Academics from various disciplines and universities in Ankara founded Türkiye Kültür Araştırmaları Grubu (Group for Cultural Studies in Turkey) in 1999 as an attempt to institutionalize cultural studies in Turkey. Five of its founding members were Bilkent faculty, Gülriz Büken (HIST), Talat Halman (EDEB), Emine Onaran İncirlioğlu (LAUD), Gönül Pultar (ELIT), and Himmet Umunç (ELIT)

. Cultural Studies, a discipline established in the late 20th century, examines social and cultural phenomena in a political context. As an interdisciplinary academic endeavor, cultural studies incorporates themes, theories and methods borrowed from a multitude of disciplines including art, anthropology, political science, linguistics, and philosophy.

The Group for Cultural Studies in Turkey organizes monthly meetings, including discussions and debates at Bilkent University on topics of research in and about Turkey and Turks. It also produces a quarterly newsletter, Bülten, and is expecting to publish its first academic journal, Yeni Yaklaşımlar in the fall 2001. For detailed information about the group’s activities, visit the website, http://www.cstgroup.org. Participation of students and faculty at all levels is welcome. Write to program@cstgroup.org, or call ext. 2044 to get involved.