The Talal Asad Award for the Best MA Thesis

The Award is named in honor of Talal Asad, one of the most distinguished and esteemed anthropologists of our time. An unconventional thinker, Talal Asad’s works and ideas have inspired scholars across multiple disciplines, and contributed greatly to shaping the landscape of Anthropology, Sociology and the Humanities and Social Sciences at large. 

The Talal Asad Award for the Best MA Thesis aims to honor and carry forward his rich, vibrant and critical tradition of thinking in our department. 

Award Highlights:

  • Prestigious Recognition: The Award will be presented during the Annual Sociology Days in May 2026, 8-10.
  • Inspiring Excellence: The winner will receive a Citation Letter that recognizes  academic merits and excellence.
  • Prize: 30.000 TL

Eligibility: All MA theses in the Sociology Department defended before occurrence of Sociology Days in 2026 are eligible.

Jury Composition: A committee of three jury members will review the nominations, focusing on academic excellence as the criterion for the award.

The Jury

Prof. Mücahit Bilici - John Jay College (Ibn Haldun University / Visiting Scholar)
Assoc. Prof. Ayşe Güç - Ankara Social Sciences University 
Assist. Prof. Muhammed Veysel Bilici - Kırklareli University

YearAward WinnerThesis TitleSupervisor
2025Dima FaressCoping Strategies of Aleppian Elder Parents from an Intergenerational Perspective: Aleppo and IstanbulAssist. Prof. Tesnim Khriji
2024Akbar Mohammadi KahrizehThe Politics of Religiosity and Secularism: Narratives from the West Azerbaijan, IranProf. Ramazan Aras
2023Zahide Şeyda KarabatakChanging Experiences of Marriage and Masculinity in Turkey: Turkish Men’s Transnational Marriages to Indonesian Women in the Black Sea RegionProf. Ramazan Aras
2022Büşra CoşkunReligion, Memory, and Sense of Belonging: the Tradition of Memorization of the Qur'an in Turkey (1923-1950)Prof. Ramazan Aras
Photos

Related Content