Asst. Prof. Feyza Uzunoğlu and Our Graduate Student Rukiye Gedikli Present Two Papers at the 3rd International Mesopotamia Congress

Asst. Prof. Feyza Uzunoğlu presented her paper, titled “Gastrodiplomacy and Cultural Continuity from Mesopotamia to the Balkans: A Historical, Religious, and Geopolitical Reading”, which also forms the basis of her Erasmus+ KA210-YOU project application currently under revision, during a session of the same title that she chaired at the 3rd International Mesopotamia Congress, held on September 18–20, 2026.

At the congress, our graduate student Rukiye Gedikli from the Religious Studies master’s program also presented her paper titled “From Covenant to Excavation: How Biblical Archaeology Shapes Israeli Nation-State Legitimacy,” which represents the subject of the master’s thesis she is conducting alongside Asst. Prof. Uzunoğlu. Both papers were announced to be published as international book chapters.

Gastrodiplomacy and Cultural Continuity

Within the scope of the paper titled “Gastrodiplomacy and Cultural Continuity from Mesopotamia to the Balkans: A Historical, Religious, and Geopolitical Reading”, Asst. Prof. Uzunoğlu examined the function of gastronomy as a vehicle for cultural continuity and diplomacy across the expanse from Mesopotamia to the Balkans through historical, religious, and geopolitical dimensions.

The Role of Archaeology in Constructing Legitimacy

Rukiye Gedikli, a graduate student in our Religious Studies program, presented the paper titled “From Covenant to Excavation: How Biblical Archaeology Shapes Israeli Nation-State Legitimacy,” derived from her master’s thesis.

In the presentation, the role of Biblical archaeology in constructing the legitimacy of the so-called Israeli nation-state was discussed through its historical and political dimensions. Conducted by our student, this study stands as a notable example of projecting graduate-level research onto international academic platforms.

Forthcoming International Book Chapters

Both papers presented at the 3rd International Mesopotamia Congress will be published as peer-reviewed international book chapters in the post-congress proceedings. This will ensure that the academic impact of the research extends beyond the conference into enduring scholarly contributions.

Asst. Prof. Uzunoğlu noted that the congress provided an opportunity to present both the focus of her Erasmus+ project application and the preliminary findings of the master’s thesis conducted with her student Rukiye Gedikli. She highlighted that chairing the session enabled closer scholarly dialogue with colleagues in the field, emphasizing that the forthcoming publication of both works as international book chapters underscores their enduring academic value.

We congratulate our faculty member and graduate student, wishing them continued success in their scholarly endeavours.