This semester we discuss “A Strangeness in My Mind” by Orhan Pamuk, in a group that includes our Turkish partners in Istanbul.
We are engaging people living daily life in Istanbul, people on the outside of those experiences looking in, and the experiences of fictional characters in the novel. What a fascinating triangulation.
This kind of perspective-taking activity shows off the strength of humanities and social sciences for building understanding of diverse cultural contexts. The e-portfolio is intended for a broader audience, eventually, but it is admittedly easier to run the pilot in a course offered by Near Eastern Languages and Cultures (Turkish 2241).
Boza Seller Image, Public Domain, CC0