10th International Communication Days started at Üsküdar University

Organized for the 10th time this year, the International Communication Days started, which is hosted and organized by Üsküdar University. Prof. Nevzat Tarhan made an opening speech at the symposium held with the main theme of 'Digital Capitalism and Communication', and said that "A culture of fear has been dominant in societies since the Middle Ages. The element of fear in the capitalist system has become technology. The fight between imperialism and anti-imperialism will continue, and the new version of this is digitalization.". Prof. Nazife Güngör said: "Humanity is developing technologically, and we are having a great breakthrough. However, is this a real big development, or are we missing something somewhere?”. Güngör pointed out where people position technology and that the participating academics will make inquiries in this direction throughout the symposium.

The new version of the fight between imperialism and anti-imperialism: "Digitalization"

The 10th International Communication Days started, which is hosted by Üsküdar University. Within the scope of the main theme of 'Digital Capitalism and Communication', a total of face-to-face and online 56 sessions will be held during the 3-day symposium. The symposium features expert speakers from national and international universities.

Prof. Süleyman İrvan: "We spend most of our lives in digital media"

Üsküdar University Faculty of Communication Dean Prof. Süleyman İrvan stated that "We spend most of our lives in digital media. We do our lessons through digital channels. In fact, a part of this symposium will be held digitally." in his opening speech. In the International Communication Days symposiums organized for ten years, İrvan said that digitalization is titled with themes appropriate to the period by looking at it from different angles, and very important papers are published every year. Stating that this year's theme is determined as "Digital Capitalism and Communication", İrvan informed on the general program by stating that 253 papers will be presented in 56 sessions during the three-day symposium and that they will discuss the future of media in the roundtable session to be held on the last day.

Prof. Nazife Güngör: "Does mankind manage technology, or is mankind managed by technology?"

Üsküdar University Rector Prof. Nazife Güngör started her speech by thanking the experts from different universities. Stating that the symposium held for the 10th time this year, is dedicated to all of Türkiye. Güngör said: "We continue our efforts to make it dedicated to the whole world with our international guests.".

Prof. Nazife Güngör said "We have especially emphasized digital capitalism this year" and explained the reason for this by voicing the following questions that will be answered in the symposium: "Humanity is developing technologically, we are making great breakthroughs. However, is this really a big improvement, or are we missing something somewhere? In what sense do we integrate technology into our lives? Where do we put it in our daily life practices? Can man manage the technology of its own production, or does mankind come under the management of technology? Is it instrumentalizing technology, or are we becoming the instrument of technology?".

Prof. Nazife Güngör: "We should question technology as we produce it."

Pointing out that human intelligence is put into practice and creativity emerges as a result of this practice, Güngör said that "What is important is that humanity does not objectify themselves while being the subject of all these processes. Mankind is free as long as they produce. However, people unfortunately are enslaved and deprived of their freedom as they produce within the structure of the capitalist system. Then we should question technology as we produce it, and we should stand behind every effort we put forth. Our labor and production must liberate us. If the opposite is happening, there is a problem. We need to address this problem. We will question all these things during this symposium.".

Prof. Nevzat Tarhan: "Digitalization is the new version of the fight between imperialism and anti-imperialism"

President of Üsküdar University Prof. Nevzat Tarhan stated in his opening speech that he was happy to hold the 10th symposium which continued without interruption even during the pandemic process. Referring to the fact that they determine the subject every year by considering the needs of society and science, Tarhan said that "Fear culture has been dominant in societies since the Middle Ages. The element of fear in the capitalist system has become technology. With technology, liberation and competition have increased; however, the sense of dominance within the human being continues. Even Hitler uses the technology at his hand very well. He creates great works, but he uses it to satisfy his own sense of domination. It tries to rule out of fear, but no dictator in history has ever enjoyed what he has earned. The struggle for freedom has always come to the fore in history. The fight between imperialism and anti-imperialism will continue, and the new version of this is digitalization. The technology itself is neutral. Whether technology and artificial intelligence are good or bad is in our hands. Young people are natives of the digital world, we are migrants, asylum seekers. Therefore, they have a lot of work to do.”.

Whenever a person stops learning, one gets older

Emphasizing that the technology is neutral and will serve good or bad according to the purpose of use, Prof. Nevzat Tarhan said that "In 2018, the matter of discussion followed by this question ‘is artificial intelligence the new god?' was discussed in Davos. ' Are we heading for a digital dictatorship? Are we the last free generation?'. Thus, the new version of the slave-master mentality uses digitalization. When we use technology, will we be the object or subject of technology? If we can use artificial intelligence, if we can produce new technologies, we can be its subject, not its object. We have traditionally put artificial intelligence on our agenda since 2013 at the Science Idea Festival and carried it to the titles of our competition.”. Tarhan also added that "The World Health Organization has a recipe for aging. Whenever a person stops learning, does not go out of his comfort zone, does not question themselves, does not use their sense of wonder and curiosity, that person has started to grow old. Therefore, learning must continue throughout life.".

The symposium, which will last for 3 days and will be attended by 253 papers in 56 sessions with the participation of important international names, will be participated by the University of Glasgow Prof. Gillian Doyle, Zagreb Institute of Development and International Relations Department of Culture and Communication Senior Researcher Dr. Paško Bilić, Urbana-Champaign University of Illinois Communication and Information Historian Prof. Dan Schiller, İstanbul Bilgi University Prof. Halil Nalçaoğlu, Ankara University Prof. Gamze Yücesan Özdemir, Annenberg School of Communication Prof. Victor Pickard.

Üsküdar News Agency (ÜNA)