Seminar | Artistic and academic freedom in Turkey from a Human rights perspective

In this event, which is a joint event between the Malmö Academy of Music at Lund University and the Human Rights profile area at Lund University, we will meet three stakeholders in this area.

Nağme Yarkın (main speaker) is a musician from Istanbul with kemence as her main instrument, and an associate professor at Istanbul University State Conservatory, active in traditional Ottoman/Turkish music, composition and jazz music. Besides teaching, she frequently tours in Turkey and abroad as a musician. Nagme Yarkin is visiting Malmö Academy of Malmö as a lecturer and will talk about the situation for freedom of artistic expression for musicians in Turkey, both in the general music scene and in the conservatory. She will also do a solo performance.

Ahmet Gürata is an academic, film producer and festival curator. Currently, he is teaching at Izmir Economy University, Turkey. He has published research on the history of Turkish cinema, reception and documentary in anthologies and journals. Between 2020-21, he was a visiting fellow at Stockholm University’s Institute for Turkish Studies through Scholars at risk. Since then, he has been able to return to Turkey. He will participate online from Turkey and talk about why he felt the need to leave Turkey in 2020 to be able to continue his research, and how he sees the situation now that he has been able to return.

Pär Svensson currently serves as an advisor and project leader at Lund University’s International Office, with responsibilities such as global responsible engagement and collaboration with Africa. For 10 years, he has been Lund university’s coordinator for Scholars at Risk. He will talk about what Scholars at Risk is and how they are working, in the world and in Lund University.

Moderator of the event is Pär Moberg, associate professor of Folk and World music at Malmö Academy of Music and member of the Human Rights profile area.