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

Hi, I’m Elif, a sociologist with a PhD in [digital] humanities, specialized in data-driven information production. 

My work brings together research, (digital) content creation/curation, and public dissemination by applying a 360-degree data-driven information production approach. It’s a methodology transforming data into authentic narratives, delivered across multiple mediums, and tailored for diverse audiences—both digital and non-digital.

read more about me

elif çiğdem artan, phd

about me

portfolio*

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about me

portfolio*

view my portfolio as dynamic pdf
#SelectedProjects

sociology :: digital humanities :: inclusion

scholarly and professional background
in museology, urban studies, migration, and gender

2022/23 Mercator-IPC Fellowship
Documenting Turkey’s Withdrawal from the Istanbul Convention and Discussing This Decision’s Potential for EU Member States

In this project, I analyzed Turkey’s decision to withdraw from the Istanbul Convention, a major international treaty on preventing violence against women from an intersectional perspective along with the transnational feminist policies. I explored how this decision impacts gender policies, not only in Turkey but also in the European Union.

The project resulted in:

  • A research paper: Law No. 6284 in Practice After Withdrawing from the Istanbul Convention
  • A video interview series on YouTube: Geography is Not Destiny: Turkey’s Story with the Istanbul Convention
read more about the project
anti-racist feminist policy-making
Expertise on the comprehensive implementation of the Istanbul Convention in Germany from an intersectional perspective

At DaMigra-Berlin, I focused on how racism and gender-based violence intersect in Germany. My work centered on analyzing the implementation of the Istanbul Convention from an intersectional feminist perspective. I also conceptualized public events, facilitated workshops, and represented member organizations at various state and organizational gatherings.

I co-authored:

  • Numerous short-surveys, including their analysis, and policy-papers, reports, and social media content.
  • Digital Violence Postcard in 11 Languages
  • The DaMigra-GREVIO Shadow Report
  • The Bündnis-Istanbul-Konvention Alternative Report
read more about the project
participatory curatorship
Migrant Women’s Memory Box

As part of the Library of Generations at the Historical Museum Frankfurt, the Federal Germany Migrant Women’s Memory Box—I coordinated and curated the participatory museum project to empower migrant women to become authors of their own stories.

The memory box includes:

  • Original publications
  • Participatory exhibition materials
  • Chore-Recording
  • Print and digital materials
read more about the project
DFG Doctoral Fellowship
The Future of the Present: Autonomous Archiving of Activist Videos

My doctoral research explored how activist videos document human rights violations and shape collective visual memory. I studied the born-digital materials from the #Occupy movements in New York and Istanbul to analyze the role of autonomous archiving in challenging traditional history writing.

The key discussions:

  • Activist videos  as storyteller of resistance
  • Ethical debates in video activism
  • Non-linear and non-authoritarian history-writing
read more about the project

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. 

“Museum Hack Rehberli Turlarıyla Müzeler Bir Harika Dostum!” [Museums Are Awesome with Museum Hack Tours]. Genç Sanat, no. 237, Apr. 2015, 34-37. 

“Bir Ziyaretçi Sorusu: Katılımcı Müzecilik” [A Visitor Question: Participatory Museology]. Genç Sanat, no. 233, Jan. 2015, pp. 20-23.

“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.

theoretical and data-driven Discussions
on History-Writing, Gender Equality,
and Inclusive Museums

“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.

#SelectedTalks

advocacy, memory, and storytelling

Participatory Practices

My curatorial practice brings together academic research, policy- making, and creative collaboration to co-produce information with marginalized communities.

From autonomous archiving in my doctoral research to intersectional policy advocacy at DaMigra and the empowerment of (HER)story through the Migrant Women’s Memory Box, my understanding of participatory curatorship challenges authoritarian narratives that exclude experiences of marginalized communities from collective memory.

These projects particularly emphasize the social impact of working with local communities, centering ethical storytelling and inclusive project design grounded in the principles of equality and diversity

ABC of Migrant Women’s Association:
A Female Dictionary

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World from a Female Perspective!

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participatory exhibition

“World from Female Perspective!” IG Metall-Haus, Berlin, 13 July – 8 September 2017.

Participatory Pop-Up Exhibition

“ABC of Migrant Women Association: A Female Dictionary,” ARTIST Fair, Istanbul, 12-20 November 2016

— Historical Museum Frankfurt, Frankfurt am Main, 28 June 2016

— 8th of March Fairs of Berlin- MigrantinnenVerein e.V., Berlin, 8 March 2016

— 10th Anniversary Festival of Bundesverband der Migrantinnen e.V., Cologne, 28 November 2015

Publications

“Freundscahftsbuch (friendship book),” Bundesverband der Migrantinnen e.V., Bibliothek der Alten, at the Historical Museum Frankfurt, 2023

— “Kurzgeschichtebuch (short stories),”

— “1-Jahre-Dokumentation (1-year documentation),”

— “Chorbuch (choire book).”

What if goodreads were as colorful
as the literature?

Redesigning the goodreads app with a “themes” option

#CaseStudy

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 on my Medium-page

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.

#CaseStudy

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 on my Medium-page

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

Engaging with Nature in UX/UI Design for Rural Tourism

#CaseStudy

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 on my Medium-page
MY approach

360-degree data-driven information production

Consider using this if you need to provide more context on why you do what you do. Be engaging. Focus on delivering value to your visitors.

Crafting the digital identity of a theatre play in tune with the neoliberal culture industry

NihayeTTiyatro, an independent theater company based in Istanbul, actively uses Instagram to promote their upcoming performances. However, increasing the post-frequency was not increasing their visibility. The most commonly received feedback was that the images don’t reflect the tale told in the play’s story.

read the full case study

@muzededrama

1-year-activities documentation

@muzededrama, an Istanbul-based museum education institution, inspired by my annual review 2024 Instagram post and DMed me to collaborate.

read the full case study

converting a blog post into an social media content

Recreation of a Medium post as an Instagram carousel facilitating the communication of core ideas to broader audiences by increasing accessibility and reach.

read the full case study

@museumbuzzy

1-year-activities-documentation

Highlights of my scholarly and professional production, along with my personal life.

read the full case study
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, Mai 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

@museumbuzzy

let’s work together!

explore my services
and discover how we match!

  • Storytelling Improvement

    Unlocking your narrative voice, enhancing your writing, and shaping compelling, user-centered stories for research, UX projects, and communication.

  • Moderation

    Designing thoughtful questions and guiding discussions that foster inclusive, engaging, and thought-provoking dialogue.

  • Teaching

    Lecturing on the neoliberal culture industry at the intersection of self-broadcasting, fame culture, influencer economy, digital behavior, and Gen-Z.

  • Public Speaking

    Delivering guest lectures and talks on museology, digital culture, migration, urban studies, and gender in diverse forums.

  • Community Management

    Fostering and maintaining meaningful online/offline communities around your ideas, projects, or social causes.

  • Participatory Curatorship

    Developing research-based exhibitions that involve communities as co-authors and co-curators in content creation.

@museumbuzzy

DM me

for your further questions
and collaboration requests