Paper short abstract:

Departing from the notion of "world anthropologies," I look at the plurality of anthropological landscape of Turkey and examine anthropological and ethnological developments to discuss the social, epistemological and political conditions in the production of anthropological praxis.

Paper long abstract:

Departing from the notion of "world anthropologies" that refers to the idea of a plurality of anthropologies as they are practiced in different parts of the world, I examine anthropological developments in Turkey, widely located in an "anthropological landscape" that had included sometimes tensions, sometimes dialogues with other "sister" disciplines and "neighboring" traditions such as the European ethnology and "far away" centers such as the Anglo American traditions. Bearing in mind that anthropology in Turkey displays a so-called "peripheral" albeit an eclectic praxis, the presentation will also locate these developments vis a vis the developments in centers, as well as exchanges, and influences among this particular periphery and the centers. As such, the presentation will look at contemporary discourses and debates on the pluralities, disparities, and asymmetries among the anthropologies by using selective examples from Turkey. These include key points such as the studies that preceeds the academic developments, the developments in relation to national history as well as references to the other disciplines, such as sociology, folklore, ethnology and archeology all of which forms an "anthropological landscape." Important in the establishment of anthropology as praxis, I will also talk about main academic institutions that were precursory in the establishment of study of anthropology—showing different theoretical positions, choosing different anthropological units and taking diverse political stances.