The symposium, which will be organized for the fifth time by our Department of Turkish Language and Literature, aims this year to address the art of âşıks in international contexts, with a particular focus on the Balkans, Hungary, and Northern Europe. Around the world, performers have become prominent figures of society by making their musical instruments the medium of their voices. In this context, some cultures have cultivated their own bards and made them representatives of their communities. Such cultural actors have both contributed to the transmission of culture and become the visible faces of their societies on the international stage. The universality of the poets’ language carries the locality of melodies to the world. To explore this aspect of the art of âşıks and to draw attention to the similarities of neighboring geographies, a symposium with the theme of “Europe” will be held on July 17–18, 2025, with invited participants.
The main purpose of the symposium, which will be hosted by our university, is to discuss the present and future of the âşıklık tradition—which carries meanings far beyond being merely a musical performance—, to encourage and highlight âşıks who perform internationally, to raise awareness about similar performances around the world, and to foster dialogue and collaboration for new studies by evaluating the existing body of knowledge in this field.
For the Day 1 program of the symposium, click here.
For the Day 2 program of the symposium, click here.
For detailed information about the symposium, click here.
