Üsküdar University’s Postcolonial Studies Application and Research Center (PAMER), Risale-i Nur Research Platform (RINAP), and the Department of Philosophy at Ukraine’s Ternopil National Pedagogical University jointly organized a training program titled “Ukraine-Türkiye: Innovative Approaches in the Analysis of Social Processes.” The five-day program featured panels on various topics, practical lessons, and cultural tours. Academics from Ukraine participated in the training, where social processes were evaluated through postcolonial and philosophical perspectives. During the program, important sites such as Hagia Sophia, Süleymaniye Mosque, and Çamlıca Hill were visited, and a meaningful commemoration was held at the July 15 Martyrs Memorial and Museum. The Ukrainian delegation also visited President of Üsküdar University Prof. Nevzat Tarhan.
The training program, held at the Risale-i Nur Research Platform (RINAP) hall of Üsküdar University, was attended by Asst. Prof. Fehmi Ağca, Director of PAMER; Prof. Niyazi Beki, President of RINAP; Sadık Paksoy, Vice President of RINAP; board members Prof. İbrahim Özdemir, Prof. İlham Miraç, Asst. Prof. Nafi Yalçın; as well as Assoc. Prof. Natalia Morska, Head of the Philosophy Department at Ternopil National Pedagogical University, and Assoc. Prof. Liubov Kondratiuk and Assoc. Prof. Galina Poperechna, members of the same department.
Visit to Prof. Nevzat Tarhan
The delegation from Ukraine’s Ternopil National Pedagogical University also visited President of Üsküdar University and Psychiatrist Prof. Nevzat Tarhan in the Senate Hall. Prof. Tarhan expressed his satisfaction with the visit and wished that the training program would be fruitful for the academic relations between the two countries.
“I am hopeful to see this understanding spreading among young people”
Speaking about the Risale-i Nur collection, President of Üsküdar University and Psychiatrist Prof. Nevzat Tarhan said: "When I first read the Risale-i Nur, I experienced that classic feeling of ‘I read a book, and my life changed.’ As someone with a background in medicine and raised with positive sciences, I could not find answers to many questions in my mind. Through the Risale-i Nur, I encountered rational and logical explanations about concepts like monotheism, the hereafter, and resurrection after death. This showed me that a rational belief system is possible. Said Nursi explains that one can reach God through reason. One of the most impressive aspects is that he initiated a book-centered movement rather than a personality-centered one. He says, ‘Don’t follow me; read the books, find the truth.’ I also turned these ideas into books such as ‘Journey from Mind to Heart’ and ‘The Conscience of the Age: Bediüzzaman.’ We also have a student club at our university with this name. I am hopeful to see this understanding spreading among young people."
“The solution lies in preventive mental health and strong faith”
Highlighting that Said Nursi grounded the truths of the Qur’an through rational thought, Prof. Tarhan stated: "I am currently working on a book about the ‘Treatise on Patients,’ analyzing it from a psychiatric perspective. The narrative style there is very much in line with Viktor Frankl’s logotherapy approach. When a person loses meaning, they also lose their resistance to life. Just as Frankl’s book ‘Man’s Search for Meaning,’ shaped by his experiences during the Holocaust, explains this, Said Nursi also describes in this treatise how producing meaning in the face of hardships and illnesses impacts mental health. Our teacher Ayhan Songar’s comment that ‘This book makes one love illness’ is also very accurate. In today’s world, problems such as depression, addiction, and suicide have increased. The solution lies in preventive mental health and strong faith. The algorithm of our brain is programmed to connect with God. The greatest revolution of Said Nursi was rationally grounding the truths of the Qur’an. His approach, which he called tahkik (verification), advises basing faith on investigation and reflection. What is most needed for today’s people is this kind of faith infused with reason."
“Said Nursi suggests a meaning-oriented life”
Prof. Tarhan remarked that connecting with God at a heartfelt level has been forgotten in today’s world: "One of the narratives by Said Nursi that interests me most is the metaphor of the two travelers in the First Word. One says, ‘I don’t answer to anyone,’ and embarks on an unprincipled journey; the other says, ‘Such an orderly country cannot be ownerless,’ and acts with responsibility. The traveler who follows the rules overcomes challenges, while the other suffers harm. This is a very powerful analogy for life in this world. A wise person follows the rules because it benefits them. Said Nursi, in opposition to modernism’s imposition of ‘whatever pleases you is good,’ suggests a meaning-oriented life. We also see the same approach in the Eighth Word: ‘One who sees beautifully, thinks beautifully; one who thinks beautifully enjoys life.’ These narratives, which change a person’s perspective on life, are also very valuable for psychological resilience. Today, many people engage in religious practices but have forgotten how to build a heartfelt connection with God. The perspective that Said Nursi offers reminds us of the true essence of religion."
Prof. İbrahim Özdemir: “We must translate ancient sources of wisdom for our age”
Prof. İbrahim Özdemir, Head of the Environmental Ethics Platform at Üsküdar University and a faculty member at the Department of Philosophy in the Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences, gave a talk titled “Innovative Approaches in the Analysis of Social Processes: Globalization and the Deep Ecology Example.” Özdemir stated: "Ibn Arabi’s perspective of seeing existence as a whole, Mevlana’s profound love for nature, and Said Nursi’s approach of reading nature like a book all tell us this: ‘Human beings are not the masters of nature, but beings who must establish a meaningful, responsible, and compassionate relationship with it.’ This ancient wisdom does not only offer solutions to ecological crises but also suggests perceiving nature not only materially but spiritually and relationally, establishing a love-based, not rights-based, connection with it. Therefore, what we must do today is to re-read these ancient sources of wisdom, translate them for our age, and most importantly, integrate them into our lives."
Prof. İlham Miraç: “We will try to understand the social, cultural, pedagogical, and philosophical dimensions of transformations”
Üsküdar University RINAP Board Member and Program Coordinator Prof. İlham Miraç provided information about the program. Miraç stated: “The program is not only an academic activity but also a platform of friendship and cooperation where two countries, which are Ukraine and Türkiye, and two universities, which are Ternopil National Pedagogical University and Üsküdar University, along with a variety of experiences come together to analyze the social transformations of our age and to develop innovative approaches for the future. Within the scope of the program, the guest academics aim to increase mutual interaction in terms of pedagogical, philosophical, and social processes, and to develop a more holistic analysis. Our program is not limited to evaluating political developments alone; we will also try to understand the social, cultural, pedagogical, and philosophical dimensions of these transformations together. Each of these social processes has moral, spiritual, cultural, and pedagogical effects on both the individual and society. Analyzing these academically and producing solutions during our training program will be a highly valuable contribution.”
At the end of the visit, Prof. Tarhan signed his books for the academics. The Ukrainian delegation also presented gifts reflecting their culture to Prof. Tarhan.
The Ukrainian philosophy associate professors emphasized that reading a certain book had changed their lives.
Assoc. Prof. Natalia Morska: “Our department deals with both humanities and social sciences”
Speaking at the opening of the training program, Assoc. Prof. Natalia Morska, Head of the Department of Philosophy at Ukraine’s Ternopil National Pedagogical University, spoke about the multidisciplinary structure of the department. Morska said: “Our department deals with both humanities and social sciences. We have fields such as philosophy, ethics, aesthetics, sociology, and political science. We also conduct studies under topics like the philosophy of education, philosophy of law, and philosophy of culture.”
Assoc. Prof. Galina Poperechna: “We work together with our students”
Touching upon the founding process of the “Analysis of Social Processes” program, Assoc. Prof. Galina Poperechna, a faculty member of the Philosophy Department at Ukraine’s Ternopil National Pedagogical University, said that she personally focuses on philosophical anthropology, values, and the relations between Ukrainian and Russian Orthodox cultures, and that they developed new academic programs at the undergraduate and graduate levels during 2017–2018. Poperechna added: “We work together with our students. We write papers with them and publish articles after joint conferences.”
Assoc. Prof. Liubov Kondratiuk: “Feeling the atmosphere of peace was very important”
Assoc. Prof. Liubov Kondratiuk emphasized the significance of being in Türkiye, stating: “We are going through difficult times, there is much pain and suffering. Despite everything, being here, communicating, and feeling the atmosphere of peace was very important.”
Following the introductory session, Assoc. Prof. Natalia Morska gave a presentation introducing Ukraine’s Ternopil National Pedagogical University to the participants.
Theoretical and practical training offered together
On the first day of the program, a panel titled “Analysis of Public Political Processes from a Postcolonial Perspective” was held under the leadership of Asst. Prof. Fehmi Ağca and Assoc. Prof. Natalia Morska. After the panel, participants visited Hagia Sophia and the Blue Mosque.
On the second day, a panel titled “Innovative Approaches in the Analysis of Social Processes” was organized under the moderation of Prof. İbrahim Özdemir and Assoc. Prof. Liubov Kondratiuk. Practical lessons were held in the Süleymaniye and Beyazıt libraries.
On the third day, a panel titled “Analysis of Spiritual Social Processes and Innovative Approaches: Value Systems; Harmony of Human, Nature, and the Creator; Religious Values; Traditions and Experiences” took place with the participation of Prof. İlham Miraç and Assoc. Prof. Natalia Morska. After the panel, Mihrimah Mosque, Valide-i Cedid Mosque, and Valide-i Atik Mosque were visited.
On the fourth day, as part of the practical lessons, participants toured the Çamlıca Mosque and Museum.
On the fifth day, a panel titled “A Holistic View as Methods of Understanding the World” was held with contributions from Sadık Paksoy and Assoc. Prof. Galina Poperechna.
The spirit of July 15 was not forgotten
As part of the program, participants visited the July 15 Martyrs Memorial and Museum, where they commemorated the martyrs.
Üsküdar News Agency (ÜNA)