In this first episode of a new Heritage Türkiye three-part miniseries, part of the Ottoman Mobilities and Interactions Project—a British Academy–funded initiative bringing together the network of British International Research Institutes—we speak with Dr Selim Sırrı Kuru.

Dr Kuru, who also serves on the Advisory Board of the Ottoman Mobilities and Interactions project, is Associate Professor in the Department of Middle Eastern Languages and Cultures at the University of Washington.

Dr Kuru's research focuses on Ottoman and Anatolian Turkish literature from the Early Modern Period, in particular the formulation of gender and sexuality and exchange between Persian and Ottoman cultural contexts. In this conversation, he reflects on how the idea of mobility reshapes our understanding of Ottoman literary culture, not only through the movement of people, but through the circulation of languages, manuscripts, poetic forms and ideas.

From the emergence of Western Anatolian Turkish as a written language to the travels of manuscripts and poetic traditions across Arabic, Persian and Turkish worlds, the episode reveals the Ottoman literary sphere as a richly interconnected and mobile cultural landscape.

In this episode of Heritage Türkiye, we speak with Professor Martin Stokes, King Edward Professor of Music at King's College London, a leading ethnomusicologist of Turkish and West Asian music and a council member of the British Institute at Ankara (BIAA). Beginning with the story of his appearance on Turkish television playing bağlama as a PhD student, the conversation reflects on his wide-ranging and influential scholarship, including the "arabesk debate", the development of musical genres in the region, the politics of popular culture and the towering figure of Zeki Müren. He also reflects on the changes and continuities he has observed since first working in Türkiye in 1981, making a compelling case for the importance of studying music and cultural production to better understand the region. The episode concludes with his ERC/UKRI-funded project, Beyond 1932, which explores the sonic legacies of the 1932 Cairo Congress of Arab Music, attended by a delegation from Türkiye.

In this episode of the Heritage Türkiye Podcast, archaeologist and architectural historian Dr. Stuart Blaylock reflects on more than forty years of work in Türkiye. From his early excavations at Tille Höyük to later rescue projects at Gre Amer, Dr. Blaylock discusses what rescue archaeology reveals about the Iron Age in northern Mesopotamia, the challenges of excavating sites threatened by dam construction, and what happens to both landscapes and communities when heritage is submerged. The conversation also explores archival memory, displacement, and Dr. Blaylock's long-standing relationship with the British Institute at Ankara, offering a reflective look at archaeology, loss, and continuity.

In this episode of Heritage Türkiye, we speak with Dr. Gül Pulhan, an archaeologist and heritage professional whose work spans salvage excavations, museum practice, and cultural heritage protection in Türkiye and beyond. From salvage excavations at Gre Amer, Batman during the Ilısu Dam campaigns to directing the SARAT (Safeguarding Archaeological Assets of Turkey, 2017–2020) project at the British Institute at Ankara, Dr. Pulhan reflects on the challenges of managing archaeological heritage in times of rapid change. Drawing on long-term experience across academia, museums, and civil society, the conversation explores education, policy, and practice, and asks what responsible heritage protection looks like today — and what lessons SARAT leaves for the future for institutions, professionals, and communities alike.

In this episode of Heritage Türkiye, we stroll through Istanbul's Sultanahmet neighbourhood with Dr. Janine Su, a social anthropologist whose work explores socio-spatial mobility and contemporary masculinities in Türkiye. Drawing on over a decade of ethnographic engagement in Istanbul's Old City, Dr. Su reflects on the early experiences that first brought her to Istanbul and how Sultanahmet became the heart of her doctoral research at UCL. Dr. Su takes us behind the scenes of her fieldwork, sharing how she builds relationships, navigates changing urban dynamics, and follows the everyday lives of the young men who became central to her research. We discuss how her focus on masculinities emerged, the current conversations shaping this rapidly growing interdisciplinary field, and how concepts such as sıla, gurbet, and garip help illuminate questions of belonging, displacement, and identity in Turkey today.

In this episode of Heritage Türkiye, we speak with Professor Andrew Fairbairn from the University of Queensland, a leading archaeologist and archaeobotanist whose work has transformed our understanding of early farming societies in the ancient Near East. Drawing on his long-term research in Türkiye, including major excavations at Boncuklu Höyük in Central Anatolia, Professor Fairbairn reflects on what ancient plant remains can reveal about the origins of agriculture and human adaptation to changing environments. The conversation also explores the BIAA's central role in advancing archaeobotanical research in Anatolia, including the development of the "Ankara method" and the Institute's temperature-controlled herbarium, which preserves valuable seed and plant specimens. Fairbairn reflects on the importance of institutional support, mentorship, and collaboration across borders, and shares his hopes for the BIAA's continued contribution to the study and protection of Türkiye's archaeological heritage.

In this episode of Heritage Türkiye, we welcome Dr. Leonidas Karakatsanis, Assistant Professor at the University of Macedonia and former Assistant Director of the BIAA. Drawing on his extensive research into nationalism, reconciliation and the politics of culture and emotion, Dr. Karakatsanis discusses the role of civil society in Turkish–Greek relations, the challenges and rewards of multi-disciplinary research and the meaning of "cultural extimacy" beyond debates over shared cuisines. We also explore how discourse analysis functions in a post-truth era, the politics of hope and the shifting perspectives he has gained from teaching and researching across Türkiye, Greece and the UK.

Season Two of Heritage Türkiye launches with a compelling new episode featuring award-winning historian, broadcaster and BIAA patron Bettany Hughes.

Renowned for her deep connection to Türkiye's past, especially Istanbul, Bettany joins Dr. Işılay Gürsu and Dr. Peter Cherry to discuss life on and off camera, how she communicates research to the general public and her passion for bringing the ancient past to life through television and writing. The multilayered history of Istanbul is a central part of the conversation, revealing why the city continues to inspire her work and imagination. As Patron of the British Institute at Ankara, Bettany also reflects on the institute's vital role in supporting and enriching her research.

Works Cited in the Podcast: Bettany Hughes, The Seven Wonders of the Ancient World. Weidenfeld & Nicolson, 2024. Bettany Hughes, Venus & Aphrodite: History of a Goddess. Weidenfeld & Nicolson, 2019. Bettany Hughes, A Tale of Three Cities: Istanbul. Weidenfeld & Nicolson, 2017. Bettany Hughes, Helen of Troy. Pimlico, 2006.

The BIAA Heritage Türkiye Podcast has been a huge success: 13 episodes, 2 hosts, 12 guest speakers, and over 400 minutes of fascinating discussion. Thanks to everyone who tuned in!

In this final episode, Dr. Işılay Gürsu and Dr. Peter Cherry reflect on the season and share key takeaways and look forward to season two.

In this episode, we speak with Dr. Natalie Martin — a former BBC journalist and now Assistant Professor at the University of Nottingham — about the current state of journalism and politics in Türkiye and beyond. Our conversation explored Turkey–EU and UK relations, the impact of Brexit on the Turkish-British relationship and the emergence of new media forms reshaping the journalism landscape. We also delve into the concepts of misinformation, disinformationand malinformation, and explore how they are affecting the health of democracy today. Finally, as a former BIAA Council member, Dr. Martin reflects on the evolving role of the British Institute at Ankara in fostering academic collaboration between the UK and Türkiye.