TÜBİTAK Funds IGU’s Political Memory Project: Tracing Societal Perception through Science

At Istanbul Gelisim University (IGU), the project titled “Political Memory and Media Agenda in Türkiye (2020–2025)”, led by Asst. Prof. Seyra Kestel from the Advertising Department of the Faculty of Economics, Administrative, and Social Sciences (FEASS), has been selected for support under the Scientific and Technological Research Council of Türkiye (TÜBİTAK) 1002-A Fast Support Program. This important support stands out as a powerful indicator of IGU’s interdisciplinary research capacity and its vision of developing scientific solutions to social challenges. Istanbul Gelisim University administration congratulates Asst. Prof. Seyra Kestel on this valuable project selected for TÜBİTAK 1002-A Fast Support Program funding, and wishes her continued success in her academic work.

Political Memory, Media, and Societal Perception to Be Examined in Depth

The project aims to analyze, in a multidimensional manner, how the social and political events that received broad media coverage in Türkiye between 2020 and 2025 have been encoded in individuals' memories. The research covers not only which events are remembered, but also critical questions such as the emotional responses individuals have developed toward those events and to whom responsibility is attributed.

In this respect, the study aims to fill a gap in the literature by providing significant data on political communication, media effects, and processes of societal perception.

Comprehensive Analysis through the Lens of Gender and Political Orientation

One of the most striking aspects of the research is that it will reveal how political memory varies across different social groups. Within the scope of the project, the ways in which individuals remember and make sense of events will be comparatively examined along the axes of gender and political orientation.

This will allow the different meanings that different sections of society assign to the same events to be documented through scientific data, offering a new perspective on topics such as societal polarization, perception management, and media influence.

A Robust Dataset through a Mixed-Methods Research Design

Designed with an interdisciplinary approach, the project will be conducted using a mixed-methods research model. In the first phase, an online survey will be carried out with adult voters living in Istanbul. In the second phase, in-depth interviews will be conducted with participants representing different gender and political orientation groups.

This methodology will bring together both quantitative and qualitative data, yielding a comprehensive and multi-layered analysis.

Asst. Prof. Seyra Kestel: "We Are Channeling Our Scientific Knowledge into Understanding Societal Dynamics"

In her statement on the academic and societal significance of the study, project leader Asst. Prof. Seyra Kestel made the following remarks:

“Translating our university's scientific knowledge into projects aimed at understanding societal dynamics is among our foremost priorities. This study, which we are bringing to life, will fill a highly valuable gap in the literature by shedding light on political communication, media effects, and processes of societal perception. I believe this project, which will pass the ways different social groups encode events through a scientific filter, will produce important outputs that resonate both in the academic community and among the wider public, and I take great pride in this on behalf of our university.”

IGU's Scientific Vision Continues to Grow Stronger

Istanbul Gelisim University continues to strengthen its academic output through nationally and internationally funded projects, while also contributing to the scientific world through research focused on societal benefit.

This project, receiving TÜBİTAK 1002-A support, once again demonstrates that IGU stands out not only for its academic achievements, but also for its vision of understanding and transforming society.