Edge of Asia

Turkey straddles two continents, Asia and Europe. Much has been written about the impact this geographic dichotomy has had on Turkey’s political and cultural life. Turkey is frequently described as looking toward Europe, a model for other predominantly Muslim countries, the gateway to Asia, a bridge…

"Edge of Asia" is a tongue-in-cheek title, intended as a question, a provocateur, reminding readers that the ‘divisions’ in Turkey’s political and cultural fabric are often more complex than east vs. west, rural vs. urban, young vs. old and religious vs. secular, to name a few.

During the next ten months I will travel throughout Turkey, interviewing 18-25 year-old Turks about their participation in civil society and their hopes and concerns about Turkey’s future in general. Their answers will, I hope, provide some insights into the different forces that are influencing contemporary Turkey. Along the way, I hope to provide readers of this blog with a better sense of the Republic of Turkey—its people, its history, the challenges it faces, and its unique place in the world at the start of the 21st century.