The main objective of this project is to shed light on the history of Byzantine studies, which began to evolve as an academic discipline in Turkish universities in the mid-20th century. The oral history method was employed for this purpose. Oral history interviews were conducted with pioneering scholars who witnessed the emergence of Byzantine studies as an academic discipline in Turkish universities, contributed to its development and progress, as well as with academics and researchers who are currently actively working in this field.
Oral History Method
Oral history is a method that compiles the information about the past preserved in memories. Memory, as a subjective process, consists of individual narratives where participants express their experiences in their unique way. These individual narratives, which bear the traces of the historical and cultural context in which they were shaped, are also influenced by the current context as they are formed in the present time. Therefore, how the past in memory is narrated also contains hints about today.
A total of 35 oral history interviews were conducted in two phases within the scope of the project.
Project Director
Prof. Dr. Engin AKYÜREK
Proje Manager/Researcher
Şebnem DÖNBEKCİ
Administrative Coordinators
Deniz Yasemin ÖNEN
Barış ALTAN
Video Recording and Editing – FUKO Creative
Barış ÖZCAN
Kenan DEMİRTAŞ
Baran GÜNEŞ
Video Recording – Tarçın Film
Bahriye KABADAYI DAL
Burak DAL
Koray KESİK
Translation and Editing
Seçil SÖNMEZ
Deniz SEVER GEORGOUSAKIS
Şebnem DÖNBEKCİ
Internet Site Design and Application
Şebnem DÖNBEKCİ
Koç University Information Technology
I. Preparatory Period (1933– 1955)
II. Pioneers Period (1955 – 1975)
III. Expansion Period (1975 – 1990)
IV. Institutionalization and Internationalization Period (1990 – 2010)
V. Maturation Period (2010 – )
The defining events and developments of each period have been compiled with the primary testimonies obtained from the oral history interviews conducted as part of this project and the information obtained from various secondary sources.