Changing Elites in Turkey

Aysegul presented a paper on Turkish elites at the Changing Elites in Europe conference at LSE in late November. The conference aimed developing new understandings of how elite formation and their mobilities might be changing across different nation states in Europe. Paper presentations ranged from methodological approaches to theoretical questions; presenters questioned conceptions of ‘internationality’ of elites, their actual mobilities, relationships with the state, elite formation, education and generational implications.

Aysegul’s paper addressed interlocking conceptions of being European, being modern and being Elite and what these have traditionally meant and how these meanings are gradually changing in Turkey. Her paper stemmed out of her curiosity in this area and its links to her own thesis on Turkish taste, culture and identity. No doubt many speakers, including Aysegul, visited Bourdieu and his theoretical concepts time and time again during the conference.

Conference programme can be found here: http://www.lse.ac.uk/sociology/events/PDF/Changing-Elites-final-programme-DETAILED.pdf