Niyet Studies | İpek Çınar

(in collaboration with Orta Format)

Niyet (نية) is a word in Arabic that is also used in Turkish and can be translated as "intention" in English. In the Turkish language and sayings, it has several meanings and is open to interpretation. Sometimes it appears as an apology, sometimes as a prejudice. According to Hadith, every deed is based on your intention. And Muhammad said: "All deeds will be rewarded according to your intentions." Herein, in Islamic culture, a person's intention is even more essential than the action.

Niyet (intention) refers to other words such as perception, judgment, position. It can be affected by a person's identity, sincerity, history. It extends from politics to daily human relations, from the judicial and justice processes to idioms and stereotypes. Therefore, talking about niyet can also spread from zero to the entire coordinate system.

This versatility of this word prompts us to focus on it. From February to May 2021, we organized a series of lectures based on different disciplines such as philosophy, political science and psychology. The idea was to explore various interpretations of the notion of intention.

Content (more info at ortaformat.org)

· Niyetsiz Sanatçı, Kısmetsiz Izleyici | Ömer Aygün (Philosophy Historian)

· Yaratan ve Yaratılan Perspektifinden Varolus ve Makbul Olma Niyeti | Vahan Isaoglu (Pastor, board member of the Protestant Churches Association in Turkey)

· Müzikte Niyetin Pesine Düsmek | Mustafa Avcı (Ethnomusicologist)

· Uzlasılamayan Niyetler: Queer Feminist Perspektiften Edebi Metinlere Bakmak | Sevcan Tiftik (Independent Researcher)

· Psikanaliz ve Ötesinde Niyet | Özgür Ögütcen (Psychiartrist, Psychoanalyst, Lecturer)

· Niyet ve Eylem | Tanıl Bora (Editor, Academics)

· Feminist Politikada Ifsa ve Adalet Baglamında Niyet | Cemre Baytok (Researcher, Founder of Çatlak Zemin Feminist Platform)

· Niyeti Bozan Tasarımcı | Sener Soysal (Graphic designer)

· Sanatta Niyet ve Anlamlandırma Üzerine Düsünceler | Hera Büyüktascıyan (Visual Artist)

· Unlearning The Imperial Origins of Photography: Rights, Restitution and Return | Ariella Aïsha Azoulay (Theorist of photography and visual culture) - EN

· Arab Image Foundation: On Preservation, Custodianship, and Capacity to Care | Heba Hage-Felder (Director of AIF) & Vartan Avakian (Visual Artist and board member of AIF) - EN

· Velhasıl Fotografın Niyetini Okumak | Ipek Asıkoglu (Lawyer, Researcher), Ipek Çınar (Photographer, Researcher)

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Editors: Ipek Çınar, Sener Soysal, Eda Yigit

Project coordinator: Ipek Çınar

Authors: Ömer Aygün, Vahan Isaoglu, Orhan Cem Çetin, Mustafa Avcı, Sevcan Tiftik, Özgür Ögütcen, Tanıl Bora, Cemre Baytok, Sener Soysal, Hera Büyüktascıyan, Ariella Aïsha Azoulay, Merve Ünsal, Ipek Asıkoglu, Ipek Çınar

Translation of Ariella Aïsha Azoulay’s text to Turkish: Ipek Çınar

Design: Sener Soysal, Baht. Studio

Typeset: Gonca Mutaf

Photography: Orhan Cem Çetin