5th Sociology Days and Student Research Symposium Held at Our University

The 5th Sociology Days and Student Research Symposium, organized by the Department of Sociology at Ibn Haldun University, was held on May 8–10, 2026, at our University’s Başakşehir Complex under the theme “Society in Motion: Transformations in Power, Knowledge, and Identity”.

During the three-day symposium, processes of social change were addressed from a multifaceted perspective through various themes, including power relations, knowledge production, identity, belonging, digitalization, artificial intelligence, migration, gender, family, religion, youth, labor, and urbanization. The event provided students and academics with an interdisciplinary platform for discussion while enabling current social issues to be evaluated from a sociological perspective.

The symposium brought together high school, undergraduate, master’s, and doctoral students, as well as academics from different universities. Participants from numerous institutions, including Ibn Haldun University, Boğaziçi University, Bursa Uludağ University, Hacettepe University, Istanbul University, Istanbul Ticaret University, Istanbul Medeniyet University, Marmara University, Sakarya University, Üsküdar University, and Necmettin Erbakan University, took part in the event. In addition, presentations by students from various high schools contributed to the program, enriching the symposium with academic diversity and an intergenerational discussion environment.

Opening Keynote Delivered by Prof. Syed Farid Alatas

The opening keynote of the program was delivered by Prof. Syed Farid Alatas, a faculty member in the Department of Sociology and Anthropology at the National University of Singapore, under the title “Decolonization and the Emergence of Pro-Colonial Thought.” In his speech, Alatas addressed the relationship between decolonization processes and the emergence of pro-colonial thought, drawing attention to debates on knowledge production, power, and epistemic transformation.

Current Sociological Issues Discussed in Concurrent Sessions

Throughout the symposium, concurrent sessions addressed a wide range of topics, including the construction of the self in the digital age, artificial intelligence and the future of the social sciences, the transformation of belonging, migration and identity, changing family structures, surveillance society, gender representations, urbanization, digital activism, the transformation of religious and moral order, youth, labor, and inequality.

Students and researchers shared their studies with participants through theoretical discussions as well as field research, qualitative analyses, and contemporary social observations. Presentations by high school students on topics such as social media, artificial intelligence, popular culture, identity, and values were also among the noteworthy parts of the symposium.

Documentary Screening and Closing

As part of the event, the documentary “Aile Olmak II - Maskenin Ardında” was screened at the Student Center Cinema Hall. Following the screening, a discussion was held with screenwriter and author Abdullah Kibritçi. Moderated by Prof. Alev Erkilet, the session explored the themes of the documentary in the context of family, society, and individual experiences.

The closing keynote of the symposium was delivered by Prof. Mücahit Bilici from the City University of New York, John Jay College, and the CUNY Graduate Center, under the title “Plasma Society: We are Fish in a Sea of Signals.” In his speech, Bilici evaluated from a sociological perspective how contemporary society is shaped around signals, digital interactions, and flows of information.

Best Paper Awards

The program concluded with closing remarks and an awards ceremony. During the ceremony, the awards for the best undergraduate and graduate theses of 2025, as well as the awards for the best graduate, undergraduate, and high school paper presentations of 2026, were presented.

In the graduate category, Hatice İ. Erdem from Mimar Sinan Fine Arts University (PhD), Hatice Ay from Necmettin Erbakan University (MA), and Merve Ak Efe from Istanbul Medeniyet University (PhD) were granted awards.

In the undergraduate category, İrem Ak from Ibn Haldun University, Yasin Şahin from Boğaziçi University, and Reyhan Yıldırım from Balıkesir University received the Best Paper Awards.

In the high school category, Melis Nakşılar from Prof. Dr. Mümtaz Turhan Social Sciences High School, Fatma Betül Akgünlü from NÛN Schools, and Yusuf Kayra İlter from NÛN Schools were granted awards.