1st UTAD Conference (Turkish Society for Theatre Research, TSTR) “Origins”
September 14 – 16 – TED University, Ankara, Türkiye
ABOUT THE INAUGURAL UTAD CONFERENCE
The inaugural UTAD Conference, organized by the Turkish Society for Theatre Research (TSTR), was a landmark event held from September 14 to 16, 2023, in Ankara, Türkiye. Themed around “Origins,” the conference provided a collaborative platform for theatre scholars, academics, and practitioners. The event featured four distinguished keynote speakers: Prof. Paul Innes, Prof Ayşegül Yüksel, Prof Joe Kelleher, and Prof. A. Deniz Bozer. These renowned scholars brought valuable insights to the conference, enriching discussions on the historical and cultural roots of theatre.
Abstract submissions covering various aspects of theatre origins were received, and selected papers from the first edition found a place in the ETKI Journal. The conference, which coincided with the 100th anniversary of the Republic of Türkiye and celebrated the legacy of the first Theatre Department established at Ankara University in 1958, marked a significant step in advancing education, practice, and research in Turkish and world theatre.
Honorary Committee
Mustafa Kurt, Director, General of State Theaters of the Republic of Turkey
İhsan Sabuncuoğlu (Rector, TED University, Ankara, Turkey)
Kezban Çelik (Dean, Faculty of Arts and Sciences, TED University, Ankara, Turkey)
Chairpersons
Assoc. Prof. Dr. Önder Çakırtaş
Assoc. Prof. Dr. Taner Can
Organizing Committee
Assoc. Prof. Dr. Başak Ağın
Assoc. Prof. Dr. Belgin Bağırlar
Assoc. Prof. Dr. Murat Öğütçü
Assoc. Prof. Dr. Z. Gizem Yılmaz
Dr. Michael D. Sheridan
Dr. Gamze Şentürk
Dr. İlker Özçelik
Dr. Oliver David Bevington
Dr. Şule Akdoğan
Dr. Yasin Çetin
Dr. Ömer Aytaç Aykaç
Dr. Hacer Gürsul
Res. Assist. Adnan Aydıntürk
Res. Assist. Melike İrem Şimşek
Res. Assist. Murathan Gündoğdu
Mr Muhammed İkbal Candan
(All names are listed in alphabetical order.)
The International Scientific Committee*
Prof. Dr. Bernadette Andrea, University of California, Santa Barbara
Prof. Dr. Farah Karim-Cooper, King’s College London
Prof. Dr. Gary Taylor, Forida State University
Prof. Dr. Iulia Waniek, Dimitrie Cantemir Christian University
Prof. Dr. Joe Kelleher, Roehampton University
Prof. Dr. Jonathan Gil Harris, Ashoka University
Prof. Dr. Jyotsna Singh, Michigan State University
Prof. Dr. Martin Middeke, Augsburg University
Prof. Dr. Sarah Knight, University of Leicester
Prof. Dr. Simon C. Estok, Sungkyunkwan University
Professor Sir Stanley Wells, Shakespeare Birthplace Trust
Prof. Dr. Stephen Greenblatt, Harvard University
Dr. Deirdre Osborne, University of London
Dr. Sian Adiseshiah, University of Loughborough
Dr. Riyadh Abbas Ubeid Al-Jashami, Dijlah University
Dr. Xenia Georgopoulou, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens
*All names are listed in alphabetical order.
The National Scientific Committee**
Prof. Dr. Berna Ayça Ülker Erkan, İzmir Democracy University
Prof. Dr. Deniz Bozer, Hacettepe University
Prof. Dr. Erdinç Parlak, Iğdır University
Prof. Dr. Mehmet Ali Çelikel, Marmara University
Prof. Dr. Mehmet Takkaç, Atatürk University
Prof. Dr. Mine Özyurt Kılıç, Social Sciences University of Ankara
Prof. Dr. Zekiye Antakyalıoğlu, Gaziantep University
Assoc. Prof. Dr. Bünyamin Aydemir, Atatürk University
Assoc. Prof. Dr. Şebnem Kaya, Hacettepe University
Assoc. Prof. Dr. Yeliz Biber Vangölü, Atatürk University
**All names are listed in alphabetical order.
Poster
Keynote Speakers
Prof. Paul Innes
Prof Ayşegül Yüksel
Prof Joe Kelleher
Prof. A. Deniz Bozer
Call for Papers
1st UTAD Conference (Turkish Society for Theatre Research, TSTR) “Origins”
The origins of theatre are thought to be as old as humanity itself. Whether to imitate its surrounding environment, try to understand its own existence within the greater cosmology, surpass death by re-enacting past behaviours and events of humans, or simply have some fun, the theatre has been an indispensable part of meaning-making and human existence.
Ancient amphitheatres, medieval pageants, thrust stages in outdoor and indoor theatres, stages with proscenium arches, forum theatres, streets, town halls, town meadows, royal courts, houses of nobility and commoners, and many more conventional and unconventional outdoor and indoor venues, all have witnessed the origins of theatres and dramatic conventions that aimed at the edification and delight of their audiences.
Folk drama, Sanskrit drama, Chinese drama, Japanese No plays, rituals in Ancient Egypt and the Near East, Old Turkic heroic drama, ancient Greek comedy and tragedy, Roman comedy and tragedy, classicist drama, realist drama, symbolic drama, post-dramatic performances, all came into being either as a result of or as a reaction towards local or global historical circumstances, artistic movements, or technological innovations. Therefore, the study of the origins of theatres in Eastern, Western, Southern, or Northern locations of the world is not only a study of theatre history but of human history itself.
As part of the story of our origins, we as the Turkish Society for Theatre Research (TSTR) are looking forward to receiving abstracts for 20-minute papers for our inaugural conference on the following subjects (and/or their intersections):
| Origins of theatre AncientMedieval Early Modern 18th century 19th century 20th century Contemporary Origins of theatre studies Department histories Originators of theatre, performance and/or theatre studies Performers Directors Translators Academics | The origins of theatre and Class Gender Race Ecology Posthuman studies Disability studies Translation/adaptation and the origins of theatre and/or theatre studies The origins of (re)interpretations of theatre in various media adaptations Film TV Animation Music New Media |
Abstracts in English and Turkish are welcome.
Please send a 250-word abstract, a 100-word short bio to the Turkish Society for Theatre Research (TSTR) (utadconference@gmail.com) by 15th July, 2023.
We are looking forward to receiving your paper proposals and hosting you in Ankara (14-16 September 2023), which has been home to the origins of the Republic of Türkiye, which will celebrate its 100th anniversary in 2023, and the first Theatre Department established at Ankara University in 1958.
Selected papers will be published in a special issue in the ETKI Journal (e-ISSN: 2822-3950)
Key Dates
Abstract Submission Deadline: 15th July, 2023
Notice of Acceptance/Rejection: 30th July, 2023
Early Bird Registration: 10th August, 2023
Late Registration: 25th August, 2023
Conference Dates: 14th, 15th, 16th September, 2023
Programme
1ST CONFERENCE BOOK OF ABSTRACTS
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