[11.16.13] "Isyan and the Turkish Left," part of the Platypus International Perspectives on the Left series
A talk by Ivo Furman
November 16, 4:00 PM to 6:00 PM
SVA, 133 West 21st St, room 402C
Hosted by the Platypus Affiliated Society in NYC
Followed by an audience q&a and open discussion
"İsyan and the Turkish Left" will explore the historical transformation of the Left in Turkey from the 1960s onward. The power struggles of various organizations will be discussed in terms of the political parties, state, and students involved in the historical fragmentation of the radical Left. This fragmentation has developed from a revolutionary student movement in the 60s, to ethnic separatism during the mid 90s, and social marginalization from 2000 onward. The 2013 protests pose an unprecedented opportunity for the radical Left to reach out to a post-1989 generation that has no direct recollection of communism. As a result, there is now the task of fostering a theory and praxis adequate to the demands of a generation who have just begun to be politicized. The question then arises as to whether or not the Gezi Park protests created an opportunity for the radical Left in Turkey to re-establish itself as a significant force in the international political situation.
Please take the time to read Furman's article on the pages of the Platypus Review:
http://platypus1917.org/
Born in 1984 in Istanbul, Ivo Furman is currently completing his PhD in Sociology at Goldsmiths College, University of London. He has published on a diverse range of subjects including using experimental digital methods for historical research, anarchist design collectives, aesthetics of Turkish secular nationalism on Youtube, technology and national Identity in Turkey, the history of the radical left in Turkey, Turkish socialist Muslim activists and the neo-liberalization of political Islam in Turkey.
