Summer: Rutgers-Turkey: Migration and Displacement at the Crossroads of Europe and Asia
The Program
The program will focus on the history and contemporary impact of migration and forced displacement at the intersection of two continents.
Students will learn about Istanbul and its position as a bridge and a crossroads between Asia and Europe. We will visit and study the sites and monuments that testify to its rich history and lay the basis for its contemporary cosmopolitanism. During our time in Istanbul, students will learn about Istanbul’s significance as an imperial capital for over a millennium and a half and a modern global city. In collaboration with local urban researchers and civil society actors, students will engage with migrant communities, examine gentrification and displacement, and explore bottom-up urban resilience efforts. These layers of ancient and modern, where people and ideas interconnect and where diverse cultures thrive and survive, will allow students to explore select topics of focus, including modernity, identity, and migration in relation to the built environment, offering a nuanced perspective on urban policy, planning, and community agency in response to migration flows. In Bursa, building on what they have learned in Istanbul, students will engage with Syrian refugee students at the Syrien Hilfe community center through storytelling exchanges and discussions. And they will explore Bursa’s historic sites, markets, and cultural landmarks, reflecting on the city’s past and its connections to migration, trade, and urban transformation.
Program Locations
Turkey
Istanbul
Istanbul is the only city that stands on two continents — Europe and Asia. Historically called Byzantium and Constantinople, Istanbul was a focal point of several ancient empires. The Bosporus, which divides the city, connects the Black Sea in the north to the Sea of Marmara in the south. Its cultural heritage, unique geography, the Bosphorus, and multicultural population make Istanbul a modern metropolitan hub.
Turkey
Bursa
The fourth most populous city in Turkey, it served as the first capital of the Ottoman Empire and is known for its well-preserved historical sites, including the Grand Mosque (Ulu Cami), the Bursa Citadel, and the Ottoman-era bazaars.
Academics
The program will introduce students to the role migration has played in shaping the city of Istanbul and the nation of Turkey. Through working with Syrian students in Bursa, students will also gain a firsthand understanding of the experience of the largest population of Syrian refugees in the world.
This study abroad summer program will count towards History major and minor, Middle Eastern and Islamic Studies minor, Asian studies minor, Translation and Interpretation Studies minor, Arabic Language Initiative certificate program, Honors Living Learning Community, Honors College, and towards graduate programs in Global Urban Studies and Division of Global Affairs.
Housing and Meals
ISTANBUL: Students will stay in double rooms at the Richmond Istanbul, located in the Beyoglu neighborhood on Istiklal Boulevard, which connects Taksim Square and Tunel, one of the liveliest districts in Istanbul.
BURSA: Students will stay in double rooms the centrally located Kervansaray Bursa City Hotel
Breakfast is included for the hotels in Istanbul and Bursa. All other meals—except the two welcome dinners (Istanbul and Bursa) and the farewell dinner in Istanbul- are not included in the budget.
Financial Information
Program Costs
| Program Cost | NJ Resident | non-NJ Resident |
|---|---|---|
| Undergraduate | $4,650 | $4,980 |
| Graduate | $4,860 | $5,170 |
Program Cost includes:
- Tuition
- Housing
- Some meals
- Excursions
- Administrative Fees
- Emergency Medical Access Abroad
Out-of-Pocket Costs
| Airfare | $1,200 |
| Meals | $400 |
| Personal Expenses | $300 |
| Total | $1,900.00 |
Out-of-Pocket Cost includes:
The above costs are estimations and represent the known out-of-pocket costs students encounter during their time abroad.
Some of these expenses will be paid for prior to going abroad, such as an airline ticket, while some of these expenses, such as meals and personal expenses, will be paid in-country as part of your daily expenses. As you plan, you will need to budget these costs and spend wisely throughout your time abroad.
Scholarships
Faculty Leaders
Dr. Leyla Amzi-Erdogdular is an Assistant Professor in the Department of History at Rutgers University Newark where she teaches Middle East and Islamic Studies. She earned her Ph.D. from the Department of Middle Eastern, South Asian, and African Studies at Columbia University. Her research is on the history of the Ottoman Empire and Southeastern Europe with a focus on migrations, Muslim modernities, empires, and their legacies. Leyla Amzi-Erdogdular’s book titled The Afterlife of Ottoman Europe: Muslims in Habsburg Bosnia Herzegovina explores Ottoman continuities in Habsburg Bosnia Herzegovina and the imperial imprint on modern institutions, citizenship, and allegiance.