The 4th Sociology Days Student Research Symposium Held at Our University with Broad Participation from Various Universities

The symposium, held on May 9–11, 2025, explored how oppressed bodies develop strategies of resilience, focusing on topics such as social inequality, identity politics, and forms of resistance. The event created a platform not only for academic exchange but also for reflecting on and raising awareness of current social and political issues. Throughout the symposium, participants engaged with topics including the Palestinian resistance, refugee crises, migrant identities, emotional manipulations in digital culture, and gender inequality. Through these discussions, they examined the power of resistance and proposed solutions for overcoming social injustices.

Students and Academics from Various Universities Came Together

The event welcomed participants from high school, undergraduate, graduate, and doctoral levels, alongside academics from a wide range of institutions. Students and scholars from Ibn Haldun University, Boğaziçi University, Koç University, Sabancı University, Kyrgyz-Turkish Manas University, Zonguldak Bülent Ecevit University, and Sakarya University enriched the event with academic diversity. While undergraduate students analyzed inequalities through theoretical discussions, graduate and doctoral students offered more in-depth research presentations focusing on various forms of resistance through a sociological lens.

The opening keynote address was delivered by Prof. Peter van der Veer, Emeritus Director at the Max Planck Institute, under the title "The Suffering Body: Agency and the Power of the Weak”. In his talk, Prof. van der Veer emphasized how physical suffering and weakness can transform into sources of power in a societal context, illustrating how the body functions as a tool of agency at both the individual and collective levels.

The closing keynote was delivered by Assoc. Prof. Ayşe Güç from the Department of Anthropology at Ankara Social Sciences University. Her presentation, titled "Resistance and Resilience to the Banality of Dehumanization”, examined the impact of the normalization of dehumanization on social structures and highlighted the sustainability of the resistance strategies developed by individuals and communities.

Documentary Screening and Discussion

As part of the symposium, the documentary “Holy Redemption” was screened at the Student Center Cinema Hall. The screening was followed by a discussion moderated by Assoc. Prof. Nagihan Haliloğlu from Boğaziçi University with the film’s director, Aslıhan Eker Çakmak. During the session, Eker Çakmak shared insights into the documentary’s production process, its core themes, and its social impact.