International symposium from Üsküdar University under the patronage of the Turkish Grand National Assembly (TBMM)!

Türkiye's two-century-long modernization journey will be re-examined at an international symposium that will bring together the academic and political worlds under the same roof. At the symposium titled “Modernization: Turkish Modernization in Light of Global Comparisons and Alternative Searches,” organized by Üsküdar University Strategic Research and Application Center (ÜSSAM) under the patronage of TBMM, the transformation process extending from the Ottoman Empire to the Republic will be discussed from an interdisciplinary perspective.

The symposium, aiming to evaluate Turkish modernization with its historical, political, social, and cultural dimensions, will be held on May 20-22, 2026, at Hilton Istanbul Bomonti Hotel & Conference Center. The transformation process extending from the Ottoman Empire to the Republic will be discussed from an interdisciplinary perspective at the symposium. The opening speech will be delivered by TBMM Speaker Numan Kurtulmuş.

International names will participate…

The symposium also draws attention with its international participants. Nilüfer Göle, known for her studies on modernization, identity, and public space, and British academic William Hale, known for his work on Turkish politics and modernization, are among the prominent names of the event.

Turkish modernization will be examined from different dimensions

At the symposium titled “Modernization: Turkish Modernization in Light of Global Comparisons and Alternative Searches,” Türkiye's modernization experience will be evaluated not only as a historical transformation process but also as a multidimensional issue shaping today's discussions.
Within the scope of the symposium, non-Western examples of modernization will also be comparatively examined. In sessions discussing modernization experiences in Russia, Japan, China, India, and Africa, the place of the Turkish example within the global context will be discussed.

Interdisciplinary approach will be prominent

Academicians from the fields of history, political science, sociology, economics, law, theology, and art will come together at the event. The symposium aims to provide academic contributions to discussions on modernization and identity, as well as to bring different perspectives to current public debates.

The symposium organized by Üsküdar University is intended to be an important academic platform that re-evaluates Türkiye’s past, discusses its present, and creates an intellectual foundation for its future.