In this British Institute at Ankara (BIAA) online lecture. Gönül Bozoğlu (Newcastle University) discusses the heritage of the Greek (Rum) communities of Istanbul, who like almost everyone in Turkey, suffered much during the 20th century. The Rum population in Istanbul is now drastically reduced, but it is still vibrant, and there are diaspora communities in Greece – particularly in Athens. But these communities have little recognition in official heritage and are now ageing, with the consequent risk of a loss of heritage and memory. In her ethnographic research, Gönül Bozoğlu seeks to understand Rum memory cultures and to remediate this through a digital memory map and film that aims to become a community resource, and to create platforms to promote wider historical awareness of this little-known history.
Gönül Bozoğlu is a Leverhulme postdoctoral Research Fellow at Newcastle University, UK. She undertakes research across heritage and museum studies, often combining anthropological methods with digital practice and filmmaking. She is currently writing a book about the heritage and memory cultures of the Greek communities of Istanbul.
Introducing the speaker is Ayhan Kaya, director of the European Institute in the Department of International Relations at İstanbul Bilgi University, and author of several works on migration and integration in Europe.
Issue 66, December 2023
Turkey’s Centenary Issue
