Heritage Türkiye

In this episode, we speak with Dr Virginia Sommella about the history, archaeology and cultural significance of Tur Abdin, a region in southeastern Türkiye encompassing parts of present-day Mardin, Midyat and Şırnak. Focusing on the late Roman and early Byzantine periods, we explore how this frontier region was understood and experienced, and how the Tur Abdin could function simultaneously as a periphery of the empire and a centre of religious and cultural life. We discuss the region's Syriac-speaking communities, the material traces they left behind, and the Tur Abdin's role in the development and diffusion of Christianity. From monasteries and military outposts to inscriptions and the wider landscape, Dr Sommella reflects on what archaeological and historical evidence can reveal about life in this distinctive region, how their research relates to existing scholarship and how their experience as a Research Assistant at the British Institute at Ankara contributed to their work.

In this episode, Dr. Peter Cherry interviews Dr. Işılay Gürsu about her research on public archaeology and cultural heritage. The relationship between archaeology, heritage, and society—the central theme of her recently published book, Public Dialogues in Archaeology: New Methodologies from Turkey—is at the heart of their discussion. Dr. Gürsu reflects on her work in Pisidia, including the Pisidia Heritage Trail, as well as projects such as Living Amid the Ruins and SARAT (Safeguarding Archaeological Assets of Turkey). They also discuss the value of interdisciplinary research and the experience of communicating research beyond academia through the Heritage Türkiye podcast. Throughout the episode, they explore how their research interests intersect and how Dr. Gürsu's approach to archaeology and heritage draws on a wide range of fields across the social sciences and humanities, from social anthropology and sociology to psychology and literature.

The second season of the BIAA Heritage Türkiye Podcast has been a huge success! 12 episodes with 12 distinguished guests, over 400 minutes of fascinating discussions on culture, heritage, archaeology and research in and beyond Türkiye. A big thank you to everyone who listened, watched, and supported the podcast throughout the season. In this final episode, Dr. Işılay Gürsu and Dr. Peter Cherry look back on the highlights of Season Two, reflect on key themes and memorable conversations, and share a glimpse of what's to come in Season Three.

In this episode of Heritage Türkiye, we speak with Dr Hakan Tarhan about identity, memory, and the complexities of cultural heritage in the eastern Mediterranean. Drawing on his research in both Türkiye and Greece, Hakan explores how communities engage with Byzantine and Ottoman heritage, what he means by "the other's heritage," and why the concept of dissonant heritage is central to understanding contested pasts. We discuss what it means to "live with Byzantium" in contemporary Türkiye, and the importance of community engagement in heritage practice. The conversation also reflects on Hakan's current research and his vision for the future of cultural heritage at the BIAA, highlighting the role of dialogue in building more inclusive approaches to the past.

In this episode of Heritage Türkiye, we speak with Dr Elif Neyzi about the rich and complex world of late Byzantine Constantinople. Drawing on her research into imperial monasteries, urban history, and the social transformations of the late Byzantine period, Elif discusses the role of monastic institutions in city life, the relationship between imperial and non-imperial communities, and new directions in Byzantine scholarship. We also explore the reception of Byzantium in popular culture, representations of Byzantine women, the current state of Byzantine studies in Türkiye, and opportunities for early career researchers.

In this episode of Heritage Türkiye, we speak with Professor Hugh Elton, former Director of the British Institute at Ankara and a leading specialist in the archaeology and history of Roman Anatolia. From his pioneering research in the Göksu Valley and Isauria to his work on late Roman emperors, climate change, and archaeological heritage management, Hugh reflects on a career that has connected landscapes, people, and institutions across the ancient Mediterranean. Together, we explore how studying seemingly peripheral regions can transform our understanding of empire, why interdisciplinary approaches are reshaping archaeological research, and what long-term perspectives from the ancient world can contribute to contemporary debates about environment, governance, and resilience. We also discuss Hugh's years at the British Institute at Ankara and his thoughts on the future of Anatolian archaeology.

In this episode, we speak with Ceren Lord about religion, identity and political change in contemporary Türkiye. Drawing on her research on secularism, Islamist movements, Alevis and transnational politics, Ceren challenges simplified assumptions about the relationship between religion and the state in Türkiye and argues for a more historically grounded and nuanced understanding of secular politics. The conversation explores the arguments behind her book Religious Politics in Turkey: From the Birth of the Republic to the AKP, the role of identity in shaping competing understandings of secularity and how diaspora communities influence politics across borders. We also discuss her current research on secularity across the Middle East and North Africa, her forthcoming monograph Divided We Stand: Identity Strategies in the Wake of Conflict, and how her experience beyond academia has informed her approach to political research. Finally, Ceren reflects on the importance of creating platforms for innovative scholarship through the BIAA–I.B. Tauris Contemporary Turkey Series.

In this episode, Dr Ayşe Ozil, Associate Professor of History at Sabancı University and a member of the Ottoman Mobilities and Interactions Advisory Board, discusses the social and economic worlds of the late Ottoman Empire through the lens of mobility, community and urban life. Dr Ozil reflects on her academic journey into Ottoman history and talks about her research on Greek Orthodox communities, shedding new light on ethno-religious relations beyond familiar narratives of nationalism and conflict. The conversation moves into the streets and commercial spaces of Istanbul, examining the city as both an imperial capital and a global port shaped by trade, migration, and everyday interactions. From the overlooked histories embedded in neighbourhoods like Tarlabaşı to the rich archival possibilities of commercial buildings such as hans, this episode reveals how alternative sources can transform our understanding of the past. We also consider questions of gender, asking how women's mobility and economic presence can be traced in spaces often assumed to be male-dominated. Finally, the discussion turns to the broader implications of mobility for Ottoman history today, highlighting new directions and challenges in the field.

In this episode of Heritage Türkiye, we speak with Dr Batuhan Özdemir, the 2025–26 BIAA–Bilkent Postdoctoral Fellow, about his research on the history of collecting and the politics of cultural heritage in the Ottoman Mediterranean. Focusing on Lycian material culture and Charles Fellows's collection at the British Museum, he explores how objects were framed within 19th-century imperial discourse.

We discuss his shift from field archaeology to archival research, the distinctive character of Lycia, and what material culture can reveal beyond written sources. The conversation also touches on power, mobility, and asymmetry in the circulation of heritage, as well as current debates on decolonisation. Finally, Batuhan reflects on his postdoctoral project and his experience at the BIAA.

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.