Abstract
The field of Turkish Studies in the US has become increasingly constrained, and usually the only way to expose undergraduates to Turkish literature and culture is to take advantage of interdisciplinary opportunities. The presenter teaches in a program that has three and sometimes four levels of Turkish language instruction. In our language classes, depending upon the level, we use literature in Turkish and always address cultural themes in a variety of ways. This presentation will describe and exhibit some specific examples of types of materials: short stories, poetry, children’s books, interviews, novels and films and how they have been used at various levels to promote language learning that enhances cultural awareness. This section aims to inspire other teachers of Turkish, Turkic, or any other language to be bold and thoughtful in their use of original materials.
There have also been a few precious teaching opportunities, such as a team-taught course in Middle Eastern Literature in Translation and a first-year seminar in Languages and Linguistics, where a broader range of undergraduates can be reached in English. In American universities, interest in Turkish literature has strengthened since Turkish novelist Orhan Pamuk won the Nobel Prize for Literature in 2006, after suffering backlash and a lawsuit in Turkey for his statements about Kurds and Armenians. His works, widely available in English, obviously do not cover the full richness of Turkish literature and culture. This presentation will address techniques that have proven useful in the selection and use of Turkish fiction for these diverse classes taught in English, as well as evaluate several years of results from these classes. This section aims to promote more consideration of courses in Middle Eastern Literature in translation, one of the only places to reach a wider audience for Turkish literature and culture.
Aside from using literature to teach Turkish culture, ethnographic materials about Turkish Culture available in Turkish and English can be used to shed light on the diversity and dynamism of Turkish culture. These materials include full-length academic ethnographies and journal articles, material culture, and shorter forms such as tweets, memes, and blogs. Especially since the advent of the internet, there is certainly no lack of easily-accessible primary material to use to discuss Turkish culture. What is needed is thoughtful consideration of the appropriate level of language difficulty for the intended students and strategies for scaffolding the primary materials to enhance learning goals.
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