Ekrem Eddy Güzeldere
Kurdish Politics and Newroz 2011
Newroz, the Kurdish (and Persian) New Year, has always had political overtones. This year Newroz happened to fall right in the middle of campaigning for the Turkish national elections, to be held on 12 June 2011.
Vakifli – Antioch
The Republic of Turkey was founded in 1923. However, one region, the most Southern province of Hatay only joined in 1939, bringing with it a diverse population, an unusually successful multi-culturalism (Arab-Sunni, Arab-Alevi, Arab-Orthodox, Turkmen and Turks) and a very rich rich history.
Afro-Turks
In the late 19th century the slave trade from Africa towards the Ottoman Empire “boomed”. Most slaves came from Kenya and Sudan and arrived in Western Anatolia. Previously Ottoman slaves had been white from the Balkans and the Caucasus. After abolition, slaves slowly integrated into Turkish society but Afro-Turkish communities exist to this day.
Turkey – Two Steps Forward?
The referendum campaign run this summer on constitutional changes, actually heralded the beginning of the campaign for the 2011 general elections. Soccer wisdom says that “after the match is before the next match” and this seems to fit well with the current political situation in Turkey.
Akhtamar Island
On 19 September 2010 for the first time in 95 years, Armenian Christians celebrated a mass at the Holy Cross Church on Akhtamar Island near Van in south-eastern Turkey. The event marked another small step forward in the process of reconciliation between Turkey and Armenia.
Women in Turkey
What is the situation of women in Turkey? Are they profiting from legislation in a “post-patriarchal” legal system or suffering from cruel traditions? There are examples for both, but the overall ranking in the World Economic Forum’s global “gender gap” remains poor, 129th out of 134.
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