RELS 200—Turkey: Then & Now (ABROAD)
Fall 2012 course at Oxy
Study tour in Turkey (Jan 3-16, 2013)
At the juncture of two continents—Europe and Asia—Turkey is a region that has been home to an extraordinary range of peoples and cultures. These peoples and cultures have at times interacted creatively while at other times clashed violently. Remnants of these complex and variegated cultural contacts linger in the sites of Turkey, which are an ideal means by which students can access Turkey’s past and present identities.
The Turkey: Then & Now program surveys the range and mixture of peoples/cultures of this region throughout history, as well as the issues over which they cooperated and battled. Specifically, we will focus on the Greeks and Persians of the Classical period, Romans of the Roman period, Christians of Late Antiquity and Byzantium, and Turks from the Ottoman periods to Atatürk reform and the modern Republic. Throughout this survey, three themes will surface:
1. exchange—the interactions, exchanges, and conflicts between these groups and cultures that occurred in the process of travel, trade, and conquest
2. landscape—attentiveness to the topography of Turkey as an aspect of culture
3. daily life—unique industries and crafts
This program proceeds in two parts. In the Fall semester course, students will acquire background in the history, culture, and issues of ancient and modern-day Turkey. At the end of the semester, participants will ground and expand this new-found knowledge by traveling throughout Turkey. The travel seminar begins in ancient capital of Istanbul, to the modern capitol of Ankara to the interior of the country (Cappadocia), then over to the Aegean coast and up the Gallipoli. (For a detailed itinerary, click on the link below.)
**Students who complete both components of the program will receive 4 credits (pre-1800 & intercultural)**
Itinerary:For a detailed itinerary click on the following link: LINK
Participants:12-16 students, 1 faculty instructor (Professor Upson-Saia, Religious Studies) and Turkish guide
Cost:airfare + $$$$$= all cost in Turkey (including Turkish guide & driver, accommodations, all meals, entrance/event fees, transportation within country—train, airfare, and air-conditioned mini-bus)
Eligibility: Students must be available to take a Fall 2012 course RELS 200
Application:Complete the following application materials & return completed forms to the IPO
application instructions: LINK
application form: LINK
recommendation forms (return TWO): LINK
insurance verification form: LINK
Applications DUE to the IPO— March 2rd by 5pm; 20-minute interviews March 8-9th
Faculty contact—Prof. Upson-Saia,
International Programs Office contact—Julie Jimenez,