Oguzhan Dursun
Oguzhan Dursun
Affiliate Faculty
history of emotions, immigration, Turkish and Greek diaspora communities, conflict, societal change
Oguzhan Dursun is a historian and visiting scholar, exploring the similarities, differences, and interactions between Greek and Turkish diaspora communities in the United States. His research revolves around the history of emotions, uncovering the nuanced connections between immigrant experiences and societal conflicts. By interpreting societal changes through the lens of emotions, he also tries to develop fresh methodologies for this developing field.
With a foundation in history, he expanded his academic journey by earning a master’s degree in cinematography, focusing on the unique genre of found footage horror. Alongside his scholarly work, he has published over 50 short stories and contemporary essays in various magazines. Showcasing his filmmaking expertise, he has produced and contributed to the production of several short films and documentaries. He has also worked with companies such as Al Jazeera Turk and tvnet during his career in media industry.
Current Research
Exploring Conflicts, Interactions, and Emotional Dynamics in the Turkish and Greek Diaspora in the United States
Selected Publications
Dursun, Oğuzhan. 2024. “Emotions Decoded: Exploring the History of Turkish Society Through Movies (1965-1980)” In Anthropology and Sociology of Emotions: Theoretical and Ethnographic Perspectives from Turkey and Beyond, edited by Ramazan Aras. Ibn Haldun University Press.
Dursun, Oğuzhan. 2019. “20. Yüzyılın Başında Türkiye’de Sinema Üzerine Bir Ahlak Tartışması.” Dokuz Eylül Üniversitesi Edebiyat Fakültesi Dergisi 6 (1): 149–65.
Book Translation. Global History by Jeremy Black. Küresel Askerî Tarih, “1775’ten Günümüze”, Türkiye Notları Yayınevi, 2020; Yeditepe Yayınevi, 2023, 408 pages.
Education
Ph.D., History, Fatih Sultan Mehmet Vakif University, 2023
M.A., Cinema & TV, Kadir Has University, 2017
M.A., Strategic Communication (Left), Galatasaray University, 2017
B.A., Public Administration, Anadolu University, 2012
B.A., History, Bogazici University, 2012
Recent Presentations
September 19, 2024 - Exploring Societal Change through Migrant Portrayals in Late 20th Century Turkish Cinema [In Search of Lost Futures: Visual Media Narratives of Economic Migration in the Mediterranean, University of Warwick, UK, 19-20 September 2024]
June 7, 2024 - Framing Fear: Mapping Turkish Societal Transformation via Movies (1950-1999) [NACHE Conference on the History of Emotion at University of British Columbia, Canada]
November 18, 2023 - Reimagining History for Political Endorsement: The Intersection of the Erdogan Administration and Turkish Historical Series [CEST 2023 Symposium: Party, State and Society in Turkey and Beyond. Sciences Po, Paris, France]
June 6, 2023 - Tracing Fear: Exploring the Zeitgeist of Turkish Society through Movies (1950-1999) [Cambridge History of Memory and Emotions Workshop, University of Cambridge, UK]
May 5-6, 2023 - Utilizing Movies as the Primary Source for History of Emotions: Social Change in Turkey through the Perspective of Film Characters: (1965-1980) [Anthropology and Sociology of Emotions_Transitions, Precarities and Politics: Studying Emotions and Affect in Turkey, Ibn Haldun University Sociology Department, Türkiye]
May 10, 2022 - Türkiye Sinemasında Mutluluk Arayışındaki Değişim (1950-1999) [Uluslararası Film Araştırmaları Sempozyumu, Türkiye Film Araştırmaları Dergisi, Türkiye]
April 13, 2022 - What Happens in the Absence of Happiness? A Case Study: The Opposite of Happiness in Turkish Movies in the Second Half of 20th Century [The Popular Culture Association, USA]
September 24, 2021 - A New Approach to Oral History through History of Emotions [Texas Oral History Association, Baylor University Institute for Oral History, USA]
June 6, 2021 - Pursuit of Happiness in Turkish Movies in the Second Half of 20th Century [The Popular Culture Association, USA]