Gezi Park protests
All topics-
Research project into "spaces of participation"
Hubs of political protest
From Casablanca to Manama, from Cairo to Istanbul: coffee shops, youth clubs mosques and public areas all play an important role in modern protest movements. A research project at the Centre for Modern Oriental Studies (ZMO) in Berlin is now taking a closer look at such spaces of resistance and hope. By Jannis Hagmann
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Istanbul's Kazova textile co-operative
Fighting on alone
Kazova, a textile firm that began production in 1947 but went out of business in January 2013, is about to re-open as a workers' co-operative. The 11 men and women who want to relaunch Kazova following the conclusion of the legal proceedings relating to the closure of the factory have a motto: "production without a boss". They were inspired by the spirit of Gezi. By Ekrem Guzeldere
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Interview with Turkish composer Tolga Yayalar
Inspired by the sound of Gezi
Turkish composer Tolga Yayalar was inspired by the sounds of the 2013 Gezi Park protests when composing his work "Tableaux Vivants d'une Résistance", which was performed recently for the first time by the Bilkent Youth Symphony Orchestra at the Beethovenfest in Bonn. Adelheid Feilcke spoke to the composer
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The "Museum of Crimes of Thought"
Novel weapon in the fight for freedom of expression
The people behind the recently launched online "Museum of Thought Crimes" hope to raise awareness of the suppression of freedom of speech and the persecution of intellectuals in Turkey and beyond. Ceyda Nurtsch talked to one of the project's initiators, Sanar Yurdatapan
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World music from Istanbul: Light in Babylon
Ambassadors of peace
The band Light in Babylon plays world music from Istanbul. They came to fame on the streets of the megacity and are now playing at international festivals. Ceyda Nurtsch talked to singer Michal about the Istanbul vibe
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Turkey's new president
Where to now, President Erdogan?
Following his recent victory in Turkey's presidential election, Recep Tayyip Erdogan announced plans to pursue the process of democratisation in Turkey and the nation's efforts to join the EU. But his political opponents say all he's really interested in is the consolidation of his own power and the conservative-Islamic restoration of Turkey. An essay by Cemal Karakas
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Interview with Turkish author Murathan Mungan
"Politics needs a new language"
Murathan Mungan is one of Turkey's most famous authors. His works deal with topics such as the Kurdish conflict, political Islam and gender issues. Ceyda Nurtsch spoke to him about language, identity and political resistance
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Book review: "Embers" by Murat Uyurkulak
The oddballs of Ominosia
The Turkish writer Murat Uyurkulak's novel "Glut" (roughly translatable as "Embers") is a socially critical allegory of his homeland. Although not available in English, it has recently been published in German translation. Ceyda Nurtsch reports on a book that to the astonishment of its author has escaped the sharp eye of the censors in Turkey
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Erdogan elected president of Turkey
What Erdogan did next
Election results can bring political stability. In the case of Turkey, however, Erdogan's election as president is likely to bring the country the exact opposite: some serious domestic political conflicts are now on the cards. A commentary by Omer Erzeren in Istanbul
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A literary anthology of the Gezi protests
Gezi lives!
In "Gezi – A Literary Anthology", a volume of essays that was recently published in German, 19 Turkish authors and a photographer reflect on the motivation and dynamics of the Gezi movement. By Astrid Kaminski
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Portrait of the Turkish writer Emrah Serbes
"Politics is made on the street by the people"
The young author Emrah Serbes is regarded as the "enfant terrible" of Turkish literature. Not only is he one of the most popular authors in Turkey: since the protests in Gezi Park last summer and his active participation in the resistance, many now seen him as the "writer and voice of the people". Ceyda Nurtsch met him at a reading in Berlin
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Interview with Thomas Ostermeier
"An Enemy of the People" in Istanbul
Thomas Ostermeier is the artistic director of the Berlin Schaubühne and one of the most creative figures among the younger generation of German theatre directors. His productions are incisive and provocative – something he demonstrated again recently at this year's theatre festival in Istanbul with Henrik Ibsen's play "An Enemy of the People". He spoke to Anna Esser