Mustafa Akyol
In his speech, journalist and author Mustafa Akyol presented a powerful and cogent case on the possibility of emergence of liberalism and democracy from within Islamic tradition. For Akyol foundational texts of Islam, with their emphasis on the individual responsibility and flourishment, lays the groundwork to liberate man and woman from the illegitimate constraints of such social structures as tribe, clan, nation. Akyol argues that widespread authoritarian tendency in Muslim states does not derive from Islam but from deep-seated political culture, economic conditions and even geographical-environmental structure. Akyol then turned to examine historical journey of liberalist thought in the lands of Islam and linked the stagnation of Muslim mind to the tragic defeat of rationalism by traditionalism. Akyol finds a notable exception in Turkey. There, a Muslim middle class, for both economic and purely religious reasons is embracing liberal thought and speaking out for all freedoms.
Firestone
Reuven Firestone`s lecture delved into a highly significant topic, the scriptural foundations of Muslim-Jewish dialogue. He first reminded how much we, humans, interpret religion. Religion for Firestone is always and entirely a mixture of human and the divine. `there is no reading without interpretation` he said. Religion sometimes is highjacked for illegitimate purposes. No religion is inherently bad. Firestone laid out two major positions on the topic of Muslim Jewish relations. One position holds that Muslims and Jews have always coexisted in great harmony. The other is that Jews and Muslims have always been in conflict. `The truth` said Firestone `is always more complex.` Sometimes Muslim Jewish relations were excellent, sometimes terrible, but mostly they were somewhere between.
Branning
Katherine Branning talked about her latest book, “Yes, I Would Love Another Glass of Tea”.The Book comprises of a series of imaginary letters written to Lady Mary Montagu, whose famous embassy letters were written in 1716-1718 during her stay in Turkey as the wife of the English Ambassador. Katharine Branning has been visiting Turkey for 30 years, spending a month there every summer. She has been all over Turkey, witnessed all kinds of traditions and met people from all walks life and wealth. But she fell in love with `a glass of tea.’ For Catherine `tea` is a symbol, a metaphor, a mirror, wherein such common characteristics of Anatolian people as purity, generosity are reflected.
Balci
Kerim Balci in his thought-provoking speech questioned ‘Arab nature’ of so called ‘Arab spring.’ For Balci underlying motives behind Arab spring are not local, national or religious but are universal. More than anything else, Balci argued, under-employment, under-education pushed Arab street to revolt against authoritarian regimes and dictators. Balci added that both technological logistic and organizational logic behind Arab spring are direct results of internet revolution which, again, althotugh efficiently emlpoyed during revolts is not Arab in origin. Therefore Arab spring can rightly be named as `Google spring’. For Balci, Arab spring will be followed by a fall, a winter and a second spring. Balci powerfully and cogently argued that to expect immediate emergence of democracies in the region, in the near future is naive optimism. The deep-seated poliical, economic, and cultural problems in such countries as Egypt, Tunisia, and Libya are far from being easily solved with simple expulsion of dictators.
Harrington
Human rights activist and attorney James Harrington, explored the political trial of Fethullah Gülen, a moderate Turkish religious leader. Harrington argues that this trial helped to greatly expand civil liberties and strengthen democracy in Turkey. The trial began in 2000 in an Ankara state security court (now disbanded) and ended in 2008 in an appeals court in Gülen’s favor. In his speech Harrington examined the evolving process of Turkey’s efforts to enter the European Union, and discusses ways that the EU’s insistence on expanding civil liberties in Turkey and reforming the judicial system affected the outcome of the trial (and vice versa). Harrington also touched on unsuccessful efforts to block Gülen’s application for permanent immigrant status in the United States as a religious scholar, which occurred during the same time as his political trial in Turkey.
Minassian
Edwin Minassian`s historical survey demonstrated ineffaceable traits of Armanian community in Ottoman arts; such as architecture, music, pottery, ceramic, theatre, cinema. Minassian`s short historical overview from Urartus to late Ottomans proved that in the land of Anatolia the existence of Armanians have always been an invaluable source of richness and contributions.