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76459-01 - Seminar: Folklore and National Identity in Turkey (3 CP)
| Semester | fall semester 2025 |
| Course frequency | Once only |
| Lecturers | Hasan Münüsoglu (hasan.munusoglu@unibas.ch, Assessor) |
| Content | The relationship between the emergence of folklore and the construction of national identity has been the subject of extensive research. Nation-states, shaped through political processes, have strategically employed folklore to foster social cohesion and reinforce a shared cultural heritage. Similarly, in the formation of modern Turkey, folklore has been utilized as a tool to imagine a shared cultural identity. The transition from the Ottoman Empire to the Republic of Turkey was marked by nationalist ideological shifts, which played a decisive role in shaping folklore. This process often disregarded the multi-ethnic and multicultural composition of Anatolia. Since the adoption of the Convention for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage at the 2003 UNESCO Conference, folklore studies in Turkey have increasingly focused on intangible cultural heritage. This course will examine Turkish folklore studies through an anthropological approach, analyzing their intersections with national identity, nationalism, and cultural representation. 1. Introduction and Scope of the Course 2. Modernity, Politics, and Folklore 3. In Search of a National Identity: The Emergence of Folklore 4. The Legacy from the Empire to the Republic: Türk Ocakları, Halkevleri, and Folklore Studies 5. Race and Culture: The Establishment of Anthropology, Institutionalization, and Folklore 6. Institutionalizing Folklore: Pertev Naili Boratav and the Liquidation of Leftist Professors 7. Folklore under the Framework of Ethnology: The Case of the Faculty of Language, History, and Geography 8. Folklore Journals in Turkey: Türk Folklor Araştırmaları, Milli Folklor, Folklor/Edebiyat 9. Reconstructing Turkish Folklore: Intangible Cultural Heritage 10. Turkish Folklore Congresses: A Critical Evaluation 11. Folklore in Tourism and the Question of Authenticity 12. Folklore Museums and the Representation of Identity 13. The Outsiders: Where Do Ethnic Groups Stand in Turkish Folklore? 14. Folklore Studies in Turkish Universities in the 21st Century |
| Learning objectives | - Analyze the emergence and institutionalization of folklore as a discipline within the context of Turkish intellectual history. - Critically evaluate the role of folklore in shaping and reinforcing national identity discourses. - Assess the strategic uses of folklore in modern Turkey with reference to cultural policy, education, and popular culture. |
| Bibliography | Öztürkmen, A. 1998. Türkiye’de folklor ve milliyetçilik, İletişim Yayınları, İstanbul. Birkalan-Gedik, H. 2021. “Folklore “Outside” the academe: tracking and critically reassessing folklore knowledge in Turkey 1950s–1980s” Cultura Analysis, Vol. 19.2, s. 101-129. Aykan B. 2015 “‘Patenting’ Karagöz: UNESCO, nationalism and multinational intangible heritage”, International Journal of Heritage Studies vol. 21, no. 10. s.949-961. Ben-Amos, D. 1971. “Toward a definition of folklore in context” The Journal of American Folklore, vol. 84, no.331, s.3-15. Dundes, A. 1971. “Folk ideas as a unites of worldview” The Journal of American Folklore, vol. 84, no.331, s.3-15. Kartarı, A. 2014. The Culture and Education Policies and the Cultural Sciences in Turkey, Ethnologia Balkanica, vol. 17. S.283-296. Örnek, S. V. 1977. Türk halkbilimi, Türkiye İş Bankası Kültür Yayınları, Ankara. |
| Language of instruction | German |
| Use of digital media | No specific media used |
| Interval | Weekday | Time | Room |
|---|---|---|---|
| wöchentlich | Thursday | 10.15-12.00 | Maiengasse, Raum 104 |
Dates
| Date | Time | Room |
|---|---|---|
| Thursday 18.09.2025 | 10.15-12.00 | Maiengasse, Raum 104 |
| Thursday 25.09.2025 | 10.15-12.00 | Maiengasse, Raum 104 |
| Thursday 02.10.2025 | 10.15-12.00 | Maiengasse, Raum 104 |
| Thursday 09.10.2025 | 10.15-12.00 | Maiengasse, Raum 104 |
| Thursday 16.10.2025 | 10.15-12.00 | Maiengasse, Raum 104 |
| Thursday 23.10.2025 | 10.15-12.00 | Maiengasse, Raum 104 |
| Thursday 30.10.2025 | 10.15-12.00 | Maiengasse, Raum 104 |
| Thursday 06.11.2025 | 10.15-12.00 | Maiengasse, Raum 104 |
| Thursday 13.11.2025 | 10.15-12.00 | Maiengasse, Raum 104 |
| Thursday 20.11.2025 | 10.15-12.00 | Maiengasse, Raum 104 |
| Thursday 27.11.2025 | 10.15-12.00 | Maiengasse, Raum 104 |
| Thursday 04.12.2025 | 10.15-12.00 | Maiengasse, Raum 104 |
| Thursday 11.12.2025 | 10.15-12.00 | Maiengasse, Raum 104 |
| Thursday 18.12.2025 | 10.15-12.00 | Maiengasse, Raum 104 |
| Modules |
Modul: Fortgeschrittene Nahoststudien (Bachelor's degree subject: Near & Middle Eastern Studies) Modul: Themen der Near & Middle Eastern Studies (Master's degree subject: Near & Middle Eastern Studies) Module: Migration, Mobility and Transnationalism (Master's degree program: Changing Societies: Migration – Conflicts – Resources) |
| Assessment format | continuous assessment |
| Assessment details | The seminar follows a lecture and discussion-based format. Students will receive a syllabus and a selection of required readings relevant to the course topics. To benefit fully from the seminar, students are expected to complete the assigned readings in advance and actively participate in discussions. Participation in both the lectures and discussions will be considered in the final evaluation (Pass/Fail). |
| Assessment registration/deregistration | Reg.: course registration; dereg.: not required |
| Repeat examination | no repeat examination |
| Scale | Pass / Fail |
| Repeated registration | no repetition |
| Responsible faculty | Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences, studadmin-philhist@unibas.ch |
| Offered by | Fachbereich Nahost-Studien |