consuming in Museums: Visitor Behaviours in the Postmodern Era.” The International Journal of the Humanities, vol. 6, no. 7, 2008.

“How to navigate ‘Changing Cities, Changing Museums’ for the voices unheard.” ICOM/CAMOC Museums of Cities Review, Summer-Fall, 2024, pp. 60-62.

“Confusion of an Architect: Curatorship and Space Design in a Participatory Exhibition Project.” Migration: Cities (Im)migration and Arrival Cities, ICOM/CAMOC Museums of Cities Review, Dec. 2019, pp. 32-39.

“Reconfiguring Keywords of Migration and Women through a Participatory Exhibition Project.” Feministische Geo-RundMail, no. 73, Sept. 2017, pp. 22-27. 

“Rethinking Museum Collections in the Face of Urban Activism and Autonomous Archives.” CAMOCnews, no. 1, 2016, pp. 7-8. 

“Araştırma Enstitüleri ve İstanbul’un Kentsel Hafızası” [Research Institutes and Urban Memory of Istanbul]. IstanbulArtNews, no. 35, Oct. 2016.

Interview. “Türkiye’de Mimarlık Camiasına Dışarıdan ve İçeriden Bakış” [An Insider and Outsider Look at the Architecture Milieu in Turkey], with Yelta Köm. Seralife, no. 12, Mar. 2016.

“Keeping Memories Alive! The Federal German Migrant Women’s Association Contribution for the ‘Bibliothek der Alten’ in the Frankfurt Historical Museum.” CAMOCnews, no. 1, 2015. 

“Sanatımızda Bir Milat: Kaplumbağa Terbiyecisi” [A Milestone in Our Art History: The Tortoise Trainer]. Artist, Feb.-Mar. 2009, pp. 70-73.

“Müzede Eğitim ve Rahmi M. Koç Müzesi” [Education in the Museum and the Rahmi M. Koç Museum]. Arredamento Mimarlık, no. 216, Sept. 2008, pp. 69-73.

“Fotoğrafın Sanatsal Değerinin Ötesinde Bir Çalışma: Bilgi mi Propaganda mı?” [Photography Beyond Artistic Value: Information or Propaganda?]. Cogito, Fall 2007, special edition on Walter Benjamin, Yapı Kredi Yayınları, pp. 88-100.

“Bir Bavuldan Fazlası: Göçle Dönüşen Müze” [More Than a Suitcase: Museum Transformed by Migration]. Genç Sanat, Nov. 2017, pp. 42 – 47.

“Müze ve Kültür Kurumları için Yeni Yaklaşımlar: Alâka Kurmanın Sanatı” [New Approaches for Museums and Cultural Institutions: The Art of Relevance]. Genç Sanat, no. 255, Dec. 2016, pp. 36-41.

“Müzelere Ziyaretçi Çekmenin Binbir Yolu” [A Thousand and One Ways to Attract Visitors to Museums. Genç Sanat, no. 245, Feb. 2016, pp.42-49.

 “Müzeyi Kim Kurar? Müze Sergi İşleri ve Tasarım Süreçleri.” [Who Establishes a Museum?: Museum Exhibition Works and Design Processes]. Genç Sanat, no. 251, July-Aug. 2016, pp. 20-27. 

“Müze ile Kenti Birlikte Düşünmek” [Thinking Museum Along with City]. Genç Sanat, no. 243, Nov. 2015, pp. 38-43.

“Sponsor ile Müzenin Büyük İzdivacı” [Spectacle Marriage Between Sponsor and Museum]. Genç Sanat, no. 242, Oct. 2015, pp. 50-55. 

“Müzeler ve Görüntünün Arkeolojisi” [Museums and Archeology of View]. Genç Sanat, no. 242, Oct. 2015, pp. 20-27.

“Ağırlıklar ve Ölçüleri: Pera Müzesi’nden Türkiye Müzeciliğine” [Weights and Measures: From Pera Museum to Museology in Turkey]. Genç Sanat, no. 239, June 2015, pp. 26-35. 

“Peki Ya Ziyaretçi Gelmezse? Müzeler ve Medya”[What If Visitor Wouldn’t Come? Museums and Media]. Genç Sanat, no. 232, Nov. 2014, pp. 25-29. 

“Müzeler ve Popüler Kültür” [Museums and Popular Culture]. Genç Sanat, no. 228, June 2014, pp. 28-35. 

“Müze Evler: ‘Saklama’ ile ‘Sunma’ Arasında Zihniyet Problemi” [Museum Houses: A Mindset Problem Between ‘Preservation’ and ‘Presentation’]. Genç Sanat, no. 226, Apr. 2014, pp. 42-49.

“‘Sakın Elleme’den ‘Lütfen Dokun’a Müzede Algı Değişimi” [From ‘Hands Off’ to ‘Please Touch’: A Shift in Museum Perception]. Genç Sanat, no. 224, Feb. 2014, pp. 26-31. 

“‘Müzelik’ Eser” [A ‘Museum-Worthy’ Artifact]. Genç Sanat, no. 223, Jan. 2014, pp. 22-29.

“Müzeler Dijital Koleksiyonlarıyla Daha Mı Demokratik?” [Are Museums More Democratic with Their Digital Collections?] Genç Sanat, no. 221, Nov. 2013, pp. 26-31.

“Dijital Platformda Müzecilik İçin Lütfen Buraya Tıklayınız” [For Museum Practices on Digital Platforms, Please Click Here]. Genç Sanat, no. 219, Sept. 2013, pp. 34-37.

“Müzeleri Kimler, Neden Ziyaret Ediyor?” [Who Visits Museums and Why?] Genç Sanat, no. 218, June-July 2013, pp. 26-31.

“Çağa ayak uyduran radyoculuk ve feminist podcastler” [Radio Broadcasting Keeping Up with the Times and Feminist Podcasts]. Göçmen Kadınlar Birliği–Kadın/Frau Magazine, No: 41, 2021, p. 39.

“İnternet üzerinde tek bir müze: Google Arts and Culture” [A Single Museum on the Internet: Google Arts and Culture]. Göçmen Kadınlar Birliği–Kadın/Frau Magazine, No: 41, 2021, p. 40.

“DJ İpek’le Kurtlarımızı Döküyoruz!” [Let’s Shake It with DJ İpek!]. Göçmen Kadınlar Birliği–Kadın/Frau Magazine, No: 38, 2019, p. 8-9.

“Kadın Bedeninin Hareketi: ‘Şu Gurbetlik Zor Zanaat Zor’” [Female Body in Motion: ‘This Exile Is a Tough Craft, Tough’] Göçmen Kadınlar Birliği–Kadın/Frau Magazine, No: 37, 2017, p. 26-27.

“Beden Olumlama: Nasıl Göründüğümüzden Bağımsız Kadınlığımız” [Body Positivity: Our Womanhood Independent of How We Look].  Göçmen Kadınlar Birliği–Kadın/Frau Magazine, No: 33, 2017, p. 10-11.

“GKB’nin 12 yıllık hafızası IG Metall-Haus Berlin’de sergilendi: ‘Dişil Perspektiften Dünya!’” [12 Years of GKB’s Collective Memory Exhibited at IG Metall-Haus Berlin: ‘The World from a Female Perspective!’] Göçmen Kadınlar Birliği–Kadın/Frau Magazine, No: 33, 2017, p. 28-29.


“Yazmaya henüz başladık” [We’ve Just Started Writing]. Göçmen Kadınlar Birliği–Kadın/Frau Magazine, No: 33, 2017, p. 30-31. 

“BdA119 yazı atölyeleri yeniden başladı” [BdA119 Writing Workshops Have Restarted]. Göçmen Kadınlar Birliği–Kadın/Frau Magazine, No: 32, 2017, p. 27.

“Kiap bavulumuzu hazırlıyoruz” [We’re Packing Our Book-Suitcase]. Göçmen Kadınlar Birliği–Kadın/Frau Magazine, No: 32, 2017, p. 28-29.

“Bütün bu örtülerin arasında kadınlar nerede?” [Where Are the Women Among All These Covers?] Göçmen Kadınlar Birliği–Kadın/Frau Magazine, No: 32, 2017, p. 30-32.

“Bibliothek der Alten projesinin ilk çalışması tamamlandı: ‘Dişil Bir Sözlük’ Sergisi” [The First Work of the ‘Bibliothek der Alten’ Project Is Complete: ‘A Female Dictionary’ Exhibition]. Göçmen Kadınlar Birliği–Kadın/Frau Magazine, No: 29, 2016, p. 30-32.

“Ein partizipative Ausstellungsprojekt: ABC des Bundesverbands der Migrantinnen // Ein Weibliches Wörterbuch” [A Participatory Exhibition Project: ABC of the Federal German Migrant Women’s Association // A Female Dictionary]. Göçmen Kadınlar Birliği–Kadın/Frau Magazine, No: 28, 2015, p. 23.

“Göçmen Kadınlar Birliği’nden Dişil Bir Sözlük” [A Female Dictionary of Migrant Women]. Göçmen Kadınlar Birliği–Kadın/Frau Magazine, No: 28, 2015, p. 9.

“Yeryüzünün çeşitli yerlerinde doğan ve yolları Frankfurt’ta kesişen kadınların hikâyesi” [The story of women born in different parts of the world whose paths cross in Frankfurt]. Göçmen Kadınlar Birliği–Kadın/Frau Magazine, No: 24, 2014, pp. 30-31.

“Hikâyemi dinler misin?” [Would You Listen to My Story?]. Göçmen Kadınlar Birliği–Kadın/Frau Magazine, No: 23, 2014, p. 33. 

“Ulus ve din fark etmeyen göç hikayeleri” [Migration Stories Beyond Nations and Religions]. Göçmen Kadınlar Birliği–Kadın/Frau Magazine, No: 23, 2014, p. 35.  

“Museum Hack rehberli turlarıyla bir harika!” [Museum Hack’s guided tours are awesome!]. AGOS, 18 March 2016.

“‘Dişil Bir Sözlük’ İstanbul Yolcusu” [Female Dictionary Flies to Istanbul]. Yeni Hayat, 14 Nov. 2016.

“Ein Weibliches Wörterbuch des Bundesverbandes der Migrantinnen” [A Female Dictionary from the Migrant Women’s Association]. Yeni Hayat, 30 Nov. 2015. 

“Göçmen Kadınlar Yazdı: ‘Dişil Bir Sözlük’” [Migrant Women Wrote: A Female Dictionary]. Evrensel Pazar, 13 Dec. 2015.

“Göçmen Kadınlar Birliği’nden ‘Dişil Bir Sözlük’” [A Female Dictionary from the Migrant Women’s Association]. Yeni Hayat, 27 Nov.-10 Dec. 2015.

“Law No. 6284 in Practice After Withdrawing from the Istanbul Convention.” IPC – Mercator Analysis, Apr. 2023.

Co-author. Alternative Report on the Implementation of the Council of Europe Convention on Preventing and Combating Violence Against Women and Domestic Violence. Bündnis Istanbul-Konvention, Feb. 2021.

Co-author. GREVIO-Shadow Report on the Implementation of the Istanbul Convention in Germany. DaMigra e.V., Dec. 2020.

Co-author. Wir müssen aufhören zu wollen, dass die sagen, Ihr dürft. [We have to stop wanting them to say, ‘You may.’] DaMigra e.V., June 2020.

Co-author. Gewalt gegen ALLE Frauen* stoppen! Istanbul-Konvention umsetzen: VORBEHALTLOS! [Stop Violence Against ALL Women! Implement the Istanbul Convention: UNCONDITIONALLY!] DaMigra e.V., Apr. 2020.

“The World Has Forgotten Us: Sinjar and the Islamic State’s Genocide of the Yezidis, Thomas Schmidinger.” Journal of Middle East Women’s Studies, vol. 19, no. 2, 1 July 2023, pp. 238–240.

“Democratising the Museum: Reflections on Participatory Technologies,” edited by Pille Runnel and Pille Pruulmann-Vengerfeldt. Bilgi University Cultural Policies and Management Yearbook, 2014-2015, İstanbul Bilgi University Press, Jan. 2016.

“Il Museo Rahmi M. Koç (Rahmi M. Koç Museum).” Ritrattidi città: Istanbul (Portraits of Cities: Istanbul), edited by Teresita Scalco and Moira Valeri, Editrice Compositori, Bologna, 2015.

“Il Museo Pera (Pera Museum).” Ritrattidi città: Istanbul (Portraits of Cities: Istanbul), edited by Teresita Scalco and Moira Valeri, Editrice Compositori, Bologna, 2015.

“‘Ich verbringe hier meine Zeit sehr schön’: Solidaritätsnetzwerke der Migrant*innen, urbane Politik und die Istanbul-Konvention” [‘I spend my time very good here’: Solidarity Networks of Migrants, Urban Politics, and the Istanbul Convention]. Heinrich Böll Stiftung, 29 Oct. 2021. https://www.boell.de/de/2021/10/29/ich-verbringe-hier-meine-zeit-sehr-schoen.

“The Struggle of Migrant Women in Germany for Independent Residency Rights.” Localization of Feminism Conference Proceedings, Havle Kadın Association, Dec. 2020. https://www.havlekadin.com/feminist-bilgi/almanyada-gocmen-kadinlarin-esten-bagimsiz-oturum-hakki-mucadelesi/.

“Aşkın Gözü Kör mü Acaba?” [Is Love Truly Blind?] Manifold, 30 June 2020. https://manifold.press/askin-gozu-kor-mu-acaba.

“Yeni AKM: İmgelerle Tahayyül” [The New AKM: A Vision in Images]. Manifold, 2 Dec. 2017. https://manifold.press/yeni-akm-imgelerle-tahayyul.

“Katılımcı Sergi Projesinde Mimarın Kafa Karışıklığı” [The Architect’s Confusion in a Participatory Exhibition Project]. Manifold, 10 Aug. 2017. https://manifold.press/katilimci-sergi-projesinde-mimarin-kafa-karisikligi.

Exhibition Review: “Bütün Bu Örtülerin Arasında Kadınlar Nerede” [Where Are the Women Beneath All These Veils?] Reçel Blog, 24 July 2017. http://recel-blog.com/butun-bu-ortulerin-arasinda-kadinlar-nerede/

“MMKD Tartışıyor: Kim Müzede Nasıl Çalışır?” [MMKD Discusses: Who Works in Museums, and How?] MMKD Blog, 7 June 2017. http://mmkd.org.tr/mmkd-tartisiyor-kimler-muzede-nasil-calisir/

Book Review: “Gidenlerin Ardından Güneş Yeniden Doğar mı? | Bâlâ Atabek, İşte Güneş Geliyor” [Will the Sun Rise Again After They’re Gone? | Bâlâ Atabek, İşte Güneş Geliyor] Sanatatak, 17 Apr. 2016. https://www.sanatatak.com/gidenlerin-ardindan-gunes-yine-dogar-mi/.

Workshop Review: “İmajlarla Bir Eylemlilik Hali” [A State of Activism Through Images] Sanatatak, 7 Mar. 2016. https://www.sanatatak.com/majlarla-bir-eylemlilik-hali/.

Interview: “Yazı Yazmak da Sergi Yapmak da Mimarlığa Dahil” [Both Writing and Exhibition-Making Are Integral to Architecture], with Yelta Köm. Sanatatak, Feb. 2016. http://www.sanatatak.com/view/yazi-yazmak-da-sergi-yapmak-da-mimarliga-dahil.

Interview: “Mardin’in Sesleri: Nesne İçin Değil, İnsan İçin Var Olma” [The Sounds of Mardin: Existing Not for Objects, But for People], with Mardin Museum. MMKD, Jan. 2016. http://www.mmkd.org.tr.

Workshop Review: “Toplumsal Hareketlerin Dijital Kaydı ve Kolektif Hafıza” [Digital Documentation of Social Movements and Collective Memory]. Artık İşler Collective, Oct. 2015. http://artikisler.net/toplumsal-hareketlerin-dijital-kaydi-ve-kolektif-hafiza/.
Exhibition Review: “Kültürden Sen Anlarsın Konuş Onlarla” [You’re the One Who Knows Culture — You Talk to Them]. Dikkat Kaygan Zemin, VÇMD Blog, May 2015. http://dikkatkayganzemin.vcmd.com.tr/blog/kueltuerden-sen-anlarsin-konus-onlarla.

#SpeakingAtDiverseLevels

Critical Discussions on History-Writing, Gender Equality,
and Inclusive Museum

“Empowering Marginalised Voices for Social Justice.” MuseumNext, Museum Social Impact Summit 2024, Online, 22-23 May 2024.

“Kadın Göçmenlerin Hafızasını Belgelemek: Türkiye ve Almanya’dan İki Proje Örneği” [Documenting the Migrant Women’s Memory: Two Project Examples from Turkey and Germany]. Heritage Talks, Miras Sohbetleri, with Nilgün Kıvırcık, Kadın Eserleri Kütüphanesi, İstanbul, 17 May 2024.

“Representing Intersectional Communities: How to Increase Gender, Ethnic and Social Class Diversity in City Museums?” CAMOC 2023 Annual Conference — Changing Cities, Changing Museums, New York, 16-18 Oct. 2023.

“Göçmen Kadınların Almanya’daki Hafızası: Bir Katılımcı Arşiv Projesi” [The Memory of Migrant Women in Germany: A Participatory Archive Project]. Arşiv ve Bellek Seminerleri 23, İBB Atatürk Kitaplığı, 11 Oct. 2023.

“EU is ‘Concerned,’ but is it Enough?: Review on Europewide Migration and Gender Politics Following Turkey’s Withdrawal from the Istanbul Convention.” International Conference on Gender Studies: Gender and Power, London, 25-26 Feb. 2023.

“Intersectional Curatorial Practices: Questioning Migration and Gender in City Museums.” ICOM/CAMOC Annual Conference — Connecting Cities, Connecting Citizens: Towards a Shared Sustainability, Hybrid/Barcelona, 1-4 Dec. 2021.

“The Struggle of Migrant Women in Germany for Independent Residency Rights.” Localization of Feminism Conference, Organized by Havle Kadın Association, Online, 20 Dec. 2020.

“Fighting for the ‘Missing Archive’.” Hashtags Tweets Protests: Social Movements in Digital Age, Annual Conference of the Institute for Social Movement Studies (IPB), Berlin, 15-16 Nov. 2019.

“Migrant Women’s Reminiscence Box in Frankfurt.” Feminist Pedagogy: Museums, Memory Sites, and Practices of Remembrance, SU Gender and İstanbul Kadın Müzesi Conference, İstanbul, 18-20 Oct. 2018.

“Rethinking City Museums in the Face of Autonomous Archives.” ICOM/CAMOC Annual Conference: The Future of Museums of Cities, Frankfurt am Main, 4-5 June 2018.

“Counter Reflection: Resistance in the Exhibition Room.” The Politics of Culture in Contemporary Turkey, CNMS at Philipps-Universität, Marburg, 14-16 Feb. 2018.

“Documentation of Urban Witnessing.” Urbantopias: Discussing the Challenges of Changing Cities, Berlin, 27-29 Oct. 2016.

“Bibliothek der Alten: Keeping Memories Alive!” ICOM/CAMOC 10th Anniversary Annual Conference, Museum of Moscow, 4-9 Sept. 2015.

“Onu Kendinize Nasıl Bağlarsınız? Müzeler İçin Dijital Stratejiler” [How Do You Keep Them Engaged? Digital Strategies for Museums], with Elif Koçak. Heritage Restoration, Archaeology, Museum Technologies Fair, İstanbul, 6 Feb. 2015.

“Bibliothek der Alten: Keeping Memories Alive!” School of Museum Studies, University of Leicester, 4-5 Nov. 2014.

“The Museum of Innocence: Orhan Pamuk and His Fictive City Museum.” International Conference on the Inclusive Museum, Copenhagen, 22-24 Apr. 2013.

Participant. The Museums & Mobile III Online Conference, 26 Oct. 2011.

“Sustainable Social Media Strategies and the Case of the Pera Museum.” Sixth International Conference on the Arts in Society, Berlin, 9-11 May 2011.

“Pera Museum: New Media Applications in Audience Development Strategies.” International Conference on European Project ‘Digital Bridges’, Eskişehir, 12 Apr. 2011.

“Establishing Private Museums in Istanbul: The Interchangeability of Three Capitals and the Case of the Pera Museum.” International Conference on Contemporary Social Research: Beyond Bourdieu, University of Copenhagen, 1-2 Dec. 2009.

“Establishing Cultural Identity Through Consumption in Postmodern Museums: Globalization and Cultural Policy.” Sixth International Conference on New Directions in Humanities, Istanbul, 15-18 July 2008.

Presenter. Sayısal Kelimeler Çalıştayı [Numerical Words Workshop], on GKB’s female dictionary. Işık Yakan Kadınlar. 4, TOBB ETÜ—Faculty of Architecture and design, Ankara (hybrid),  21 Feb. 2924.

Discussant. “Diskussionsrunde: Heirat statt homeschooling?” [Panel Discussion: Marriage Instead of Homeschooling?] Friedrich-Naumann-Stiftung für die Freiheit, Berlin (hybrid), 6 Oct. 2021.

Discussant. “Panel on the Istanbul Convention.” Feministischer Streik Leipzig, online, 5 July 2021.

Workshop Co-Coordinator. “bak.ma: Autonomous Archiving of Political Movements.” Interflugs Workshop: Autonomous Archiving: Videograms of Civil Disobedience on Non-Linear Timelines, UdK Berlin, 15-16 Nov. 2019.

Speaker. “Urban Commons – Information Commons.” Pop Up Blow Up: Urban Commons in Berlin Workshop, organized by Herkes İçin Mimarlık in collaboration with Bi’ Bak, Berlin, Nov. 2018.

Presenter. “‘Counter Reflection’: What the Police Camera Does See.” Workshop Politics from Below, TU Berlin, Institute for Social Movement Studies Berlin (ipb), Berlin, 9 July 2018.

Presenter. “Collective History Making in City Museums: Establishing Communities for Sustainability of Archival Materials.” ICOM/CAMOC Workshop: Towards a City Museum Watch, Museum of Lisbon, Lisbon, 3-4 May 2019.

Presenter. “Reconfiguration of ‘Migration’ and ‘Woman’ in a Participatory Museum Project.” ICOM/CAMOC Workshop: Migration:Cities, Frankfurt am Main, 2 June 2018.

Presenter. “Dijital Flaneur: Evimde Oturuyorum, Dünyayı Geziyorum” [Digital Flaneur: Travelling the World from Home]. Walter Benjamin: Zaman, Mekan, Hafıza, Metin Atölyesi, Istanbul,, 6-7 Jan. 2012.

Discussant. “29. Müzeler Haftası Kültür Mirası ve Müzeler Öğrenci Konferansı” [29th Museums Week, Cultural Heritage and Museums Student Conference]. İstanbul Bilgi University, İstanbul, 22 May 2010.

Speaker. “Postmodern Müzelerde Tüketim” [Consumption in Postmodern Museums]. Göcek Second Summer School of Art and Philosophy, Istanbul Technical University, Göcek, 27-30 Aug. 2008.

Discussant. “Art, Festival and Urban Transformation in the Age of Globalization Workshop.” Yıldız Technical University Globalization Center, Istanbul, 11 Dec. 2007.

#ParticipatoryCuratorship

publications

Migrant Women’s Memory Box

I coordinated and edited 4 bilingual publications in TR/GER that highlight the experiences of women immigrated from Turkey to Germany. 

These books were created in a participatory process through workshops, making sure the voices of women—often left out of migration history—are recorded.

My scholarly and professional experience in autonomous archiving and intersectional research guided effectively these publications, turning community stories into lasting records as information resources for future actions—for social impact on future research, publication, and political and daily narratives.

exhibitions

Migrant Women’s Memory Box

I curated two participatory exhibition projects with GKB-migrant women to reconfigure patriarchal stereotypes of ‘migrant’ and ‘woman,’ by opening the stage to migrant women to tell their own narratives—in the face of institutional and structural migration history in Germany:

ABC of the Federal Germany Migrant Women’s Association: A Female Dictionary: A community-built collection of entries reflecting on the association’s experiences in socio-political, economical and cultural domains. 
The World from a Female Perspective: A retrospective look at the association’s 12-year-long fighting for equal rights in Germany.  
My problem-solver embracing ALL within an intersectional feminist pedagogy approach enhanced these projects’ management into power-sharing by engaging more than 200 women in total—from different regions of the country.

explore the migrant women’s memory box project

What if goodreads were as colorful as the literature?

Redesigning the goodreads app with a “themes” option

In the realm of literature, the conventional association of reading with me-time, nature, and tranquility has often inspired designs featuring hues of green and beige and their calming tones. However, literature itself is a vibrant spectrum, from the texts within books to their colorful covers. For my inaugural individual UX/UI design project at the Iron Hack BootCamp, I’ve opted to redesign the well-known native mobile app goodreads. This case study unfolds the journey of the vibrant “pop mode” I envisioned for goodreads.

read the full case study

gradmindfull: Empower your academic journey with like-minded people

Discover a holistic approach to student wellness that fosters productivity, creativity, and self-care within a supportive community — all within a single, intuitive iOS app tailored exclusively for students.

In today’s fast-paced world, where physical and mental well-being have gained paramount importance, the need for wellness apps is more apparent than ever. While many such apps offer guidance on exercise, sleep, and mindfulness, there’s a distinct gap when it comes to catering to the unique challenges faced by students. Enter gradmindfull: the all-in-one solution designed to help students relax, feel empowered, and succeed in their academic journey alongside like-minded peers. This case study unravels the story of my varied roles throughout the product design process, which I undertook for my solo UX/UI design project at the Iron Hack BootCamp.

read the full case study

Rediscovering Tranquility: Crafting a Digital Façade for El molí de Can Aulet

Engaging with Nature in UX/UI Design for Rural Tourism

Nestled in the serene embrace of Montseny, El molí de Can Aulet unfolds a story of tranquility, offering rustic cabins that whisper tales of nature’s beauty. Join us on a journey through the digital realms, as we reimagine the Mill’s (El molí de Can Aulet) online façade to echo the essence of “enjoy nature” and redefine rural tourism. This is the case study of our second group project assigned at the Iron Hack, Berlin-UX/UI Design bootcamp.

read the full case study
socıal medıa engagement
view my portfolio as pdf
about me

resume*

2022/23 Mercator-IPC Fellow at Sabancı University, Istanbul Policy Center, Sept 2022 – Aug 2023

Researcher at DaMigra e.V. (the Umbrella Organization of Migrant Women’s Self-Organizations in Germany), May 2019 – Sep 2022

Coordinator and Curator (Freelancer) at the Historical Museum Frankfurt, June 2014 – May 2023

Business Development Projects (Digital Marketing) at Pera Museum, Istanbul, Jan 2010 – Feb 2012

PhD | IGK—Berlin-New York, Toronto—Center for Metropolitan Studies, TU-Berlin, DFG Doctoral Fellow § TU Compilation Fellow, May 2015 – Feb 2021

Visiting Scholar | City University of New York, CUNY, Digital Humanities, DFG Fellow, Sept – Dec 2016

M.A. | Koç University, Istanbul, Anatolian Civilizations and Cultural Heritage Management, Koç University Fellow, Sept 2007 – Jan 2010

B.A. | Galatasaray University, Istanbul, Sociology, Sept 2003 – June 2007

scholarships

Mercator Stiftung – Istanbul Policy Center, Sabancı University, Fellowship, September 2022-August 2023

Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG), Doctoral Research Fellowship, May 2015-April 2018

Vehbi Koç Foundation, Koç University, Anatolian Civilizations and Cultural Heritage Management, M.A. Program, Full Fellowship, 2007-2009

European Commission, Erasmus Exchange Program Fellowship, Sept. 2005- Feb. 2006

grants

DA BIN ICH: Ehe-unabhängiger Aufenthaltstitel für von häuslicher Gewalt betroffenen Migrant:innen (HERE I AM: Residence Permit Independent from the Husband for Migrant Women Affected by the Domestic Violence), Workshop with the Federal German Migrant Women’s Association, Frauenreferat Frankfurt, October – November, 2022

CAMOC Annual Conference, Travel Grant, 2023

Technische Universität Berlin, Doctoral Research Completion Grant, May – October 2018

CUNY (City University of New York)—Visiting Scholar, DFG-TU Berlin-IGK, September – December 2016

CAMOC Annual Conference, Travel Grant, CAMOC, 2019

CAMOC Annual Conference, Travel Grant, DFG-TU Berlin-IGK, 2015

tools

  • Microsoft
  • Google Workspace
  • Slack
  • Canva
  • Figma
  • Notion
  • WordPRess
  • InDesign

soft skills

  • Digital culture passionate
  • User-centric critical
  • Solution-oriented
  • Intellectually curious
  • Thinking out of the box
  • Persistent

Language Skills

  • Turkish: Native
  • English: Mastery
  • German: Professional
  • French: Professional

memberships

Müzecilik Meslek Kuruluşu Derneği (the Museum Professionals Association in Turkey), MMKD, Co-Founder

ICOM (the International Council of Museums), Independent Member

CAMOC (the International Committee for the Collections and Activities of Museums of Cities) / ICOM, Independent Member

certificates

WordPress Installation

UX/UI Design

MuseumPlus Grundlagen

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