Requem for a Normal Turkey!

In Turkey, for most of the people in my generation, who were born in 1980’s, it is very hard to understand and analyze what is happening in Turkey at the moment. Are we threatened by political Islam? Are we going to become Iran? Is a new military coup coming up? And the most important question: [...]

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Fitna: Stuck Between Propagand and Prejudice

Have you seen the movie Fitna? Before reading this, please watch it. Because it is not to be understood just by thoughts but also feelings. Dutch PM Geert Wilders claims to have made it. That makes me wonder what kind of work has he put in it. It seems to be done in half a [...]

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Reflections on International Summer School on Religion and Public Life

Is it Possible to Change?
For about two months ago, at the end of a mind-spinning India trip, I had to join a group of people whom all come from different countries, identities, boundaries, religions and looks for two weeks. Meeting people at conferences, having casual/ intellectual conversations were probably things we all do frequently. Living [...]

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Surveyourselfwhenyougetboredology

MOUTHOLOGY
Q. What is your salad dressing of choice?
A. blue cheese
Q. What is your favorite fast food restaurant?
A. Kuştepe Aliment
Q. What is your favorite sit-down restaurant?
A. The Vegeterian Place in Taksim called Parsifal, makes me think that I might become one soon…
Q. On average, what size tip do you leave at a restaurant?
A. Depends [...]

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Power of Everyday Life: Never ending Resistance in Palestine

 

Originally published on Todays Zaman, 25 February, 2007
An ordinary day for West Bank, four locals and three foreigners are trying to go to Jenin from Nablus. Three guys in the minibus get off right before the check point and get back on 10 minutes later from the opposite direction. I have no idea what’s going [...]

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Making a Difference in Palestine

 
 
 
Originally published on Turkish Daily News, 23 February, 2007
A rose garden surrounded by barbed wire… A nation stuck in the middle of anger and patience…A country has been under occupation just for so long…
I was in the West Bank for the last ten days to see what is actually going on there. I am not [...]

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A Special Evening with the Pope

In time of Islamophobia, “clash of civilizations” and urgent need for dialogue after all, Pope’s visit to Turkey was critical both for Turkey and the rest of the world. Although I rose quite prejudice against Pope Benedict XVI after his speech at Regensburg University in Germany, I still wanted to see him and think about [...]

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Daily Life in Iraq: Before and After the War

Wednesday , 04 October 2006 (published on Turkish Weekly Journal)
The 9th International 1001 Documentary Film Festival started on 29th September 2006 in Istanbul. There are 127 films under 12 subtitles including the Middle East, Portraits, Cultures, and various country profiles such as Poland, Finland and Bangladesh, etc. The screenings take place at the Ataturk Cultural [...]

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Palestine Diary: Part 4

5 August 2006, Nablus
Yesterday I got up early in the morning and went to the Notre Dame building that belongs to the Vatican for a conversation with a group consisting of rabbis and priests defending human rights. First, we watched a documentary about a Palestinian village where Beduins live, which was destroyed by Israeli soldiers and [...]

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Palestine Diary: Part 3

1 August 2006, Jerusalem
           
I went back to Bir Zeit University the next morning, to bid goodbye to everyone I know. I first found the camp coordinator Gadah, she said, “You couldn’t even visit my house, I was going to cook for you!” and I could just say, “Next year I will, hopefully”.Both of our [...]

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