From Consultation to Coexistence: A Methodological Approach for Improving Turkish-Arab Relations

Year 2019, Volume: 11 Issue: 2, 300 - 323, 30.12.2019

Kemal Argon

Abstract

This article analyzes practicable methodology for facilitating a meaningful discourse between Turks and Arabs in Turkey with a purpose and scope of improving Arab-Turkish
cultural relations. The originality of this article is in its description and analysis of two group types established by academicians in Konya, Turkey, formal academic roundtables
and informal Stammtisch meetings (regular informal discussion meetings), which could be used to facilitate discourses between Turks and Arabs leading to more mutual familiarity
with both Arabic and Turkish language and culture. A series of interviews was conducted with participants as a field study, regarding their experiences with formal and informal
meetings to determine the utility and effectiveness of these groups. Importantly, these two groups in Konya have involved not only academics but also involved non-academics within
the public sphere. The example of these two group types in a Turkish context, roundtables and stammtisch meetings, presents the possibility of an alternative option of method for
academicians in arts and humanities, and also an option of method for Turkish civil society organizations (non-governmental organizations.) For academic and civil society organizations,
these two group types should be economic and can be made available as methodology which can be dedicated to topics relevant to improving Turkish-Arab relations.

Keywords

Turkish-Arab Relations, International Relations, Stammtisch, Round Tables, Civil Society Organisations, Public Sphere

Müzakereden Birlikte Yaşama Sürecine: Türk-Arap İlişkilerini Geliştirme Konusunda Metodolojik Bir Yaklaşım

Abstract

Bu makale Türkler ve Türkiye’de bulunan Araplar arasında, Arap-Türk kültürel ilişkilerini geliştirmek amacı ile anlamlı bir söylem geliştirmeye olanak sağlayacak pratikte uygulanabilir bir metodoloji önermektedir. Çalışmanın özgünlüğü tanımında ve Konya-Türkiye’de akademisyenler tarafından organize edilen, Türkler ve Araplar arasında Türk ve Arap dili ile kültürü konusunda daha çok benzerlik bulma konusunda önderlik edecek söylevlerin oluşturulmasına olanak sağlayacak, akademik yuvarlak masa toplantıları ve Stammtisch buluşmalarının (düzenli gayrı resmi tartışma toplantıları) analiz edilmesindedir. Önemli diğer bir konu da Konya’da oluşturulan bu iki grubun sadece akademisyenlerden oluşmayıp aynı zamanda akademisyen olmayan sivil halktan kişileri de içermesidir. Türkler açısından incelendiğinde, yuvarlak masa toplantıları ve Stammtisch buluşmalarında örnek olarak ele alınan iki grup, sanat ve sosyal bilimler konusunda çalışan akamisyenler ve Türk sivil toplum kuruluşları için de alternatif bir metot sunmaktadır. Akademi ve sivil toplum kuruluşları açısından ele alındığında; önerilen iki farklı çalışma grubu ekonomik olmasının yanısıra Türk-Arap ilişkilerine odaklanan konuları ile uygulanabilir bir metodoloji sunmaktadır.

Keywords

Türk-Arap İlişkileri, Uluslararası İlişkiler, Stammtisch, Yuvarlak Masaları, Sivil Toplum Kuruluşları, Kamusal Alan

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