The 2026 History Graduate Symposium, themed “Tradition,” took place on April 2–3. Organized by the Bilkent Historical Society in collaboration with the Department of History, the symposium brought together an interdisciplinary group of graduate students and scholars from across Türkiye and abroad to explore the meanings, transformations and uses of tradition in diverse historical contexts.
The symposium opened with welcoming remarks by Mehmet Kalpaklı, head of the Department of History, who emphasized the importance of rethinking tradition as a dynamic and evolving concept within historical inquiry.
This was followed by a keynote lecture by Marinos Sariyannis on traditions in the Ottoman Empire, setting the tone for a wide-ranging discussion on how traditions are formed, transmitted and reinterpreted.
The first day focused on classical, ancient, medieval and Byzantine traditions, with panels examining topics such as Ottoman social and intellectual practices, memory and historical geography, kingship in medieval Europe and the evolution of imperial and religious traditions.
Across these sessions, speakers highlighted the adaptability of tradition and its role in structuring social and cultural life.
The second day shifted toward the early modern and modern periods, addressing the reinvention and contestation of traditions in different geographical and temporal settings. Panels on invented traditions, post-Ottoman transformations and twentieth-century reinterpretations explored themes such as nationalism, modernization, migration and identity formation. Presentations demonstrated how traditions can be mobilized for political, cultural and social purposes as well as how they are reshaped through processes of rupture and continuity.
Bringing together perspectives from history, sociology and related disciplines, the symposium fostered a vibrant and engaging academic environment. It concluded with closing remarks by Öykü Demir, president of the Bilkent Historical Society, who thanked the participants and underscored the continued relevance of questioning how traditions are constructed and understood within historical narratives.
