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Asya Özer

Asya Özer is a PhD candidate in the Communication Sciences Program at Kadir Has University. She completed her undergraduate studies in Advertising at Bahçeşehir University and pursued a double major in New Media at the same university. She received her master’s degree from Istanbul Bilgi University’s Media and Communication Systems Program with her thesis titled “A Discursive Analysis of the Directorate of Communications’ Media Contents.” Özer’s research interests focus on discourse studies, gender, and the political economy of media. Since her master’s studies, she has been involved as a researcher in various TÜBİTAK projects and has been awarded funding as a principal investigator under the TÜBİTAK 3005 – Innovative Solutions in Social Sciences and Humanities Research Projects Funding Program.

Publications, Awards and Research Projects

  • Öğün Emre, P. & Özer, A. (2023). Medya! Göçmenleri olduğu gibi değil olduğun kadar mı görürsün?: 2011-2020 tarihleri arasında basında çıkan göçmenlerle ilgili haberlerin analizi. Çankaya Üniversitesi Hukuk Fakültesi Dergisi, 8(2), 413–451.
  • Özer, A., & Özçetin, B. (2026). Rewriting history: directorate of communications and neo-Ottoman ideological recasting of Turkey’s history. Southeast European and Black Sea Studies, 26(1), 191–208. DOI
  • Özer, A. (2024). Book Review: The New Politics of Home: Housing, Gender and Care in Times of Crisis. European Journal of Women’s Studies, 31(2), 279–282. DOI

BİDEB 2211 – Domestic Doctoral Scholarship

  • TÜBİTAK 1001: Political and Social Conceptualization of International Migration in Turkey: Discourses, Cognitive Maps and Migration Narratives on Migrants, Asylum-Seekers, and Refugees – MA & PhD Scholarship Holder
  • TÜBİTAK 3005: The Impact of Brain Drain Discourses in Online and Social Media on the Migration Attitudes and Approaches of Potential Migrants – PhD Scholarship Holder
  • TÜBİTAK 3005: Media Discourses on the “Year of the Family” and Social Perceptions of Family Policies – Principal Investigator

Aylin Berna Zamandar Başoğlu

Aylin Berna Zamandar Başoğlu is a PhD student in the Communication Sciences Program at Kadir Has University and works as a research assistant in the Department of Cartoon and Animation at Beykoz University. She completed her undergraduate and master’s studies in cinema, and her work is positioned within an interdisciplinary framework between cinema, digital media, and game studies. Her research focuses on digital game culture, particularly on how game-related content is produced, circulated, and transformed across platforms. In this context, one of her main areas of interest is how content creators reshape game narratives and cultural meanings on platforms such as YouTube. Her doctoral research examines how game content creators transform game culture across platforms, focusing on processes of reinterpretation, circulation, and recontextualization. Drawing on game studies and platform studies, she approaches game culture as a dynamic process shaped by creator practices, platform dynamics, and participatory audience structures. She has presented papers at international conferences and has contributed to edited books and interdisciplinary projects. Her broader research interests include digital game culture, platform-based narrative, fan and participatory cultures, and new forms of cultural production shaped by digital media and artificial intelligence.

Publications, Awards and Research Projects

  • ZAMANDAR BAŞOĞLU, Aylin Berna (2024). “Yeni Medya ve Gastronomi: Dijital Oyunlar Üzerinden Bir Bakış.” In Yemek ve İçmenin İletişimi, ed. Meral Pınar Seden & Saygı Yaşar Birol, Efe Akademi. ISBN: 978-625-392-069-2.
  • ZAMANDAR BAŞOĞLU, Aylin Berna (2024). “Navigating Virtual Realities and Hybrid Spaces in the Tron Cinematic Landscape.” In Studies on Cinematography and Narrative in Film: Sequels, Serials, and Trilogies, ed. Emre Ahmet Seçmen, IGI Global. ISBN: 9798369319581.
  • ÖZARSLAN, Zeynep & ZAMANDAR BAŞOĞLU, Aylin Berna (2022). “Sinemada Salgınlar: 2000’li Yılların Filmleri ve Dizileri.” In Pandemi Günlerinde Medyanın Serencamı, ed. Mutlu Binark & Sevda Ünal, um:ag Publications. ISBN: 978-605-7882-69-1.
  • ÖZARSLAN, Zeynep & ZAMANDAR BAŞOĞLU, Aylin Berna (2022). “Ünlülerin Pandemi Günlerinde Sosyal Medyada Ürettikleri İçerikler.” In Pandemi Günlerinde Medyanın Serencamı, ed. Mutlu Binark & Sevda Ünal, um:ag Publications. ISBN: 978-605-7882-69-1.
  • Project Advisor, TÜBİTAK 2209 – Video Oyunlardan Sinematik Anlatıya: Cutscene Estetiği (2025– , ongoing).
  • Project Advisor, TÜBİTAK 2209 – Türk ve Anadolu Mitolojisinin Oyun Endüstrisi Aracılığıyla Küresel Kültürel Tanıtımı ve Evrenselleştirilmesi (2025– , ongoing).

Other:

  • Jury Member, 15th Canlandıranlar Talent Camp, Canlandıranlar Association, 2025 (International).

Bengü Ergin Balta

[email protected]

Bengü Ergin Balta is a PhD student in Communication Sciences. She has an interdisciplinary background bringing together Theatre, Sinology, and Translation Studies. In addition to her academic work, she has gained experience in acting, teaching, and English and Chinese translation. Her areas of interest have been shaped by her training in child development, Waldorf pedagogy, nonviolent communication, and creative drama.

Her work mainly focuses on arts-based learning, nature-based approaches, and inclusive practices. Her research seeks to understand how creative methods can contribute to clearer and more accessible communication across different cultures and disciplines. In her master’s study at Istanbul University, she examined drama translation within the framework of Skopos Theory and performability; in another master’s study at Ankara University, she explored the use of creative drama in teaching Chinese as a foreign language and developed workshop-based approaches that support participation and learning.

She has also taken part as a researcher and trainer in several international projects carried out under Erasmus+, including SALTO Climate Justice Think Tank (2025–26), “Resilience in Nature” (2024–25), and “Step UP Art” (2021–2023).

Publications, Awards and Research Projects

  • Salomons, Oda, Öncel, Ahmet, Bouwsma, Sybren, Ergin Balta, Bengü (2025). Resilience in Nature: A Toolkit for Empowering Youth with Outdoor Activities. Amsterdam, Flourish in Nature Foundation. Link
  • Schejbal-Cytawa, M., Ergin Balta, B., Bilgin, E., Almeida, C., Pereira, S., Pires, D., Kajmowicz-Sopicka, J., Nyziak, A., Mihócsa, K., Farkas, A., Ntontis, D., Drellia, O., Moreira, C., & Vázquez, A. (2022). Designing and delivering arts and cultural activities to vulnerable groups. STEP UP Project. Link
  • Ergin, B. (2007). Çin ve Çeviribilim. 38th International Congress of Asian and North African Studies (ICANAS) Proceedings, 141–150. Link

Büşra Eser

Büşra Eser is pursuing a PhD in Communication Studies after completing a master’s degree in Sociology and an undergraduate degree in Psychology. She produces academic and semi-academic writings on food culture and, in her academic research, focuses particularly on the sociology of food, urban sociology, qualitative methods, migration, and refugees. In her research, she uses qualitative methods to understand everyday practices in urban life and migrant communities. Her academic work aims to reveal the connections between cultural practices and social relations. Eser served as a researcher in the TÜBİTAK-funded project titled “The Social History of Electric Home Technologies in Turkey (1930–2020): Modernization in Women’s Everyday Lives.” Her academic achievements include receiving the runner-up award in the “Best Thesis” category given by the Graduate Association for Food Studies (GAFS).

Publications, Awards and Research Projects

  • Eser, B. & Karaosmanoğlu, D. (2023). Gastrodiplomacy in Turkey: ‘Saving the World’ or Neoliberal Conservative Cultural Policies at Work. International Journal of Cultural Policy. DOI
  • Best Thesis Runner-Up Award, Graduate Association for Food Studies (GAFS), for ongoing doctoral research, July 2025.
  • Summer School Scholarship, Institut Européen d’Histoire et des Cultures de l’Alimentation (IEHCA), Food & Drink Studies, Tours, France, August–September 2019.
  • Best Paper Award, 3rd Congress on Relational Sociology, Koç University, June 14, 2019.
  • Teaching Assistant Scholarship, Istanbul Şehir University, 2015–2017.

Enes Akdağ

Enes Akdağ is an Istanbul-based short filmmaker and a PhD candidate in the Communication Sciences Program at Kadir Has University. He completed his undergraduate studies in the Political Science and International Relations Program at Istanbul Şehir University. At the same university, he also completed a double major in Cinema and Television. During his undergraduate years, Akdağ gained experience in directing and production departments within various production companies. Between 2017 and 2019, five short films he wrote and directed were selected for numerous national and international film festivals and received various awards. He received his master’s degree from Galatasaray University’s Media and Communication Studies Program with his thesis titled “Contemporary Forms of Collective Viewing Experience: Subscription-Based Video-on-Demand Platforms and Online Watch Parties.” Akdağ’s current research interests focus on new cinema history, the film industry, and queer cinema. He currently works as a research assistant in the Department of New Media and Communication (English) at Üsküdar University, where he teaches practice-based courses such as video camera techniques and basic editing.

Publications, Awards and Research Projects

  • Akdağ, E., & Temel, M. (Forthcoming). Post-Truth: A Fake Film About The Real World. Lacuna: Journal of Theory, Culture and Events. Link
  • Akdağ, E. (2024). New ‘Film’ or ‘Cinema’ History: Reflections on Emerging Principles, Theories and Methodologies in Cinema Historiography. Etkileşim, 14, 351–355. DOI
  • Akdağ, E., & Çelebi, N. A. (2024). From Stunt Actors to Digital Actors: Reconceptualizing the Audiovisual Performances in the Era of Artificial Intelligence. In Dijital Eşitsizlik ve Veri Sömürgeciliği Sempozyumu: 11. Uluslararası İletişim Günleri Bildiri Kitabı (pp. 30–40). Üsküdar University.

Other:

  • Professional Membership: Short Film Directors Association (KFYD).

Esra Atalay Tuna

[email protected]

Esra Atalay Tuna has worked as a researcher and data analyst since 2012 and has contributed to more than 70 research projects using both quantitative and qualitative methods. She has played an active role in designing and conducting field research for public institutions, the private sector, NGOs, INGOs, and universities. She currently works at CORE Research Institute. Her areas of expertise include external evaluation, social impact assessment, needs assessment, public opinion research, profiling, segmentation, and reputation tracking. Her research interests include civil society, social impact, gender, child policy, and social policy. She has served as a research manager in research projects conducted for organizations such as UN Women, UNFPA Türkiye, Sabancı Foundation, AÇEV, TÜSSİDE, and the British Council. She holds undergraduate and master’s degrees in Sociology from Marmara University and Social Policy from METU, and has gained international academic experience in Sweden at Uppsala University and in the United States at IUP. She holds a PhD degree. As a PhD candidate in the Department of Communication Studies at Kadir Has University, she focuses on her dissertation titled “Understanding Social Impact and Policy Effectiveness in the Turkish Context” under the supervision of Assoc. Prof. Levent Soysal.

Publications, Awards and Research Projects

  • Atalay Tuna, E. (2019). The Gap Analysis of Turkish State’s Children Policies and the Agenda of Children-Based CSOs Between 1990s-2018 in Turkey (Master’s thesis, Middle East Technical University). Link
  • Atalay Tuna, E., Mısırlıoğlu, İ., & Alkurt, S. V. (2019). Final evaluation of the project “Fathers are here for gender equality”. United Nations Entity for Gender Equality and the Empowerment of Women (UN Women). Link
  • Emgin, B. & Atalay Tuna E. (2023). Süpürge. 100 Sene 100 Nesne: Cumhuriyete Nesnelerin Gözünden Bakmak. Alfa. ISBN: 9786254498930.
  • Akyürek, S., Koydemir, S. & Atalay Tuna, E. (2014). Sivil-asker ilişkileri ve ordu-toplum mesafesi. BİLGESAM Publications. ISBN: 9786058609785.
  • TÜBİTAK 1001: 124K382, Rethinking Active Citizenship in the 100th Anniversary of the Republic: Political Participation and Citizen Interaction on Social Media (2025) – PhD Scholarship Holder
  • TÜBİTAK 1001: 120K822, The Social History of Electric Home Technologies in Turkey (1930-2020): Modernization in Women’s Everyday Lives (2020-2024) – PhD Scholarship Holder
  • TÜBİTAK 1001: 112K397, Voting Dynamics of Kurdish Voters (2014-2015) – MA Scholarship Holder
  • TÜBİTAK 1001: 112K219, Mental Maps of Politicians in Turkey: Reconciliation, States of Exception and Red Lines (2014) – Researcher
  • TÜBİTAK 1001: 112K223, Modern Political Memories in Turkey: Intersections, Oppositions and Parallels (2014) – Researcher
  • TÜBİTAK 1001: 113K628, Encounters on the Internet: Identity and Publicness on Twitter (2014-2016) – Researcher

Gizay Akdoğan

Gizay Akdoğan began her work in the field of culture and arts in 2017 through performing arts as one of the co-founders of Istanbul Fringe Festival. Transitioning to the cinema industry in 2020, Akdoğan’s experience includes independent films such as Nothing in Its Place (2024, dir. Burak Çevik) and Crossing (2024, dir. Levan Akin), as well as large-scale productions for Netflix Türkiye and HBO Max. In 2023, she produced and co-wrote the short film On the Wrong Foot (Kontrpiye). She is currently developing the feature-length documentary project You Little Box (dir. Mert Kaya) as a producer. She completed her master’s degree in Cultural Management at Istanbul Bilgi University in 2024 with a thesis examining the impact of digital streaming platforms on independent film production. She continues her education as a PhD student in Communication Sciences at Kadir Has University, focusing her research on independent cinema, digitalization, cultural policies, and production culture. In April 2025, she received the “Young Producer Award” at Meetings on the Bridge, organized within the Istanbul Film Festival, and was selected for the “Breaking Into the Industry” mentorship program at Industry@Tallinn & Baltic Event in November 2025.

Publications, Awards and Research Projects

  • Young Producer Award, Meetings on the Bridge, Istanbul Film Festival, April 2025.
  • Selected Participant, “Breaking Into the Industry” Mentorship Program, Industry@Tallinn & Baltic Event, November 2025.

İbrahim Şahin Ateş

İbrahim Şahin Ateş is a PhD student in the Communication Sciences Program at Kadir Has University and a research assistant in the Department of Psychology at Istanbul Nişantaşı University. He completed his master’s degree in Cultural Studies at Istanbul Bilgi University. He is the translator of Bilimsel Psikoloji Taslağı (Sigmund Freud, Sfenks Kitap, 2024), Öğretmenler ve Ebeveynler İçin Psikanaliz (Anna Freud, Sfenks Kitap, 2023), and Estetik Etik Psikanaliz (Costas Douzinas, co-translated with Ezgi Duman, Dipnot Publications, 2022). He is the editor of the forthcoming Sigmund Freud Bibliography (Sfenks Kitap, 2026). He is the president of the Istanbul Freudian Psychoanalysis Association and continues his international work within the New Lacanian School (NLS-AMP).

Publications, Awards and Research Projects

  • Ateş, İbrahim Şahin. “Hasta ve Terapist Arasındaki Aktarım ve Karşıt Aktarıma Etik Bakış.” In Klinik Psikolojide Vakalarla Etik, ed. Kader Bahayi, 213–234. Istanbul: Nobel Academic Publishing, 2023. ISBN: 9786253970253.
  • Ateş, İbrahim Şahin. “Antigone Yaşıyor: Psikanalizde Öznenin Kurucuları Olarak Anı İzi, Boşluk ve Travma.” In Suret – Psikokültürel Analiz: Kahramanlar Anti-Kahramanlar, ed. Hakan Kızıltan, 169–195. Istanbul: İthaki Publications, 2019. ISBN: 9786057762498.
  • Ateş, İbrahim Şahin. “Psikanalizde Bazı Temel Dersler (1938) / Some Elementary Lessons in Psychoanalysis.” In Psikanaliz Yazıları 46 – Küçük Hans ve Çocuksu Cinsellik, ed. Ali Bilgin Köşkdere & Behice Boran, 129–135. Istanbul: Bağlam Publications, 2023. ISBN: 9786256538030.
  • TÜBİTAK 1001: Family Narratives in Contemporary Turkish Cinema: Roles, Conflicts and Reconciliations, Principal Investigator: Assist. Prof. Defne Tüzün – PhD Scholarship Holder

Sena Öndün Sivas

Sena Öndün Sivas works as a research assistant in the Department of Performing Arts Management at Istanbul Bilgi University and is a PhD student in the Communication Sciences Program at Kadir Has University. Her education in the Department of Sociology at Galatasaray University provides a strong sociological foundation for her work; accordingly, her research focuses on audience practices and the experience of cinemagoing in the context of arthouse cinema. Her academic interests include the position of cinema venues within the city, the spatial dimension of the viewing experience, and the relationship between cinema and urban memory. In her master’s thesis, she analyzed changing viewing practices through the case of Kadıköy Cinema, and this study was supported under the TÜBİTAK 1002-A program. She is currently involved as a researcher in the TÜBİTAK-funded project “Film Audience in the 100th Anniversary of the Republic.”

Publications, Awards and Research Projects

  • Öndün Sivas, S., & Behlil, M. (2025). Beyond the Festival: The Istanbul Film Festival and the Audience of Kadıköy Cinema. sinecine: Journal of Film Studies, 16(2), 235–260. DOI
  • Öndün Sivas, S. (2025). 4th Film Festivals Symposium: In Pursuit of the Audiences of Film Festivals. sinecine: Journal of Film Studies, 16(2), 284–298. DOI
  • Öndün, S. (2024). Defining Arthouse: The Reception of European Cinema among the Istanbul Arthouse Audiences. The REBOOT Project. Link
  • TÜBİTAK 1001 – Film Audience in the 100th Anniversary of the Republic – PhD Scholarship Holder
  • TÜBİTAK 1002 – Current Viewing Experience and Changing Practices: A Case Study on Kadıköy Cinema – MA Scholarship Holder