See also:
Porcelain trinket depicting Sultan Abdülmecid, Queen Victoria and Emperor Napoleon III, allies in the Crimean War, 1854-1856. Collection of Mr. İsa Akbaş, Istanbul.

As the International Chair in Turkish and Ottoman History at the Collège de France enters its fifth and final year, it seemed appropriate to organize a colloquium on the lecture's central theme, "The Ottoman Empire and Turkey in the face of the West", combining a long-term historical vision with a critical analysis of increasingly sombre current events. The title of the symposium, borrowed from Serge Gainsbourg's famous song (1967/1969), is a reminder that relations between Turkey and Europe have always been marked by an emotional dimension of tension and contradiction. To discuss this, five intellectuals of Turkish nationality, each representing a different discipline, will offer their views and expertise on particular aspects of the question. The day will conclude with a general debate in which the public will be invited to participate.

All presentations will be in French, with the exception of Orhan Pamuk's talk, which will be in English. Headsets will be available for simultaneous translation for the public.

Program

9 h 00
Edhem Eldem, historian, Collège de France, University of Boğaziçi, Istanbul
"Je t'aime... moi non plus. Two centuries of relations between Turkey and Europe"

10: 00
Nilüfer Göle, sociologist, École des hautes études en sciences sociales
"The (re)conversion of Hagia Sophia and the falling out of love with Europe"

11:00 - 11:30
Coffee break

11 h 30
Seyfettin Gürsel, economist, Bahçeşehir University, Istanbul
"Turkey-European Union: a difficult but inseparable tandem"

12:30 - 14:00
Lunch

2:00 pm
Ahmet İnsel, political scientist, Galatasaray University, Istanbul
"Erdoganism: an anti-Western Islamo-nationalist dynamic"

3:00 pm
Orhan Pamuk, novelist, Columbia University, New York
"Antinomies of Ottoman-Turkish Westernization"

4.00 - 4.30 pm
Coffee break

4.30 pm
General discussion

Program