Dr. Evgeni R. Radushev of the Department of History and Göksel Baş, a PhD candidate in the department, have published a new book, titled “Early Ottoman Military and Administrative Order in the Balkans: A Muster Roll of the Voynuk Corps (Defter-i Esâmî-i Voynugân) in the Western Balkans From 1487.” The book was recently released by the Hungarian Academy of Sciences Research Center for the Humanities.The voynuk military organization was established as the Ottomans advanced into the Balkans. Historical tradition dates it to the reign of Murad I (1362–1389). The Ottoman survey register published in the book reveals the exact number of voynuks in a strategically important region for the Ottoman offensive in the western Balkans and thus has the potential to help researchers better understand the early military and administrative order in Ottoman Rumelia.

The annual History of Turkey award ceremony took place on Monday, November 18 in C-Block Auditorium. The awards were presented to students whose projects were judged the best of the 2018–2019 academic year.

History of Turkey (HIST200) is a required course for all Bilkent University undergraduate students. The course is designed to encourage students to work in groups, researching any topic of their choice relating to the history of Turkey. Since 2011, students from all departments have presented final projects based on their research topics, each of which sheds light on a specific area of Turkish history. These projects are then examined by a committee from Bilkent University, with those judged most successful being chosen to receive awards at the beginning of the following academic year.

This year’s ceremony, during which the 2018–2019 award recipients presented their projects, was attended by members of the university administration and faculty, undergraduate students and their families, and other guests.

2018-2019 HIST200 Awards

First Prize: “Rumkuş’tan Erenkuş’a: Atatürk’ün Manevi Çocuklarından Erenkuş Ersan’ın Hayatı”

Ezgi Çırpanlı (ARCH), Gaye Gül Ersan (MAN), Buket Gürbüz (ARCH), Aslı Taş (CHEM), Gökçe Tekin (ARCH)

Second Prize:

“İlkleri Kucaklayan Bir Yaşam: İlk Türk Kadın Dekan ve Astronom Nüzhet Gökdoğan’ın Hayatı”

Yiğit Bacanlı (MAN), Batuhan Gelgi (CS), Aleyna Gürbüz (PSYC), Muzaffer Yasin Köktürk (CS), İsmail Şahal (CS)

“Cumhuriyet’in Öncü Kadını: İlk Türk Kadın Doktorumuz Safiye Ali”

Elifsu Baş (ECON), İdil Erol (COMD), Seray Yalaz (IR), Yiğit Yaman (ME), Taylan Bartu Yoran (CS)

Third Prize: “Türkiye’de Sürmene Bıçakçılığının Gelişimi ve Değişimi”

Saadet Belin Atabey (PSYC), İpek Hadim (PHIL), Zeliha Oğuz (PSYC), Ece İpek Saruhan (PHYS), Burcu Yıldız (ECON)

Merit Awards:

“1989 Bulgaristan Göçü ve Yerliliğin İnşası: Osman Dönmez’in Göç Tecrübesi”

Demir Akyüz (ECON), Onur Dönmez (MAN), Reha Berk İstekli (ECON), H. Furkan Karaman (TRIN), Göksel Temizer (EE)

“Cumalıkızık Köyü”

Melisa Ballı (IR), Zeynep Çakır (ARCH), Deniz Gürbüz (IR), Fulya Tolunay (IAED), Zeynep Tunç (IR)

“1950’lerden 2000’lere Faroz Mahallesi”

Oğuzhan Akkoyun (PSYC), Ece Demran (COMD), Ayşe Segenay Kerimoğlu (LAW), İdil Deniz Öz (LAW), Nesli Türker (LAW)

“Kore Siperlerinden Meclis Sandalyelerine: Bir Subayın Yaşam Öyküsü”

Berke Oğuz (CS), Ömer Faruk Oflaz (CS), Abdullah Emir Öztürk (EE), Halil İbrahim Şirin (ME), Mümin Türkyılmaz (ME)

“Çağdaş Türk Eğitim Sisteminin Öncülerinden Bir Deha: İlk Doktoralı Türk Matematikçi Kerim Erim”

Oğulcan Arslantekin (ECON), Işık Zeynep Cebe (ECON), Muhammed Naci Dalkıran (CS), Ayşegül Gökçe (CS), Ömer Faruk Kayar (CS)

“Uzaklarda Bir Türk Okulu: Kore’deki Ankara Okulu”

Fatma İdil Aldı (ME), Nesrin Aydoğan (ARCH), Berk Ebcim (IR), Berk Ender (IE), Ece Totan (PSYC)

On November 9 Bilkent University hosted an international workshop, “Sailing to Byzantium: Insular and Coastal Urban Spaces in the Medieval Eastern Mediterranean,” which brought together historians and archaeologists from several Turkish and Italian universities. The event was organized by the Bilkent Department of History in collaboration with the Italian Cultural Institute and with the support of the Italian ambassador to Turkey, Luigi Mattiolo, who, along with Department of History Acting Chair David Thornton, delivered opening remarks.

The workshop focused on the development of the insular world and the coastal realities of the medieval Mediterranean. This was a period that witnessed the transition from the unified Mare Nostrum of the Romans to a “Great Sea” divided among different cultures and religions. Salvatore Cosentino (University of Bologna) explored the vital role of Byzantine islands in the Middle Ages, while Enrico Zanini (University of Siena), Macid Tekinalp (Hacettepe University) and Matthew Harpster (Koç University) presented the recent results of the archaeological missions in Gortyn, Arykanda and Amalfi. Finally, Luca Zavagno, Nathan Liedholm and Scott Kennedy (Bilkent University) analyzed the importance of urban coastal insular sites as well as the role played by their inhabitants, in particular intellectuals such as Bessarion and military commanders such as Çaka Bey, in the political and cultural history of the Mediterranean.

The annual History of Turkey award ceremony took place on Monday, October 15 in C-Block Auditorium. The awards were presented to students whose projects were judged the best of the 2017–2018 academic year.

History of Turkey (HIST200) is a required course for all Bilkent University undergraduate students. The course is designed to encourage students to work in groups, researching any topic of their choice relating to the history of Turkey. Since 2011 students from all departments have presented final projects based on their research topics, each of which sheds light on a specific area of Turkish history. These projects are then examined by a committee from Bilkent University, with those judged most successful being chosen to receive awards at the beginning of the following academic year.

This year’s ceremony, during which the 2017-2018 award recipients presented their projects, was attended by members of the university administration and faculty, undergraduate students and their families, and other guests.

2017-2018 HIST 200 Awards

First Prize winner team

First Prize: “Kurtuluş Savaşı’nın Unutulmuş Kalesi: Ziraat Mektebi”

Mert Arar (ECON), Onur Barış Demirci (ARCH), Onur Öztuna (ECON), Sait Berk Saatçi (ECON)

Second Prize: “Yetimlere Cenneti Sunan Yer: Kamp Armen”

Serhat Ciritci (IE), Altay Dalkılıç (ECON), Can Aybalık (CS), Mustafa Çağrı Güngör (CS), Alperen Can (CS)

Third Prize: “Ankara Birlik Tiyatrosu”

Ahmet Yaşar (LAW), Çağatay Kuyucu (LAW), Dorukan Kartal (BF), Mert Gündoğan (IR), Nur Safa Gündüz (LAW)

Merit Awards:

“Çağının Ötesinde Bir Okul: İsmet Paşa Kız Enstitüsü (1928-1969)”

İrem Yüksel (POLS), Billur Güven (IR), Berçem Canlı (IE), Batuhan Kaplan (EE), Hakan Yenel (MAN)

“Milli Mücadelede Bir Stratejik Üs: Malıköy Tren İstasyonu”

İrem Aslan (LAW), Baran Burgaz Ayaz (MAN), Batuhan Uygun (LAW), Başak Oflaz (ECON), Kaan Güner Alkan (ECON)

“Küçük Bir İhmalin Büyük Sonucu:

Büyük Gerze Yangını”

Beyza Alkış (IE), Ekin Deniz Savrum (IR), Esra Zeynep Şenel (IE), Ece Tuğlacı (PSYC), Elif Su Günen (LAW)

“Hüseyinova Velieva Ailesinin 1951 Yılında Bulgaristan’ın Glodjevo Köyü’nden Türkiye’ye Göç Hikayesi”

Emel Yavuzyaşar (ECON), Hale Özen (IR), İrem Yalçın (POLS), Ömer Faruk Helli (IR), Simge İrem İzgördü (PSYC)

“Trabzon’a Adanmış Bir Ömür: Suat Oyman’ın Hayatı”

İlkay Nadir (LAW), Ezgi Uysal (LAW), Ömer Hüroğlu (MAN), İlayda Şenyüz (MBG), Güzey Şıkman (COMD)

“Türkiye’nin İlk Kadın Mimarı: Leman Cevat Tomsu”

Aleyna Ateş (IAED), Eren İbrahim Küçük (IAED), Öykü Su Ökkan (ARCH), Selim Can Gülsever (CS), Gözde Hisarcıklılar (ECON)

“1951 Bulgaristan Göçü ve Varlık Mahallesi”

İpek Kökeş (TRIN), Özge Tutar (TRIN), Göktuğ Çebi (ME), Berkay Yazıcıoğlu (EE), Onur Kağan Coşkun (EE)

The annual History of Turkey award ceremony took place on Wednesday, October 18 in C-Block Auditorium. The awards were presented to students whose projects were judged the best of the 2016–2017 academic year.

History of Turkey (HIST200) is a compulsory course for all Bilkent University undergraduate students. The course is designed to encourage students to work in groups researching any topic of their choice relating to the history of Turkey. Since 2011 students from all departments have presented  final projects based on their research topics, each of which sheds light on a specific area of Turkish history. These projects are then examined by a committee from Bilkent University, with those judged most successful being chosen to receive awards at the beginning of the following academic year.

This year’s ceremony, during which the 2017 award recipients presented their projects, was attended by members of the university administration and faculty, undergraduate students and their families, and other guests.

2016-2017 HIST 200 Awards

First Prize: “Kayaköy: Mübadelenin Gölgesinde Dostluk ve Barış Köyü”

Cansu Yetimoğlu (POLS), Duygu Ergürtuna (IR), Mısra Akdeniz Nartur (POLS)

Second Prize: “Türk Askeri Havacılık Tarihinde Yiğit Bir Tayyareci Muhsin Alpagot”

Hilal Eda Arpacı (LAW), Batu Coşkun (POLS), Saniye Ezgi Ercan (LAW), Deniz Atalar (ECON), İlke Yılmaz (LAW)

Third Prize: “Bir Cumhuriyet Diplomatının Hikayesi: Bilinmeyen Yönleri ile Zeki Kuneralp”

Hüseyin Ziya İmamoğlu (EE), İrem Ural (CS), Çağla Ergül (IE), Beyza Aslanbaş (PHYS)

Merit Awards:

“Kurşunlu Belediye Başkanı Mustafa Gencer’in Hayatı ve Belediyecilik Yılları (1955-60)”

Naz Deniz Atik (TRIN), Mehmethan Erduran (POLS), Doğuş Güleryüz (CTIS), Turgut Haspolatlı (POLS), Beste Türkoğlu (POLS)

“Ev Hanımlığından Harvard’a: Üsküdar Amerikan Kız Lisesi’nin Tarihi”

Ece Ayaz (CS), Ekin Dağlı (ECON), Gökhan Tosun (EE), Gülce Elif Atabey (IR), Selen Haysal (CS)

“Ord. Prof. Dr. Curt Kosswig Biyografisi”

Atakan Dizarlar (ECON), Ahmet Vefa Karabulut (MAN), Recep Dinç (POLS), Serhat Bezmez (CS), Yusufikbal Beytur (ECON)

“Bayazıt Ailesi’nin Türkiye’deki Yeri ve Türkiye’ye Kazandırdığı İsimler”

Menar Ekizce (MBG), Yiğit Karaca (COMD), Ebru Kocakaya (MBG), Dilay Özcan (IAED), Mine Ezgi Şahin (MAN)

“Cumhuriyet Yıllarının Parlayan Yıldızı, İlklerin Adamı, Türk Bisikletçi: Cavit Cav”

Sezin Ünlü (MBG), Gökberk Bilgin (ECON), Yusuf Arslan (ME), Şule Nur Mertcan (LAW), Anıl Sena Bayındır (LAW)

“Amerikalı Bir Diplomatın Gözünden Cumhuriyetin İlk Yılları: Joseph Grew’ın Türkiye Macerası”

Şamil İraz (CS), Ateş Bilgin (CS), Gökhan Hacıoğlu (POLS), Deniz Çobanoğlu (POLS), Yağız Sucu (MAN)

“Birinci Dünya Savaşının Görünmeyen Bir Sahnesi: Seydi Beşir Esir Kampı”

Busenur Başaran (PSYC), Haluk Emir Özkurt (IR), Hidayet Cem Öztürk (EE), Özge Güngör (ECON), Selin Güngör (ECON)

In collaboration with the Embassy of the Islamic Republic of Iran and the Embassy of Italy, the Bilkent University Department of History will be holding a panel titled “Cross-Cultural Encounters in Anatolia Between the Byzantines, Persians and Ottomans.”

To take place on December 7 at 2:30 p.m. in the UNAM Conference Hall, the panel will explore the role of Anatolia as place of cross-cultural encounters from the Roman and Byzantine periods to the Ottoman era. Prof. İlber Ortaylı will be the keynote speaker.

Following Prof. Ortaylı’s remarks, a panel of Turkish, Persian and Italian scholars will discuss the importance of Anatolia as a privileged place of interaction at the crossroad of civilizations. Dr. Mehmet Kalpaklı (Bilkent University) will talk about “Caravans of Love on the Roads of Anatolia, From Tabriz to Venice,” while Dr. Ali Kalirad (University of Tehran) will speak on the topic “The Heir of Xerxes or Alexander’s Successor? The Portraits of Mehmet the Conqueror in Two Persian and Greek Chronicles,” and Dr. Luca Zavagno (Bilkent University) will discuss “City Encounters in Byzantine Anatolia Between Late Antiquity and the Early Middle Ages.”

On February 25, Asst. Prof. Edward Kohn, Department of History faculty member and chair of the Department of American Culture and Literature, visited a history class at the Bilkent Music Preparatory High School to give a talk about the American Civil War.

In his talk, Dr. Kohn offered insights into this key event in American history using statistics, documents, film clips and visuals. He presented information about not only the war itself, but also the reasons behind it and the results that followed it, in the context of the socioeconomic and political events of the period.

At the end of the talk, Dr. Kohn answered students’ questions about the topic. He also expressed how pleased he was to give a talk at the Music School, and thanked the students for their attendance.

History of Turkey/HIST 200 is a required course for all Bilkent undergraduate students. This course is designed to encourage students to work in group projects on any topic of their choice that relates to the history of Turkey. Since the 2011 spring semester, students from each department at the university have presented their projects for review by a panel led by Prof. Özer Ergenç of the Department of History. Those projects judged best of the academic year receive awards at a ceremony held the following autumn.
The award ceremony for projects completed during the fall, spring and summer terms of the 2013-2014 academic year took place on October 14, 2014, in C-Block Auditorium. Out of a total of 462 projects completed, 10 were chosen for recognition and awards. Those project teams received certificates as well as both volumes of “Devlet-i ‘Aliyye: Osmanlı İmparatorluğu Üzerine Araştırmalar” by Prof. Halil İnalcık.
The ceremony started with remarks by Asst. Prof. Berrak Burçak, stressing the importance of effective education and teaching in general, and appropriate history education in particular. A talk by Prof. Özer Ergenç, “Learning History Begins with the Immediate Environment,” followed. Emphasizing the uniqueness of history among the social sciences, Prof. Ergenç discussed various approaches to learning history and concluded by highlighting the innovative aspects of the HIST 200 course.
Then, the award recipients presented their projects. Their enthusiasm in sharing their learning experiences and their positive comments about the team process ended the ceremony on a very happy note.
First Prize: “Türkiye’nin İlk Bilgisayar Laboratuvarı: Bilkent Üniversitesi’ne Bilgisayarın Gelişi”
Göktuğ Kağan Yüksel, Murat Alp Güngen, Mert Özateş, Yaşar Sinan Nasır, Alper Özaslan (All EE students)

Second Prize: “Gökdağ Ailesinin 1915-1935 Yılları Arasındaki Yaşantıları, Sibirya’ya Sürgünleri ve Türkiye’ye Zorunlu Göçü”
Yasemin Gökdağ (IE), Simge Koç (IE), Yağmur Meral Algül (IE), Kerem Kendirli (IE), Zübeyir Oflaz (POLS)

Third Prize: “Türk Matematiğinin Japon Prensi Masatoshi Gündüz İkeda (1926-2003)”
Serdar Nair (MATH), Gökhan Kahraman (MATH), Gökhan Burak Erdem (CS), Muhammed İkbal Ulvi (MATH), Hüseyin Reşit Onur Erdem (CHEM)

Merit Awards: “Ankara’da Bulunan Dans Ayakkabıcısı İsmail Usta”
Uğur Orhan, Yağmur Öykü Yönet, İsmet Atasoy, Işılsu Köseoğlu, Geysu Geylan (All LAW Students)

“Ankaragücü Taraftar Grupları ve Yakın Tarihi”
Kaan Bayat (LAW), Melisa Bolayır (LAW), Mert Eney (LAW), Ceren Erdoğan (LAW), Bekir Yılmaz (IR)

“Dünden Bugüne Tatbikat Sahnesi”
Atacan Baran (IE), Tuna Baydın (MBG), Ekin Çakmak (LAW), Utku Büyükfidan (ME), Cemre Esensoy (CHEM)

“En İyiyi Arayan Kız Kardeşler: Türkiye Soroptimist Kulüpleri Federasyonu”
Atif Çağlar Ababay (MAN), Ayşegül Sarıgül (LAUD), Aykut Yener (MAN), Cansu Dekeli (MAN), Elif Alara Saltık (MAN)

“Geçmişten Günümüze Kadın Muhtarlar”
Dilara Boğa (CHEM), Murat Dilek (IR), Arzu Erkan (IAED), İlkay Karagedik (POLS), Oğuz Can Ok (POLS)

“Türkiye’de Devlet Eliyle Biracılık Atatürk Orman Çiftliği Bira Fabrikasından, Tekel Birasına”
Emre Arıoğlu (CS), Yiğitcan Kaya (CS), Hakan Kılıç (CS), Yavuzcan Eroğlu (ECON), Dilara Savranoğlu (MAN)

“Yusuf Ziya Paşa Köşkü”
Doğukan Hazar Yaran, Kaan Volkan Çirasun, Deniz Yücedağ, Simden Erler, İrem Olcay (All TRIN students)

The award ceremony for projects completed during the fall, spring and summer terms of the 2012-2013 academic year took place on September 23, 2013, in C-Block Auditorium. Out of a total of 461 projects completed, 10 were chosen for recognition. These project teams received certificates as well as a newly published volume entitled “Essays in Honor of Özer Ergenç.”

The ceremony started with Rector Abdullah Atalar’s opening remarks, stressing the importance of effective education and teaching in general, and appropriate history education

in particular. A talk by Prof. Özer Ergenç, entitled “Learning History Begins with the Immediate Environment,” followed. Emphasizing the uniqueness of history among the social sciences, Prof. Ergenç discussed various approaches to the discipline and concluded by highlighting the innovative aspects of the HIST 200 course.

Then, the award recipients presented their projects. Their enthusiasm in sharing their learning experiences and their glowing comments about the team process ended the ceremony on a very happy note. (A complete listing of the award-winning groups for the last two years may be found at http://goo.gl/PrkjSA.)

2012-2013 History of Turkey Award Recipients