19/06/2015 | Writer: Hakan Özkan
Bogazici, opening its door for The Boston Gay Chorus, has been the target of Medeniyet University’s Rector in social media.
Bogazici, opening its door for The Boston Gay Chorus, has been the target of Medeniyet University’s Rector in social media.
Bogazici University, hosting the Chorus after cancellation of the concert by Zorlu Performance Art Center, has been shown as the target by İhsan Karaman, Rector of Istanbul Medeniyet University.
İhsan Karaman stated that: “FREE gay chorus concert in Bogazici University! People against morality in this scandal should be expounded! Who is the sponsor of GAYS?”
Administrations of University should provide equal opportunities for LGBTI
With the Bologna Process becoming current issue in Turkey, one of the main aims of the process has been declared to strengthen social dimension and for that aim, notices have been published.
KAOS GL association has written a letter to The Council of Higher Education (YÖK) and asked “as part of Bologna Process what kind of studies have been done for LGBT students who are within non-represented and disadvantaged groups and about providing equal opportunities to reach out quality education.”
Which one is scandal?
Remzi Altunpolat has evaluated universities’ attitudes and claims of Medeniyet University’s Rector.
“What is being scandal is Rector’s showing Bogazici University as a target due to opening its doors to The Boston Gay Chorus, labeling it as scandal, the mentality always seeing people against morality and using hollow terms. With his claim, dear Rector has revealed that he is not familiar with the thought of how a real university should function within international levels”.
Saying that hate speech of the Rector of Istanbul Medeniyet University, İhsan Karaman, is one of the appearances of authoritative-conservative mentality surrounding universities in Turkey, has added:
“Unfortunately, this example is not the only one. It is the result of authoritative-conservative mentality surrounding universities of Turkey. It is in vain to wait from universities’ Rectors, founded by Justice and Development Party (AKP) for the aim of staffing not promoting liberated science, saying something else.”
“When receded from domination and pressure, real universities take place”
“Actually in Turkey, universities have been mangled under the control of The Council of Higher Education (YÖK) politics for such a long time. Rectors giving respect to soldiers during military coup have become kissers of the hands of politicians. This situation shows that mentality of September, 12 still exists in universities in different ways. Universities can be real universities as long as they recede from all kinds of domination, pressure and become the ground for acceptance of differences and arguments freely. Otherwise they can’t be universities but something else.”
“Claim is also against Bologna Process”
Reminding that Bologna Process, The Council of Higher Education (YÖK) is proud to be included, emphasize on representation of non-represented groups, equality and variation Remzi Altunpolat said “science needs disobedience, not morality wardens producing mechanisms of domination and pressure again and again.”
“Beyond all of these, Bologna Process, The Council of Higher Education (YÖK) and universities of our country are trying to make actual the project excitedly by making advertisements about it, even Rectors and diRectors are proud to do so, is making emphasize on providing representation to non-represented groups within higher education, equality and variation. It seems that Rectors of AKP are not aware of what kind of process they get involved. What are they going to say? Are they going to sign for ‘we get what’s for the benefit of us and forget about the rest?’ If so, then, they need to think about one more time what scandal really is about.”
“Universities are places for the benefit of people, society and nature to produce liberated science and make it public. Just like Adorno says science needs disobedience, not morality wardens producing mechanisms of domination and pressure again and again.”
Translated by Simge Şirin
Tags: human rights, education
