The 1st Berlin Bosphorus Prize Awarded in Istanbul

September 9, 2019 The 1st Berlin Bosphorus Prize Awarded in Istanbul

Inviting students to take part in strengthening the Turkish-German relations through research

“The Berlin Bosphorus Prize rewards the excellence of papers written by Humboldt University students on Turkey – Germany – EU triangular relations. For its first edition, the students were invited by the Berlin Bosphorus Initiative (BBI), Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Blickwechsel: Contemporary Turkey Studies and GeT MA – German Turkish Masters Program in Social Sciences to reflect upon the topic of “The EU, Germany and Turkey Relations: Challenges and Prospects”. The partnership aims to encourage opportunities to study and foster the debate around bilateral relations, with an emphasis on European, economic, social and political ties.

After reviewing all submission based on definition and significance of topic, the quality of research, and clarity and cogency of writing, the joint Selection Committee led by the Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin and Berlin Bosphorus Initiative, decided to award the following participants:

First Prize: Ceren Kulkul, “Reconsidering Transnationalism & Integration: The Role of New Wave Turkish Immigrants in Germany”  To read the article >>

Second Prize: Svenja Huck, “Rethinking Turkey’s and Europe’s Future: Have European institutions become an obstacle to Erdoğan’s politics?”  To read the article >>

Third Prize: Mariana Karkoutly & El Salem, “EU-Turkey Relations: Turkish Membership in the EU at Arm’s Length”  To read the article >>

An award ceremony was held on 9th September 2019 at the Salim Halim Paşa Mansion in Istanbul, following the Berlin Bosphorus Initiative (BBI) Advisory Board meeting with the valuable participation of the German Ambassador to Ankara H.E. Martin Erdmann and in the presence of BBI Advisory Board members. On this occasion, PhD student Ceren Kulkul was awarded the very first “Bosphorus Prize” for her contribution in the essay competition, by Hüseyin Gelis, BBI Executive Board President. The ceremony was followed by a short cocktail.

In addition to the cash award, the prize winners’ research is published online at the websites of Berlin Bosphorus Initiative (BBI) as well as the Department of Social Sciences of Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin.

Berlin Bosphorus Initiative (BBI), founded under TÜSIAD’s initiative in Germany since 2013, aims to bring the existing exchange, knowledge and cooperation between Germany and Turkey in the fields of economy, society and politics to a new and innovative level by establishing a sustainable network of competent partners on both sides. Its priorities are advancement of German-Turkish civil society dialogue on economic, political and cultural issues, encouragement of economic relations between Germany and Turkey as well as strengthening of social and political relations”.