When I think about Turkey, I picture the Blue Mosque, bazaars, and delicious food; however, these images I see are very surface-level, and my aim on our trip to Turkey is to look beyond them to gain further insight.
I really want to learn about Turkish society, including how people live their daily lives, and how they think about democracy, identity, and progress. These aspects are essential to consider. In relation to my degree in politics and international relations, I also want to examine how the government influences development and how individuals perceive society within Turkey. Turkey is often in the news, but I would love to connect my theoretical knowledge with real-life applications.
Visiting Turkey will challenge my ideas about modernisation, nationalism, and globalisation. Modernisation is often linked to Western progress, which is a colonial viewpoint; however, in Turkey, I expect modernisation to take a different form, as while Turkey is a secular country, religion remains an integral part of its lifestyle and culture. Separately, globalisation affects trade, jobs, and communication, so seeing these ideas together will help me to question simple theories and solidify my previous knowledge that I have developed in the ‘Politics and Development in the Middle East’ module.
I am particularly interested in learning about the impact of education and religion on daily life. Education is vital as it prepares the younger generation for the future. Therefore, it would be interesting to draw comparisons between the education systems in the UK and Turkey; this will help deepen my cross-cultural communication skills. Religion is a significant part of identity and society, influencing how people perceive community, morality, and national identity in Turkey. These two areas will help me to gain skills in understanding how development affects people’s lives.
My background in politics and international relations will influence how I perceive things; for example, I can examine the interactions between power, identity, and policy. My previous experiences in other countries, such as Vietnam and Uzbekistan, have taught me how development depends on context. These experiences have helped me gain cultural awareness and will enable me to avoid comparing countries in simplistic ways. I’m excited to deepen my cultural sensitivity and gain new experiences in international environments. Additionally, my experiences in DEN, where we focus on achieving the Sustainable Development Goals, have shown me how growth and development impact people and the environment. These experiences will inform my interpretation of what I see in Turkey, focusing on observing how public spaces reflect social values and engaging with students and teachers.
Maryam Khan