Istanbul Summer: From the Stone Age to the Drone Age
Istanbul Summer: Stone Age to the Drone Age?
With Professor Mahan Mirza
In this course you will embark on a transformative three-week cultural immersion trip through Türkiye (Turkey), a land where civilizations have converged for millennia, bridging Europe and Asia. With two weeks in Istanbul and one on the road, you will explore the secular vision of Atatürk, Byzantine marvels like Aya Sofia, Ottoman splendors at Topkapi Palace, and spiritual centers such as Konya and Ephesus. You will also engage with pivotal moments in recent and deep history like the origin of religion in the Stone Age, fall/conquest of Constantinople in 1453, and the Gallipoli Campaign during the First World War, while reflecting on Türkiye’s role as a cultural crossroads through ancient and contemporary migrations. What does it mean for Türkiye, a predominantly Muslim nation and former center of the great Ottoman Empire, to be a NATO ally of the West? How has Türkiye managed its relations with its neighbors, caught between the European war of Ukraine/Russia and Middle Eastern conflicts of the Levant/Israel? This epic learning tour will lead us through encounters with ancient civilizations of the Hellenes and the wondrous heritages of Islam, Judaism, and Christianity.
In Their Own Words: Student Blog Highlights
"The Twilight of Constantinople and the New Dawn of Nostalgia" by Joshua Barnard
"Two Lamps, One Light: Religious Identity and Coexistence in Turkey" by Aicha Samake
