A new role for Assoc. Prof. Dr. Cem Tutar, a faculty member of the Visual Communication Design Department at Üsküdar Üniversitesi's Faculty of Communication. Tutar, who stands out with his academic work in the urban field and conducts studies at the intersection of urban sociology and communication from an interdisciplinary perspective, was elected to the Executive Board Membership at the Üsküdar City Council General Assembly Meeting.
The Üsküdar City Council General Assembly Meeting was held on Friday, July 19, 2024, at the Bağlarbaşı Congress and Culture Center. At the meeting, which was attended by Üsküdar Mayor Sinem Dedetaş, Dedetaş emphasized the importance of the City Council and stated that she hoped the council would be active, highly participatory, and open to every voice and perspective.
At the meeting, chaired by Üsküdar Municipality Council Deputy Speaker Mithat Özdemir, the election of the City Council president and executive board members was held first. While Sündüs Nazan Tok was elected as the City Council President, the Executive Board was subsequently elected by a majority vote.
With His Successful Work, Assoc. Prof. Dr. Cem Tutar Elected to City Council Membership
At the Üsküdar City Council General Assembly Meeting, Assoc. Prof. Dr. Cem Tutar, a faculty member of the Visual Communication Design Department at Üsküdar Üniversitesi's Faculty of Communication and Head of the Media and Cultural Studies Department at the Institute of Social Sciences, presented his urban studies at the master's and doctoral levels to the audience. Tutar, who conducts studies at the intersection of urban sociology and communication from an interdisciplinary perspective, has carried out academic works covering many districts and regions of Istanbul such as Beşiktaş, Cihangir, Karaköy, Nişantaşı, and Taksim, two of which are Üsküdar-centric. These works have been shared as national and international books, articles, and papers. In his speech, Tutar, whose work has drawn attention, also shared his studies on the Sustainable Cities and Communities label at Üsküdar Üniversitesi, which received all 17 labels according to the 2024 results of the Times Higher Education (THE) Impact Rankings, a global university ranking organization, in line with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals.
Following his speech, Assoc. Prof. Dr. Cem Tutar was elected to the Üsküdar City Council Executive Board.
What Does the City Council Do?
The City Council is a civil society platform that brings together important stakeholders in the city. Operating on the principle of inclusivity, the City Council serves as a meeting point for representatives of public institutions, civil society, professional organizations, political parties, mukhtars (headmen), and universities. Legally, city councils are civil formations that convene at the call of the mayor, as stipulated by the relevant article (Article 76) of the municipal law. To activate voluntary solidarity in the city, the city council has functions such as bringing together various stakeholders in the city to discuss problems with common sense, providing an environment for consensus among different stakeholders, and creating new communication opportunities between public institutions and other segments of society.