A conference entitled ‘Turkey and Europe: Cultural Aspects’ was jointly organised by Academia Europaea’s Social Sciences Section and the Commission for Migration and Integration of the Austrian Academy of Sciences. Papers delivered at that conference are presented here, edited by Justin Stagl and Anne Buttimer. The conference took place in Maria Plain near Salzburg from 24 to 26 September 2014, its local organisers were Justin Stagl (University of Salzburg) and Esma Drugönül (University of Antalya).
This was the second meeting on this general theme. An earlier conference, entitled ‘Turkey and Europe: Mobility, Creativity and Trajectories’, was held in Vienna on 15 and 16 October 2012. There, images of Turkey and Turks in Europe, and especially within the Balkans – where the intersection had been closest for over 500 years – were discussed. Most of the contributions were, however, dedicated to the migration from Turkey to European countries and back since the 1960s, to the economic and demographic aspects and to the political parameters of these movements. There were comparisons, too, between Turkish and other migrant groups and questions were raised about the intersections between migrants and modernity, emphasising the roles of places, space and time in adaptation processes. A fascinating paper dealt with the experiences of those who returned to Turkey after their séjours in Europe. These papers were published, edited by Justin Stagl and Anne Buttimer, in European Review, Vol. 21, No. 3 (July 2013).
Our first conference therefore opened many questions that have indeed been catalysts for the present conference. Here, the focus rested especially on ‘cultural’ aspects. Indeed, it was delightful that this time we had more participants from Turkey itself than had been possible at the last conference. Now, sharper questions could be asked about definitions of the taken-for-granted boundaries of Europe and Turkey, ‘European’ and ‘Turkish’ identities and how these conceptions are instigated, included or questioned in educational programmes and media in both East and West. In many aspects the Turkish participants contributed valuably to the lively discussions, bringing insights to personal experiences of encounters with European visitors to their shores and being visitors in European settings themselves. For mustering these Turkish participants special thanks should be given to Esma Durugönül.
We warmly acknowledge the sponsorship of Sweden’s Riksbankens Tercentennial Jubileumsfond and of the Commission for Migration and Integration at the Austrian Academy of Sciences. We especially thank Heinz Fassmann, who was prevented from attending due to his duties as the Vice Rector of the University of Vienna, and Wiebke Sievers who delivered the keynote speech. Jennifer Carvill Schellenbacher from the Commission has assisted us in editing the papers most ably and effectively. We also thank all participants, who have submitted their papers at very short notice, observing our editorial hints, and helping the editors and one another with their pertinent comments.
January 2015
Justin Stagl is Emeritus Professor of Sociology at the University of Salzburg in Austria. He served as Visiting Professor of Sociology and Anthropology, University of Notre Dame, USA; Directeur d´études associé, Ecole des Hautes Etudes en Sciences Sociales, Paris; Fellow, Netherlands Institute for Advanced Study in the Social and Cultural Sciences (NIAS) in Wassenaar, the Netherlands. He is a Member of the Institut für historische Anthropologie, Freiburg im Breisgau; Deutsche Gesellschaft für Soziologie; Görres-Gesellschaft; European Academy; Life Member, Clare Hall, Cambridge, and Corresponding Member of the Verband der Professorinnen und Professoren der österreichischen Universität.
Anne Buttimer has been Emeritus Professor of Geography, University College Dublin since 2003, and Fellow of Royal Irish Academy, Royal Geographical Society (UK) and Academia Europaea. She has served as Council Member of the Association of American Geographers (AAG) 1974–1977, of the Royal Geographical Society (RGS) 1996–1999, and as President of the International Geographical Union (IGU) 2000–2004. She is the first female and first Irish person to be elected to this role.
