NON-MUSLIM MINORITIES IN ISTANBUL

Course Objectives: The main purpose of this course is to give an overview of the lives of the non-Muslim minorities in Istanbul, and to think specifically about their place in Istanbul culture. In addition, raising awareness about the problems that the community has faced throughout history is also among the objectives of this course. In order to make non-Muslim minorities more visible for various reasons, their traditions, customs and lifestyles will be introduced in general terms. The ultimate goal here is to strengthen the ‘culture of living together’ in Istanbul, one of the world’s richest cities in terms of history and culture.

Course Content: Armenians, Greeks, Jews, Levantines and other nonMuslim minorities who have been living in Istanbul for hundreds of years have influenced Istanbul’s culture in various ways. So much so that we are sometimes unaware of this influence of non-Muslim minorities at the root of many elements of what we call ‘Istanbul Culture’ today. This course examines non-Muslim minorities not only in terms of their cultural contributions, but also in terms of their lives in today’s Istanbul. The traditions of these communities, their social existence and the problems they face will be discussed during the semester. Our course will also focus on the ‘culture of living together’.