Sevan Nişanyan - Human and minority rights in Turkey

Summary

The speaker, an Armenian intellectual and author, discusses his dual roles: one as a linguist and historian critically examining Turkish culture and founding myths, and the other as a revitalizer of a historic Turkish village. He details his efforts to restore the village's architecture and establish an alternative academic community. Despite facing legal challenges and imprisonment for his outspoken views, he remains optimistic about Turkey's progress towards modern citizenship and human rights, emphasizing the need for equal rights for all citizens regardless of ethnicity or religion.

Takeaways

• 📚 The speaker is a linguist and author of numerous books on linguistic and historical topics, focusing on the archaeology of contemporary Turkish culture.
• 🏡 He is also known for his work in reviving the historic village of Şirin, restoring old houses and turning it into a cultural and touristic destination.
• 🏛️ Alongside the village restoration, he co-founded a mathematics summer school, a philosophy school, and a theater school, creating an alternative educational setting.
• 📖 His book 'The Wrong Republic' is a systematic critique of the founding myths of the Turkish Republic, which has been controversial.
• 🕋 He has been studying the intellectual underpinnings of the Islamic religion, a topic that is considered taboo in Turkey.
• 👨‍⚖️ As an Armenian with a liberal and Western outlook, he has faced opposition from the Turkish government and bureaucracy for his work and outspokenness.
• 🏢 He has faced numerous legal challenges and has been sentenced to prison for his renovation work in Şirin and his critical writings.
• 🌍 The speaker believes that Turkey has made significant progress in human rights over the past 20 years, but the concept of modern citizenship remains problematic.
• 🔒 He has been personally targeted by the government for his views, with over 40 court cases opened against him, resulting in substantial prison sentences.
• 🌟 Despite the challenges, the speaker remains optimistic about Turkey's future, seeing a shift in societal attitudes and a potential for further progress.

Q & A

What are the two main roles the speaker identifies himself with?

The speaker identifies himself as a linguist and author of numerous books on linguistic and historical matters, and as a renovator and revitalizer of an old Greek village in Western Turkey.

What is the common theme of the speaker's works on Turkish culture?

The common theme of the speaker's works is an 'archaeology' of contemporary Turkish culture, studying the underlying assumptions, cultural taboos, and underpinnings of modern Turkish language, public policy, and political theory.

What is the title of the book where the speaker critiques the founding myths of the Turkish Republic?

The title of the book is 'The Wrong Republic'.

Why does the speaker believe his work on the founding myths of Islam is controversial?

The work is controversial because he is an Armenian with a liberal and Western outlook, dealing with topics considered sacred and taboo in Turkish culture.

What was the condition of the village the speaker settled in, and what did he do there?

The village was a dying, economically non-viable place with a Greek population that left in 1923. The speaker and his wife fell in love with the village, settled there, and started renovating old houses to maintain the spirit and architecture of the village.

How did the speaker's involvement in renovating the village evolve into something more?

The speaker's involvement evolved into establishing a mathematics summer school, a philosophy school, a theater school, and an alternative university in a rural setting, turning the village into a major academic campus.

What challenges has the speaker faced from the Turkish government due to his work and writings?

The speaker faced legal challenges, including over 40 court cases and prison sentences related to the renovation of houses in the village, and another conviction for allegedly insulting the prophet of Islam due to his critical writings.

What is the speaker's perspective on the treatment of minorities in Turkey?

The speaker acknowledges a shameful history of treatment towards minorities, especially non-Muslim ones, but notes significant improvements in the last 20 years. He emphasizes the ongoing struggle with the concept of modern citizenship and equal rights for all.

How does the speaker describe the government's reaction to his prominence as a public figure?

The government's reaction was initially incomprehension, followed by hostility when the speaker insisted on his rights to contribute to public debate, leading to legal actions and imprisonment.

What is the speaker's view on Turkey's future in terms of human rights and minority treatment?

The speaker is optimistic about Turkey's future, believing that societal changes and the shift away from old ideas will lead to a better understanding of citizenship and human rights, despite the current establishment's resistance.