The debates on muslim city and the city in Kurdish cultur

The lecture will discuss two topics concerning social aspect of urbanism, the debates on relevance of western theories of city for non-western societies and the relationship between Kurdish culture and the city. At first presented will be some anthropological arguments for refutations of key urban characteristics posed by classic western scholars like George Simmel or Louis Wirth. Secondly explained will be the controversies and discussions concerning the idea of islamic city formed by western orientalists such as William Marcais and Gustave von Grunebaum in the beginning of 20th century. As contemporary western scholars who advocate for inclusion of indigenous voice in studying urban phenomena cited will be Janet Abu-Lunghod and André Raymond. The problem of Kurdish culture and its relation to the city will be approached at first from general historical and anthropological perspective and then from particular examples of Kurd's in modern Turkish cities illustrated by the research of Cenk Saraçoğlu in İzmir and the presenter in İstanbul.