We look forward to departing for Turkey very soon!

This website has been updated to help you make final preparations for your trip. Please review thoroughly.

Trip Overview & Objectives

On this special Global Travel Study program to Turkey, designed exclusively for Knight-Hennessy Scholars and led by Professor Ayça Alemdaroğlu, we will examine three themes:

• Politics of history: Turkey is a land with an incredible wealth of history and heritage. How have Turkey's recent governments approached preserving this history? What are the uses and abuses of this heritage in the current political climate? How do present political contentions over national identity shape this history? What of the marginalized groups that are also a part of Turkey's story? We will discuss these questions as we visit Istanbul's important heritage sites.

• Urban political ecology: Nearly 80 percent of Turkey's population lives in cities. Istanbul, the country's most populous city and cultural and financial hub, has witnessed tremendous change due to megaprojects with destructive ecological and social effects. We will meet with representatives from civil society organizations doing work to address issues of urban change, inequality, and the environment.

• Politics of resistance: Learn how activists and grassroots organizations work to defend human rights and support minorities, women, and refugees. 

Our itinerary takes place mostly in and around the dynamic city of Istanbul. We'll get a chance to visit monumental structures, such as the Hagia Sophia, which has served as both a church and a mosque, and experience the incredible mix of cultures, history, and food. On two days of the program, we’ll head west to the coastal city of Çanakkale on the Dardanelles Strait. In addition, we will engage in conversations with leaders and community members throughout the program to hear their experiences and struggles in Turkey's current economic and political environment.