Ethnography, more important than ever The generative systems that have arrived in the last few years are extraordinarily good at a particular kind of intellectual work. Ask one of them what a body of literature says, and it will -mostly properly- summarize, cross-reference, and organize the written record with a facility no human scholar can … Read more
It was nice to catch up in Poznan, Poland, with my fellow anthropologists. I was here for this presentation: Saka, E. (2026, July 23). Sovereign AI and the Reproduction of Algorithmic Power: Governance Frameworks in the Global South. EASA2026: Anthropology: Possibilities in a Polarised World, Panel P018: Anthropology of Artificial Intelligence and Oppression [org. Sahana … Read more
We have a fresh new handbook, and the first substantive publication in my new research field is out! 11: Localizing the AI: an ethnography of balancing acts between the stakeholders in the periphery You can buy or access the whole handbook here. It is open access. Edited by Sahana Udupa and Peter Hervik This timely … Read more
In nine episodes (you can find them here), I have focused on some characteristics of the current academic life that is killing the university system -not any more- slowly: Nine episodes of administrative bloat, ranking obsessions, funding regimes that reward the wrong things, accreditation rituals nobody quite believes in, a journal hierarchy that has turned … Read more
https://commbox.org, the online database on international communication in the Global South with over 30,000 entries, has recently been launched. The site has a small section on Media Anthropology (65 titles), but you will find materials on Digital Cultures (80 publications), Culture & Media (392 titles) and on Nonwestern Communication Approaches (195 publications) as well. Explore … Read more
With another decree, we are back to business: –– Decision on the Repeal of Presidential Decree No. 11384 of May 21, 2026, Regarding the Revocation of the Operating License of Istanbul Bilgi University, to Which a Trustee Was Appointed for Its Founding Foundation (Decision No. 11387) 72-hour university shutdown exposes systemic vulnerability
All of us received the news through an official gazette announcement. Istanbul Bilgi University’s operating license was revoked by a midnight presidential decree published in the Official Gazette. Just like that, more than 900 academics, 600 personnel, and around 20,000 students are left upset. After 22 years at Bilgi, I do not know what the … Read more
“There Is No Neutral Machine: The Necessary Contribution of Social Sciences and Humanities to AI” Keynote Speech — Erkan Saka Critical AI Studies Conference, Istanbul Bilgi University, 9 May 2026 [Formatted by using Claude.ai] To understand AI, we must stop treating it as a purely technical or mathematical achievement. And to explain why this matters, … Read more
My TV Turkish Serials Subreddit receives more than 95 thousand visits weekly, and my colleague Alper Kırklar and I decided to curate an edited volume on Turkish Television Series. The series’ global attraction is definitely unintended, but all over the world, I come across people asking me about a particular Turkish series. So here we … Read more
Here comes the new episode for Thoughts on academic life There has always been self‑promotion in academia. People mailed offprints, boasted about books, dropped famous names at dinner. But the contemporary landscape is qualitatively different: platformized, metricized, gamified.[6][8] Academics now operate across multiple, interconnected arenas: Citation and profile platforms: Google Scholar, Scopus IDs, ORCID, ResearchGate, … Read more
Key Insights by Merlin AI HISTORY OF TED TED was co-founded in 1984 by Richard Saul Worman and Harry Markx, initially as a conference focused on technology, entertainment, and design. The first TED conference featured groundbreaking demonstrations, such as early compact discs and Apple Macintosh presentations, but faced financial challenges, leading to a six-year hiatus. … Read more
Key Insights by [Merlin AI](https://merlin.foyer.work/) Impact of AI on Employment Opportunities – The unemployment rate for recent college graduates (ages 22-27) has risen to 5.8%, nearly double the rate for older workers with degrees. – Industries like finance and insurance have seen a 14% drop in youth employment between 2010 and 2024, reducing job opportunities … Read more
A new session of accreditation in our campus is up. That means we will compile strategic plans, assessment reports, learning outcome documentation, meeting minutes, curriculum maps, faculty CVs formatted according to specific templates, evidence of “continuous improvement,” proof of “stakeholder engagement,” and spreadsheets demonstrating “alignment” between course objectives and program outcomes. The process consumes dozens … Read more
Drop me a line if you are having difficulty finding the readings (erkan.saka@bilgi.edu.tr) This is my signature course in which we work on new readings but also new book projects here at İstanbul Bilgi University. COMM 720-2026 Syllabus Course Name Theories of New Media Lecturer Prof. Erkan Saka (erkan.saka@bilgi.edu.tr) Description On Mondays, 19:00-22:00 E4 Publica … Read more
Episode 7: “Projecilik”—When Funding Becomes the Product I was recently at an academic conference when a colleague introduced herself: “I’m working on a TÜBİTAK-funded project on digital literacy.” Not “I’m researching digital literacy.” Not “I’m studying how social media affects learning.” No—the funded project itself was the primary credential, the opening gambit, the thing most … Read more