Ode by Le Zadig

ODE 9 May 2016

Hugo To Happiness Berke Ode to Music: How Much Can You Learn in 9 Months? Omar An Ode to MDL Le Zadig Board Galagate Ryan A Tail of Two Haircuts Sebastián Chicago Alaz ode to a city in 2.5 parts Zeynep & Su An Ode to Şafak Pavey Berk Salonikans and the Making of Modern Turkey Alaz Je Suis Ankara Johanne Ode à Saint Germain

ODE

8 May 2016

Strophe

Hugo Côte-Petit-François To Happiness

Berke Alikaşifoğlu Ode To Music: How Much Can You Learn in 9 Months?

Omar Kamel An Ode to MDL

Le Zadig Editorial Board Galagate

Antistrophe Ryan Zohar A Tale of Two Haircuts

Sebastián Torero Chicago

Epode Alaz Ada Yener ode to a city in 2.5 parts

Zeynep Aksoy An Ode to Şafak Pavey

Berk Metin The Salonikans and the Making of Modern Turkey

Alaz Ada Yener Je Suis Ankara

Johanne Fora-Porthault Ode à Saint-Germain

Editorial

n 1 954, Chilean poet Pablo Neruda published a series of odes in the collection Odas Elementales. Neruda explored the complexity and profundity of emotions in a simple but rich Spanish that seemingly condensed the human condition without losing its nuance or value. From scribbled musings on crumpled sheets to living accounts and testaments to the beauty of nature, bonds, precarity, and emotions, an

LE ZADIG · 8

May 2016

ode has the power to convey awe, the sublime, that which otherwise seems unexplainable. As quickly as summer seemed to have left us, it is now returning in full force. This time, however, it is us who must leave Menton, some of us for the very last time. The odes in this issue express praise, noteworthiness, lamentation, notoriety 2

Editorial

among other sentiments. All of which are undoubtedly congruous with the structural nature of an ode. The classical Greek ode is divided in three musical parts: strophe, antistrophe, and epode.

testament to its unique character and endless struggle. The section that closes the movement, epode, will close our last issue for this academic year as well. In a typical ode, the choirs unite in the center of the scene to sing a one last part in unison, after coming from different parts of the scene, just like the city of Istanbul, as Alaz Ada Yener writes in her ode to a city in two and a half parts. Following her is Zeynep Aksoy with her ode to one of the most prominent figures in contemporary Turkish politics and women’s rights, Şafak Pavey. In An Ode to Şafak Pavey, written in collaboration with a friend of Le Zadig, Su Özer, Zeynep tells us about this brilliant woman, a beacon of hope in the current mess that is Turkish politics. Next, Berk Metin talks about a “tiny and mysterious community” in Ottomans, led by an excommunicated Ottoman rabbi Sabbatai Zevi, in The Salonikans and the Making of Modern Turkey. To close out the last issue of Le Zadig, as well as the year, Alaz will take us to Turkey’s capital city in Je suis Ankara, This poignant piece will examine responses to the tragic attacks, and questions their ability to fully encapsulate the essence of Ankara’s precarious situation.

The Greek strophe translates to turning and as a result. The first section of our issue will reflect this, our turning to Menton for inspiration, for praise of its virtues and of its unique flaws. This first section about Menton and the surrounding area. From Hugo CôtePetit-François, we will have To Happiness about the everyday virtues we sometimes take for granted when we are caught up in the wave of five mémoires, two exposés, and a slew of readings. From Berke Alikaşifoğlu, we have an Ode to Music, in which he muses on his expanding tastes and the diversity of Menton. After this, we are more exposed to the shades of gray and blurred vision that Menton can bring about. Omar Kamel writes of love and hate in the dark underbelly of Menton, la MDL, in his Ode to MDL. Next, we will stretch the borders of the Menton bubble to other frontier of the PACA region. An Ode à Saint Germain ~ d'après Jules Supervielle, Marseille discusses the intoxicating urban laid-back culture of Paris’ forgotten sibling. Finally, we will provide a view of Galagate from a number of perspectives in search of consensus or, at the very least, an agreement that we will always have disagreement.

It is on this note, that we as the new coeditors-in-chief of Le Zadig wish to express our ode to the things we have all accomplished as a team this year in Le Zadig. Though the exorbitant costs of color printing hindered our last-ditch efforts to “go out with a bang,” we still believe we have accomplished a feat worthy of our pride. The issues this year have expressed all that we love, all that we hate, all that we fear, and all that we ceaselessly question. This sort of inquiry is the legacy we wish to live on from this year to the next. We have been learning from the best all this year, and now Le Zadig is our baby, our campus’ baby, our promotion’s voice. And we can’t wait for the year to come.

The second section, antistrophe, implies a turning back. And as such, the series of pieces in this section represent a turning back to the rest of the world outside our Menton bubble. A Tale of Two Haircuts delves into the nature of interior and exterior perspectives, what they mean, and why they are relevant. Hopefully, however, some humor shines through the otherwise bleak image for the future. In An Ode to Chicago, Sebastián Torero expresses pride in his city for rising above the noise. Rather than destructive, Chicago proved constructive; in this, one sees a true

Ryan Zohar & Berke Alikaşifoğlu, on behalfofLe Zadig Editorial Board

LE ZADIG · 9 May 2016

Strophe

To Happiness Hugo Côte-Petit-François

Credits: Hugo CôtePetitFrançois

calm waters of the Sablettes—what makes it so special?

eing happy, to me, means wanting to wake up when you go to bed. These nights when, as you finally turn off all the lights in your apartment, a smile shines on your face in the expectation ofsunrise and the discoveries it promises, life is beautiful. You let yourselffall into Morpheus’s arms, fulfilled by the past, confident that the future is bright.

Maybe it is the stars in it, that you can’t see, but on one of them, you know that a friend is watering a rose. Or maybe it’s that glass of wine drunk between the same sky and sea, surrounded by people dear to your heart, hearing the distant accents of the waves crashing against Bastion. Yes, it’s probably that—I mean, the people.

You hear your alarm ring and painfully stretch your arm to snooze it. But once you’re up on your feet, you That cup ofcoffee you so feel the freshness of life, desperately Jon Krakauer said: needto wake your renewed every day and yet “Happiness is only real meaningful only in its neurons is charming you with its when shared.” (Sorry smell—you live. continuity. That cup of Urkund, I shall skip the coffee you so desperately need to wake your footnote on that one…) It sounds a little neurons is charming you with its smell—you unsophisticated, but it’s true. I haven’t had live. You have plans for the day, too many, to go live in the middle of a forest covered and the thought of moving with snow to realise that (I “Happiness is only real when through time like a come from one, that’s shared.” butterfly fluttering about enough). But O, how close your calendar enthuses a desk full of books, you. You close the door, not looking back, covered with paper and ink, and whose only despite this warm satisfaction which warmth is that of the cup of tea anxiously animates you. sitting between Rogan and Filiu, can be to an abandoned bus in Alaska… Your heart is overflowing with energy and Most of us come here with, at least joy. But you don’t even notice it. Perhaps the somewhere down their list of priorities, the only sign revealing your state to your eyes is desire to seek knowledge. And, as much as this unusual amazement you taste while we can complain about professors teaching looking at the blue sky reverberating in the in a language they don’t speak, or others LE ZADIG · 9 May 2016

Strophe

even teaching in a meta-language that renewed, and the certitude that every day doesn’t exist, I think we can agree that this that comes will bring its own lot of irremediable thirst for understanding which unforeseen joys and smiles. In 1 952, Albert moves us has been partly satisfied, after two Camus wrote in Retour à Tipasa: « Quand years in Sciences Po. But compare this to une fois on a eu la chance d'aimer feeling of the sun shining on your skin in a fortement, la vie se passe à chercher de sunny afternoon of nouveau cette ardeur et this irremediable thirst for September. “Meeting” a cette lumière. Le new statistical function, as understanding which moves us renoncement à la beauté exciting as it seems, is far has been partly satisfied, after et au bonheur sensuel qui two years in Sciences Po. from being as blissful as lui est attaché, le service finding comfort in your exclusif du malheur, own existence—and thus, books seem quite demande une grandeur qui me manque. » heartless compared to human beings: What makes Nesma a library beautiful, if not the hearts This is a lesson I choose to follow. As we are Credits: Merhoum. beating in it, and behind the pages on its approaching the dusk of our two years in shelves? this little piece of heaven on earth, let us not forget that it is only after the sun has set I guess this is leading me to my main that the blossoming jasmine releases its argument. True happiness is having truest and most intimate smell. So breathe. something for your heart to beat for. A Stretch out your wings. And take passion. Leaving on vacation extraordinarily off—towards the sea. (or whatever you make of that sentence). The spontaneity of a life continuously

« Quandune fois on a eu la chance d'aimer fortement, la vie se passe à chercher de nouveau cette ardeur et cette lumière. Le renoncement à la beauté et au bonheur sensuel qui lui est attaché, le service exclusifdu malheur, demande une grandeur qui me manque. »

Credits: Inès Shiri

LE ZADIG · 9 May 2016

Strophe

Ode to Music: How Much Can You Learn in 9 Months?

Berke Alikaşifoğlu

here are lots of students all over the country who would kill to be sitting where you are right now,” said one of our professors in our very first class, “use your chance wisely…” That speech was more about the quality of education that we will be receiving here, in the “4th best politics school,” and I am sure that she hadn’t thought about other aspects of learning that one might discover in this mind-blowingly diverse environment that we have learned to love and call home. It is not only the Umayyads or interest rates here in Menton, it is also the things you learn over a beer with people who would never have had the chance to get together if it wasn’t for Sciences Po and Menton. I think it is safe to say that the things I’ve learned from these sessions have been as important as “violence and the state” and stufflike that, ifnot more.

Umm Kalthum. Credits: www.hibamusic.com

The first shock

The very first musical shock I had in Menton was the first time I listened to Umm Kulthum in one of those sessions with my friends, sessions that would later mark my year. I felt like it wasn’t from this world. How could I miss this? Did my musical diversity have limits? Whose fault was it? Why had no one Everyone listens to music, right? I mean, ever shown me this? I think I was just everyone has a certain taste in music, disconnected musically from my region and whether it’s commercial pop or avant-garde its musical culture. This was the first time jazz. But in the end, that I realized that I was everyone listens to music. entering a new world, a Before coming to Menton, I It is not only the Umayyads or world full of good music took pride in being interest rates here in Menton, it right there waiting to be someone with a diverse is also the things you learn over discovered. Just hours musical taste. I would listen a beer with people who would later, I was listening to a to stuff that no one I knew never have hadthe chance to new musical genre, a mix get together ifit wasn’t for of reggae and electronic listened to. Music was, and Sciences Po andMenton. now is even more, a big part music: Jungle. I lost it. of my life and my identity. I What was going on? Hours have had periods where I legitimately ago, I was getting lost in a qanun solo, and identified myself with the music that I was now I just couldn’t stop moving my body. listening to (just imagine a 1 3-year-old emo Berke…). I had “diversity.” I learned a lot that day. I had no idea that nearly every day in Menton would be like that from then on; just an endless learning I had no idea how shallow my musical ground with as much diversity as the campus knowledge was. has to offer. LE ZADIG · 9 May 2016

Strophe

Fear the change?

people coming from places that I would never have the slightest chance to know and I don’t really like change. Last year, I resisted appreciate made me someone open to for weeks when my parents decided to change, to new beginnings. Classical Farsi change the color of the walls of our house. music during the day, French reggae for the Being this attached to insignificant things afternoon, and God knows what for like that was a huge tonight… When our I hadno idea how shallow my concern for me in the professor told us to use musical knowledge was. beginning, since I was this chance wisely, I changing every single thought to myself: “Hey, possible thing in my daily life by moving to just another professor praising the school another country. I never knew that my and warning us to be studious…” But now, coping mechanism would be discovering new when I check my mixed Spotify playlist, in music and embracing it. My fear of not which I put some of the acquisitions that I getting along with people in this new made here, and which I named simply environment got lost in Ali Farka Touré’s “Menton,” I feel like I actually did pas mal guitar strings, in Mohsen Namjoo’s voice, and when it comes to using my chance wisely… in Omar Souleiman’s majestic mustache. Link to my musical journey in Menton (shuffle recommended, you never know When I woke up today after a night of 80’s what you’ll get): rock, followed by classical Turkish music, https://open.spotify.com/user/berkekasif/p then drum and bass, I felt like someone new, laylist/1 fEPB4qgIa81 3x0YpkFfp4 someone better. I still identify myself using music to some extent, and right now, I feel like I have grown up. These nine months with

Congo Natty. Credits: http://www.theguardian.com

LE ZADIG · 9 May 2016

Strophe

Credits: Ryan Zohar

An Ode to MDL

And that ogre in your bowels, rumbling away Jasmine was her name, though for us it was Bane.

Omar Kamel

With torment, sass, and smoke combined, She descended upon I, like Muhammad from the sky, And lay to pieces my desire to stay by.

The school year came, And so did I Upon seeing that wonderful location, view, and sky. Yet little did I know, it would turn soon to shit, As grit accumulated, bit by bit.

Yet memories remained, and musings persist, And despite your plague, or Denizalp’s cyst, I’ll continue on loving you for your convenience and times, When with my friends I could unite, and squeeze nightly limes.

Biological experiments in your kitchen would grow, and utensils askew in your bowels we’d throw. Putrid smells in the air we’d create, Indigenous, to our knowledge, to any gaseous state. When your faulty alarms would usher us through The freezing winter mornings, standing aloof. LE ZADIG · 9 May 2016

Home to banter, intrusions, and cries, You’ll remain in our hearts ‘till the end of times. Generations past and forward will treat you the same, But for us you’ll remain, like one large stain.

Strophe

G a la g a te

Le Zadig Editorial Board

Summary

of the events

(sou

rce: th , April e BDE) 19th: T with a h e F a c ebook e "Gala'h vent fo ou Akba r Gala r" post 2016 is er. Str ong neg launche Wednesd a d, t p i e ve back ople on ay, Apr l il 20th a F s a h c ebook. by some : The B visit t DE goes he venu e. That to the Café de evening , the B Paris i D n Monac E i s Thursda informe o to the Fac y, Apri d o f e b a o o l p k r 21st: T o e b v l e e n Paris. m t . with he BDE The Soc receive iété de s a p s h o Bains d ne call hotels e Mer o and res from th f Monac orts) i e Café o s alert de ( w h i c h manag ed, and stronge es seve the Caf r secur In an e r a l é de Pa ity mea mail re ris dem sures f ceived ands removal o r b y t h t e h e BDE, Gala. of the the adm image. MonteC inistra They al arlo So t ion req so forw ciété d uires t arded t of thei es Bain he he BDE r image s de Me a l e t t r e "with n , r w f h r o o the gro m the refused o writt up: "Th en auth the "il e Group orizati l i c i t e " on" and MonteC want it use arlo So s image the "ha ciété d rming" to be a e of s Bains ssociat recent ed with events de Mer that ha does no a sloga countri v t n which e happe es, doe , seein ned in s not c g the the nei arry an g French) hboring appropr Consequ Europea iate im ently, For now n pact." the ima , the c ( t r a nslated ge was ase is immedia on stan from the pre tely re dby, bu sence o moved. t the C f a sec afé de urity s adminis Paris i ervice tration s deman a t e t x h p e r essed i wishing ding G a l a . Additio ts stro the BDE nally, ng disc "good l t o event w he n tent wi uck for ould ha th the the fut ve dese i s u sue, re." Th rved to ey beli be canc eve tha elled b t the y the C afé de Paris. Tuesday

LE ZADIG · 9 May 2016

Strophe

ala’hou

Akbar, the name announcing Menton’s annual Gala, graced Facebook with a photo of a scenic bird’s eye view of a posh Monaco filling in the background; it would not stay there long. The name prompted crack-ups, half-hearted chuckles, and silent dismissals, as well as scathing polemics. The name saw the full spectrum of reactions, some of which were quiet, others quite outspoken. Even in the short period the name was present, it stirred up controversy. Even Le Zadig’s editorial board remained divided on the name and surrounding events. As a result this introduction to Galagate will reflect that. For some on campus, the controversy was overblown, but for a number of students the event raised questions about the very character of the ‘Umma and supposed selfdeprecating humor upon which Menton prides itself. As a series of events occurred, Galagate grew from a campus issue to a university-wide issue that involved high level administration at the Paris Campus of Sciences Po, the Café de Paris, as well as the Société des bains de mer de Monaco. Le Zadig followed Galagate as a developing story. Ryan

ridicule ! C’est une reference ironique à ne pas prendre au sérieux. Et le fait que les réactions plutôt défavorables viennent de la part des gens qui n’ont pas necessairement un passé avec l’Islam nous montre à quel point qu’on est en alerte concernant les jeux de mots sur des concepts islamiques. Qui est donc a blamer pour ce tempérament qui se présente partout dans le monde ? Nous tous, non ?..

’utilisation du terme Gala’hou Akbar pour un évènement de notre campus méditerranéen ne devrait pas, à mon avis, paraitre offensant pour notre Umma. L’ensemble

de nos chants vont dans le même sens que ce terme là, en partant de notre hymne mentonnaise jusqu’à nos cris poussés en coeur lors de tous nos évènements intercampus. Cependant, lorsqu’il s’agit d’évènements qui sortent de notre petit village de sciences-pistes mentonnais, l’utilisation de termes comme celui-ci peuvent choquer, de la même manière que nos chants choquent certains mentonnais qui nous ont vus défilé dans les rues à plusieurs occasions. D’autant plus que les évènements d’actualité ne sont pas en notre faveur. Suite aux attentats ayant eu lieu sur le territoire européen, une peur généralisée face à l’utilisation de termes religieux musulmans, surtout celle de Allah’ou Akbar, se propage. Les termes sont rapidement associés au terrorisme. Ainsi, nommer un évènement Gala’hou Akbar dans un tel contexte pourrait d’abord paraitre provocateur mais surtout effrayer les habitants qui ne verront en ce nom de soirée qu’un rappel des

OUR THOUGHTS

personally find Gala’hou Akbar ridiculous! It is a tongue-in-cheek

reference, something not to be taken seriously. And the fact that most of the heat came from people who did not necessarily have an Islamic background shows how on the edge people are regarding wordplays with Islamic concepts. Whose fault is it that people became this “alert” all around the world about this kind of satire? All of ours, I guess?.. Personnellement, je trouve Gala’hou Akbar

LE ZADIG · 9 May 2016

Berke

Strophe

évènements récents. La réaction des autorités monégasques pourrait donc être jugée comme normale dans un tel contexte. La réaction de l’administration du campus est également justifiée dans le sens où ils ne pouvaient pas s’opposer aux autorités monégasques qui sont étrangères à notre « esprit de campus » et qui ne comprennent pas le sens qu’on attribue au terme de Gala’hou Akbar. Camille

joyous expression of the love of G-d. It does not carry nearly as much holiness for me as I believe Allahu Akbar carries for many Muslims (at least, for the friends with whom I spoke). In terms of the reaction of the Monegasque authorities, while it is extraordinarily regrettable and makes my heart hurt that this is the case, but we are living in a context in which I do not believe their reaction is unbelievable or extraordinary. Especially in France, in Turkey, in Belgium, in the other countries that I am not mentioning but not forgetting, people are wary and on edge and afraid. While society should not be suspicious of students (or anyone else) for this genre of pun, it does not surprise me that after over one hundred deaths in a year’s time due to Islamic extremists, they are. And I’m sorry to say that, but I think it must be acknowledged, at least until society is educated enough to react differently. Our education at this Middle Eastern-Mediterranean campus is invaluable in this respect, and I very much value that. Jackie

lthough I am a member of a very small minority on this campus, I was personally quite offended by the Gala’hou Akbar pun. While clearly I am not Muslim, after speaking with many of my Muslim friends, I came to the conclusion that Allahu Akbar is a very significant and holy phrase in this religion, and I identify with the religious sentiment if not with the specific language or religion itself. In regards to Gal’eluia, however, I am not offended. In my specific context, as an observant American Reform Jew raised at Isaac M. Wise Temple in Cincinnati, Ohio, I see hallelujah as a

Overheard at a BDE meeting... A lot of English trackers are pissed off because of all that political correctness thing. I personally see both sides of it; I see

Comment on a trouvé Gala’hou Akbar ? On

faisait des jeux de mots sur Masha’gala, Insha’gala et quelqu’un a sorti Gala’hou Akbar, du coup on a dit « oui ! ». On était quasiment tous là et personne n'a dit non. On est une association comme les autres, il y a 1 3 personnes dans le board et on ne présente pas « tout le monde ». On n’est pas dans la notion de responsabilité car on n’est pas élu. Mais personnellement, je pense qu’il y a assez de sexe, origine, programme représentés du coup on prend la majorité de notre campus. Et même dans les BDE élus comme celui de Paris, ils ne viennent pas consulter les élèves à chaque fois qu’ils prennent une décision. Même François Hollande ne fait pas un référendum à chaque fois. C’est un exemple mais ça peut impliquer à n’importe quel président… Zina LE ZADIG · 9 May 2016

why it’s funny but I also see the ones that are getting offended that are often the quiet ones, so you don’t hear much about it. We are not anyone to say what offends you. But I also started to think that people jumped on the bandwagon when everything exploded as a way to yell at something. Annie

Pourquoi on a mis Gal’eluia ? On parlait simplement, et Thibaut a dit ‘Pourquoi pas Gal’eluia’ en rigolant, et on a fini le montage. (Rires) Zina

Moi, je ne suis pas d’accord avec Gal’eluia

parce que ça continue la provocation. Mais c’est mon opinion personnelle… Clara 11

Strophe

#EsTuGala ? How would you describe the Gala’hou Akbar pun? Check all that apply. / Comment décrirais-tu le jeu de mot "Gala'hou Akbar"? Plusieurs choix possibles.

"Je trouve la blague drôle, mais dans le cadre de notre campus. Là il s'agissait d'un évènement public sur Facebook. Au regard de la situation tendue après les attentats, (et des mentalités de la Côte d'Azur), on devait s'attendre à une réaction pareille et aussi excessive. On aurait juste pu éviter la controverse en gardant l'événement privé." "I am not personally offended but knowing that I have friends who do find it deeply offensive makes me uncomfortable with the name and believe that it should not represent our campus." "Il s'agit d'un simple jeu de mots sans portée politique/blasphematoire, sur une expression qui en est venue a être utilisée dans le langage courant et pas seulement pour des affaires religieuses."

"Le jeu de mots n'a rien d'offensant en soi et est drôle même pour un Musulman. C'est un pur jeu de mots stylistique et la sémantique nimplique rien de malsain donc c'est drôle, oui." "I can understand a certain apprehension for outsiders not so well acquainted with our good humour. In this sense, whilst it seems unnecessary for the BDE to have received such negative feedback, particularly from the Societe des Bains de Mers, it is worth taking into consideration that many, unjustifiably albeit, do associate the phrasing with the tragic events France has seen in the last year or so." "The real scandal is that the Gala will cost 50€ [45 à 60, NDLR] ... WTF! The police should investigate that!"

YOUR THOUGHTS

LE ZADIG · 9 May 2016

Strophe

Considères-tu que ce jeu de mots représente "l'esprit de notre campus"? / Do you believe that this pun represents the "spirit of our campus"?

"Un esprit d'autodérision vue la proportion de musulmans sur le campus, la volonté de déconstruire des clichés que tous ont sur le Moyen-Orient (même les hauts représentants du gouvernement monégasque, apparemment)."

"It's not my place to say who can get offended by what, but the "spirit" of the campus is open-mindedness. I believe this should extend to being tolerant of some politically incorrect humour every once and awhile."

"The humour ofthe campus often lacks respect andsensitivity for others'beliefs."

"It is a spirit of self-deprecation and non-PC jokes that are really just jokes and not hurtful."

"Second degré, gentiment provocateur, humour fin, jouer sur les préjugés pour les démonter."

Quelle est ton opinion à propos de la réponse du BDE face à la suppression de leur affiche - remplacer "Gala'hou Akbar" par "Gal'eluia"? / What is your opinion about the BDE's response to the removal of their ad - replacing "Gala'hou Akbar" by "Gal'eluia"?

"C'est assez provocateur et peu intelligent." "Répondre par le sarcasme est la meilleure chose que le BDE aurait pu faire." "Better as does not hold the same contemporary connotation."

LE ZADIG · 9 May 2016

"Safe and responsible. Better not to risk Gala but still protest nonetheless. BUT also ridiculous because the Christianized equivalent is 'safe,' but people insist on preserving the element ofdanger we now perceive in the Muslim equivalent..."

Strophe

All in all, do any of these propositions bother you? Check all that apply. / En somme, est-ce que l'une de ces propositions te dĂŠrange ? Plusieurs choix possibles.

Overall?

Gala'hou Akbar is...

LE ZADIG Âˇ 9 May 2016

What bothers the Umma...

Antistrophe

A Tale of Two Haircuts

Ryan Zohar

feel as though being an American living in France has afforded me a certain perspective with regard to the lampooning of political figures in the two lands I have learned to call home. To look from the inside provides one with a nuanced view of the different quirks and intricacies that bring clarity to blurred vision. To look from the outside, from a foreign perspective, can provide a broad reaching view of what often seems like a domestic rarity. However, these domestic flubs do not occur in a François Hollande from Le Petit Journal vacuum; they are often projected on an international scale. As a result, this view from Ray Cyrus flashes onto the screen, followed afar can force us to reevaluate our own by Hollande donning an enormous afro not findings at home. In the words of sociologist unlike the one popularized by NBA legend Peter Berger, one “travels at Julius Erving, also known home— with shocking His signature style, “a medium as Dr. J. results.” France’s politicians to low cut with a light taper and their American aroundthe sides andback,” “Ridiculous!” I thought. counterparts are quite Surely, this could not have costs no more than $21. different in many respects. happened in the United However, both us Americans and our French States, not with my president. This incident, friends across the pond have learned to laugh however, piqued my curiosity, and I began to at our politics, perhaps so that we don’t cry. do a little digging. The U.S. President, as it

I had a good laugh this week, hearing about l’Élysée’s monthly budget allocation for the upkeep of an important national symbol: President François Hollande’s hair. A case study of sorts in comparative politics, both Hollande and America’s own President Obama maintain peculiar practices when it comes to the tufts adorning their respective scalps. As I learned this week from France’s coveted Le Petit Journal, l’Élysée employs a personal hairdresser for Hollande. The price of this service? A whopping 8000€ per month. Like myself, Le Petit Journal’s Catherine and Liliane seemed blown away by this figure. Taking this shocking statistic to its natural end ad absurdum, Catherine offers her response: “At that price, I want my president to resemble this!” A picture of François Hollande sporting a majestic mullet similar to that of country music icon Billy LE ZADIG · 9 May 2016

Barack Obama from Official Presidential Portrait from White House

Antistrophe

turns out, opts for a simpler cut. Obama, it Marine Le Pen’s luscious locks come close to seems, will not even splurge on hair dye, the upkeep of the ambiguous creature on letting the gray hairs fill in concurrently with Donald Trump’s head. But before France and political crises. His signature style, “a the U.S. sign up for the wild adventure of an medium to low cut with a impending far-right light taper around the cataclysm, I think a I do not think the costs of sides and back,” costs no Marine comparison is necessary to Le Pen’s luscious locks more than $21 . A provide due diligence. testament to his come close to the upkeep ofthe community roots, Obama ambiguous creature on Donald With talk of New York’s Trump’s head. even employs his regular native son Donald Trump Hyde Park barber, Zariff. emerging as the American Chicago’s own Zariff first cut Obama’s hair in reincarnation of Marine Le Pen, I think we 1 998 and has continued doing so ever since. are both in dire need of this sort of crossA symbol of Obama’s frugality and down-tocultural juxtaposition. Pundits on both sides earth demeanor? Not so fast there! No, of the Atlantic are scrambling to explain the Obama probably unstoppable forces does not dish out propelling right-wing thousands a month populism to the top. on his simple And simultaneously, hairstyle, but these even in this globalized reportedly bi-weekly day and age, many are appointments do shouting above the rack up costs in the moderate voices. Some hundreds of dollars are touting a brand of per cut. The caveat American here? Obama flies his exceptionalism that hometown barber manifests itself more from Chicago to like ethnocentrism. Washington every The analogous sector two weeks, spending Donald Trump from of French society is Marine Le Pen from what some estimate as Boston Herald screaming “On est chez AFP/Getty Images up to $23,000 on nous!” in the street. transport costs from 2009 to 201 2. Though in a language I am struggling to master, the noise sounds the same. To me, it seems both France and the United Sometimes, I am unsure whether I am seeing States can allocate these funds more this extreme rhetoric across an ocean in the efficiently instead of the U.S. or if I am looking in a The analogous sector ofFrench extravagant grooming of mirror in the South of society is screaming “On est the heads of the Heads of France. With borders chez nous!”in the street. State. However, I must disappearing and admit, critiquing the overreappearing with changing indulgent fashion statements of these two headlines, it sometimes seems as though aging men was not my sole motive in writing the destinies of the U.S. and France are this piece. There is a third hairstyle I think is inextricably linked. And extravagant haircuts worth discussing. I do not think the costs of will be the least of our problems.

LE ZADIG · 9 May 2016

Antistrophe

Credits: Associated Press via CBS News

Chicago

became a symbol. Those enraged by racism in America used Brown as a poster boy for oppression. People who wanted to deny the fact that there is prejudice in our country, or the systemic racism in the way the United States deals with crime, needed only to tarnish the reputation of Michael Brown to prove their point.

Sebastián Torero

n August of 2014, a shooting of an unarmed black male in a city in Missouri set off a firestorm in the United States. Michael Brown was 18 years old when he was shot by Darren Wilson, a white police officer But the list of young black men killed by in a town that had a long history of racial police continued to grow. In November of discrimination of a majority black town by a 201 4, Tamir Rice was shot in Cleveland as a mostly white police force. The reaction to the police officer pulled up, took one look at a shooting was massive, as was the reaction black boy holding what appeared to be a months later when the weapon, and fired. Rice One side paintedMichael Brown officer was not indicted. As was holding a B.B. gun. A protesters marched and as a saint, an ambitious young month later, a jury failed to looters robbed, as pastors man who hadbeen robbedofa indict the New York police and pundits spoke, what promising life. The other called officer who killed Eric was a divisive and necessary Garner. Garner died a him a thug anda criminal. dialogue on racism and month before Brown from America’s long, winding road towards true an asthma attack induced by the chokehold equality devolved into a character trial. the officer put him in. In April of 201 5, Michael Brown ceased to be a teenage boy, Freddie Gray in Baltimore died after he was and became a symbol. One side painted arrested and driven around in the back of a Michael Brown as a saint, an ambitious young van without a seat belt. This practice is man who had been robbed ofa promising life. known as “rough riding,” and it has a long The other called him a thug and a criminal. history in the United States. Baltimore Those of the latter camp made their point erupted in riots, like Ferguson, and the known by sharing security camera footage of media covered it for weeks. That same Brown robbing a convenience store before he month Walter Scott was shot in the back was killed. Darren Wilson had no idea that while fleeing a police officer in North Brown had committed this crime. Essentially, Charleston, South Carolina. And these were Brown ceased to be a young man. Instead, he not the only incidents. In the year after

LE ZADIG · 9 May 2016

Antistrophe

Source : Wikimedia Commons

Michael Brown’s death, 30 unarmed black men in the United States were killed at the hands of police, and these numbers are seen as conservative by some sources. In places like Baltimore and Ferguson, riots erupted, and Americans watched as the list of black men killed and the list of cities that protested these killings continued to grow. And then, Chicago was added to the list.

in silence. As McDonald lays on the ground, his body jolts as it is pounded by bullets. He seems to reach out towards the gunman, but he is met only with On October 20, 201 4, 1 7-year old Laquan bullets. Officer McDonald was not in a good place. He was Jason Van Dyke walking down the street clutching a small lets off sixteen knife in his hand, high on PCP. Police pulled shots into the up next to him. What happened next was body of the young Credits: Associated Press recorded on dashcam Andthese were not the only Mc footage that would only be incidents. In the year after Donald. After all this, released a year later. The Michael Brown’s death, 30 another officer runs up and police account that was unarmedblack men in the kicks the knife out of reported before video of the UnitedStates were killedat the McDonald’s hand, as if to incident was released was hands ofpolice, andthese somehow justify the Source : Wikimedia Commons. that McDonald, knife in execution that just took numbers are seen as hand, lunged at police, and conservative by some sources. place. It is clear to anyone that the officers, afraid for watching the footage that their lives, opened fire. What the footage the police report of the incident is a revealed was something different, complete fabrication. Any officer who was something far more criminal. The first thing at the scene or compared the report to the one notices about the video is that the dashcam footage knew this as well. Laquan sound is off. You can hear the wail of police McDonald did not lunge at police, he tried to sirens, but it is distorted. The car pulls up to avoid them, he walked away. Watching his the scene, and body writhe on McDonald is the ground and clearly visible, dust being kicked wearing a black up by the bullets, sweatshirt with any human being the hood pulled with a sense of up and a baggy decency is filled pair of jeans. with rage. There are other police cars on the The shooting scene and a occurred two couple of officers months after outside their Michael Brown Credits: NPR was squad car. shot. McDonald is However, unlike clearly holding something in his right hand, in Brown’s case, it did not happen in broad and is walking quickly away from police. daylight, and it was covered up quickly. As Then, he spins violently around. He people across the country were marching collapses. Either the microphone is not for improved policing practices and justice, working properly or the audio has been Chicago police officers were deleting tampered with, because the gunshots go off security camera footage from a Burger King LE ZADIG · 9 May 2016

Antistrophe

across the street where Laquan McDonald home in watching the dashcam footage of was shot to dispose of any evidence that Officer Van Dyke unloading his weapon on a contradicted the police report and showed young man clearly walking away from him. I the incident for what it truly was: a murder. was outraged. Outraged because unlike in In the following months, more black men, New York with Eric Garner or Charleston many unarmed, were with Walter Scott, killed at the hands of the video of Laquan police. In April of McDonald’s death 201 5, footage of was not released Walter Scott’s immediately. murder was getting Instead, it was air-time. Meanwhile, covered up. Police Laquan McDonald’s returned to the family was paid a $5 scene of the crime, million dollar to delete security settlement, and the camera footage that video remained may have caught the unseen by the public, murder on tape. Credits: Associated Press via Washington Post Chicago’s in a move that leaders smelled awfully like paid off the hush money paid for a cover-up. McDonald family instead of giving Jason Investigators and attorneys, including State Van Dyke a trial. For over a year, a murderer Attorney Anita Alvarez, managed to keep on the Chicago Police Department was the footage under wraps. That was, until allowed to walk free as justice delayed activist William Conway and investigative became justice denied, and the leaders of journalist Brendan Smith heard that the my city, leaders in the police department footage showed Officer Jason Van Dyke and in the attorney’s office and in City Hall, gunning down Laquan McDonald refused to do anything about what had unprovoked, contradictory to the police happened. It was as if corruption and coverreport. They fought for ups were so ingrained the video to be made into the psyche of As people across the country were available to the public, Chicago politics that, marching for improvedpolicing and finally, in even though similar November of 201 5, the practices andjustice, Chicago police incidents were officers were deleting security camera footage was released. happening across the When the news broke footage from a Burger King across the country, our politicians that the video would street where Laquan McDonaldwas couldn’t allow Chicago be released, Chicago shot to dispose ofany evidence that to just have any typical contradictedthe police report and white-cop-kills-blackbraced for what would come next. People showedthe incident for what it truly kid tragedy. We had to was: a murder. around the city knew add the special flavor there would be rage, of the “Chicago way.” because they’d already seen the same thing In a moment so pivotal to my city, to my happen so many times, too many times, in country, I was far away. Even in today’s the recent past. world, where we all are so interconnected and distances do not mean what they used I want this to be an ode to the people of to, I still felt voiceless. I felt unable to Chicago. When the footage of Laquan register my anger in any meaningful way. McDonald’s murder was released, I was here, in France. Sitting across the street from the But I got to watch as Chicago stood up. The sea, I joined in with many people from back details surrounding Laquan McDonald’s LE ZADIG · 9 May 2016

Antistrophe

death were well known. McDonald had a of this article, at least a third of the panel’s troubled past. He had an extensive juvenile recommended policy changes will be record, he was on drugs. When he was adapted. Steps are being taken. And maybe murdered, he was holding a knife in his they are small, maybe the process is only hands. He was by no means a perfect kid. beginning, but something is being done. But Chicagoans knew, at the same time, that this 1 7-year old boy was not some monster, This is an ode to the people of my not some evil person. There were systematic hometown. Chicago sadly joined the long list factors outside of his control: of American cities that made headlines since Institutionalized racism, a broken criminalFerguson when a black young man was killed justice system, poverty and violence that by a white police officer. And when it did, surrounded McDonald’s life. The people of the insult of a cover-up was added to the Chicago did not try to idealize and idolize injury of a young man unjustly murdered. this young man. There was no construction When the people of Chicago saw the of a false narrative, maybe footage of this crime, because there was no Laquan McDonalddidnot have something was done about ambiguity around what had to be an honor student to be a it in an honest, happened. Laquan symbol ofracial oppression and constructive manner. The McDonald did not have to problems in Chicago are problematic police tactics. be an honor student to be not going away any time a symbol of racial soon. We still have far too oppression and problematic police tactics. many guns, far too many gangs, far too The people of Chicago did not make Laquan much segregation, far too much poverty, McDonald out to be a perfect citizen. But and far too much political corruption. But they recognized him as a human who we have people who know what our city can deserved more. be and what it should be, who know that we are not defined by the ills that afflict us. The people of Chicago had every right to be People who fought for change and are as angry as the people of Ferguson, angrier seeing results. There weren’t riots; protests in fact. There was no ambiguity like there were passionate and those who took to the was in Ferguson, and unlike Ferguson, streets were rightfully full of rage, but they people at the highest levels of power in the kept calm. Chicago, you have done city were in some way implicated in covering something incredible, and the fight is up the murder of a teenage boy at the hands ongoing, but unlike so many other times of police. Yet Chicagoans didn’t burn their when the people fight the power, the city down. They managed to create a people are making things happen. dialogue without fires, without riots. People took to the streets, but they were peaceful. Journalists wrote editorials, people of all walks of life joined the chorus of the indignant and the frustrated, and there have been results. The Department of Justice is investigating the Chicago Police Department. The police director, Garry McCarthy, was fired. Anita Alvarez, the State Attorney, lost her reelection bid. The mayor of Chicago, Rahm Emanuel, appointed an independent Police Accountability Task Force. This task force found a myriad of problems with the way the CPD deals with Credits: VOA the black community, and as of the writing LE ZADIG · 9 May 2016

an ode to a city in two and a half parts Alaz Ada Yener and don’t belong there too. the buildings are old and brown and the pavement is nothing but paved. you use the cryptic graffiti to find your way around, you’ve been here before but you can’t remember. a cat darts out of a big, square garbage bin. a city is a city, no matter what you say. a city is a city, and you’re not there today. the weather means as little as an address on the side you don’t live on. the judas trees paint both sides of the sea pink, that’s how you know it’s spring. that and the tulips everywhere. you think of their cost and artificiality, history floods your mind. can anything new be beautiful? a city is a city, a city is blue, a city is musical, a city can’t hear you. you avert your eyes to not feel the overwhelming guilt of history, decay and pain at every corner, isolation and poverty, you take a wrong turn and this neighborhood isn’t yours, is this city anyone’s? you do not make eye contact. the language of the tourists mixes into the one of the refugees. a city is a city, it will not hold your hand, it has taught you to love the wind instead. the anxiety of something bad that is to happen if you don’t watch the clock and where you’re going, and the calm of the water sounds and the wind always go hand in hand. how can grey be so colorful, how can you miss it so much? a city is a city, and it always will be,

a city is a city, a city is not a home, unless you walk far enough, and then it’s gone. the rain pounds on the roof. you look out the window and can only see flickering lights and their reflections. you cannot tell which continent you’re looking at. cheap umbrellas lie dead in the street somewhere. a city is a city, a city is not love. a city is not you, a city is not true. you are on the bridge. it does not matter which bridge or which direction. you do not know how long have you been here. the sun set a while ago and the words spoken on the radio have stopped making sense. there is only traffic. a city is a city, a city lies to you, by making you believe, that it may love you. at some point the tea you’re holding has become the only warmth you know. the seagulls fly around you, screaming. you hear the waves and wonder if anyone is swimming in the bosphorus right now. someone always is. it’s february. a city is a city, and it makes sure that you, don’t belong anywhere else, LE ZADIG · 9 May 2016

Epode

no matter what you call it, no matter what you see. you almost forgot about the pigeons. you used to come here and feed them every weekend, buy seeds from the same man. he still looks the same, sells seeds in the same tea glasses. you’re waiting for your friend, and he’s late, so you have to notice the pigeons. seeds stick to your shoelaces. a city is a city, makes you into a skeptic. how can others really, love you or the city? monday becomes wednesday who grows endlessly like the gum you’re chewing, you spit it out since you’ve learned your future already. you buy simit and ayran and make it a meal, your last, if you will. everything flickers and the cars start again. a city is a city. one day you look up, and realize you’ve left, but did you, did you want to?

thousands of lightnings under my skin, never end. you care for your flowers better than you care for your children, tell me if you want to be alone i’m going anyway, to myself i’ll come back if i can’t bear it. not that i miss you, but your seagulls wait for me, cats, cormorants, your sea, and the stork i saw on a winter night. you know i can’t admit i love you sometimes i get angry, you’re ruthless, you’re crowded i admit you didn’t hurt me much, it was me we’ll talk later, cover me now, you’re in me anyway.

your rainy streets a graveyard for cheap umbrellas i’m not tired enough to be mad at you, not that heartbroken not optimistic enough to challenge you, not unfamiliar enough to fall in love either. come on, win back my heart, lay out the stars Sultan Ahmet (Blue Mosque) tonight only so i can breathe, i only ask out of selfishness the cold stuck on my skin, won’t get out of between my toes i am mud up to my knees, an alphabet of dots lines dots, a blurry map. but at least i’m going somewhere at least i’ll be warm on the outside. the smell on me isn’t new, just a memory, a remembering i don’t want you remembering, i don’t want to remember all your lights mix into one another, your sounds already not mine your fog melts with my homemade one, LE ZADIG · 9 May 2016

Epode

An Ode to Şafak Pavey Zeynep Aksoy & Su Özer

ne woman in a white blazer walks up to the stand of the Grand National Assembly ofTurkey. She has only five minutes, and a gentle smile on her face that she knows will comfort the men in the room, and delay the obnoxious heckles that we all have come to expect from a normal day at the Turkish parliament.

Credits: www.ajanshaber.com

in the room. As a group of angry parliament members constantly shout, she finishes her five minutes with these words:

The first words that come out of her mouth contradicts her smile, “I have so many doubts about Turkey’s direction. My fear derives from the mentality that puts law against religion, secularity against immorality, and lipstick against a hijab; a mentality that essentially puts a human being against another.

“I am addressing the party in power directly. You have to realize the difference between true justice and revenge before this country is irreversibly polarized. Believe me when I say that we are not picking fights or trying to engage in a skirmish with you. We are only Recently the story of the female police trying to survive this radical monster that officer with a hijab received a huge backlash you’ve created without losing our identity on in the media with the belief that a police the way. This is an issue of freedom and officer should not be wearing a religious acceptance. You have to accept all lifestyles symbol on duty. This, to me, is not and respect what people choose to do with secularism. It is sexism. their lives. You have to This female police officer stop using people who are "You have to realize the got torn apart by the difference between true justice different than you as a media while her colleagues andrevenge before this country political device to advance of the same values, but of your own agenda.” is irreversibly polarized." the opposite gender, faced no scrutiny whatsoever. Banning women Şafak Pavey was born in 1 976 in Ankara. She with hijabs from the police forces is not moved to Zurich when she was eighteen to magically going to make the Turkish police study art and film. She was fascinated with trusted by the public again. Young people’s the European notion of arts and education, distrust and fear towards the Turkish police very much like a lot of her peers in Turkey does not come from a religious symbol like also were at the time. During the eighties hijab. It comes from the premise of violence and nineties young, middle-class Turkish that has proved time and time again to be people had started going abroad for fatal and inhumane. university. Many of them wouldn’t return, and would eventually settle down outside of This very parliament also asked for a fatwa Turkey. Pavey’s future plans were not so from The Presidency of Religious Affairs to different, until 24 May 1 996. open up Cem Houses. We all sat here and watched when Alevis’ rights to practice their On a Friday in Zurich, an eighteen-year-old religion was decided upon by Sunnis.” Şafak Pavey takes Miroslav Hess, a friend who had physical limitations due to his brain Her smile fails to mitigate the rising tempers tumor, to the train station. Şafak helps him LE ZADIG · 9 May 2016

Epode

get on the train, and sits him down before going to the booth to buy his ticket. She walks back to the platform and spots her friend sticking his hand out of the train window to get it. She starts running towards the window as the train starts leaving. Just as she is about to hand him the ticket, the train picks up speed and her foot slips into the gap between the train and the platform. The next thirty seconds are all a blur. She feels extreme amount of pain, and notices a lot of people running towards her. Someone shouts, “I am a doctor. Get out of the way please!” Before losing consciousness, she sees a lot of blood and flesh on the tracks. Two days after she wakes up in a hospital to see her left arm and leg amputated.

Armenian-Turkish bilingual weekly Agos, and has authored three books. The book “Platform Number 1 3” narrating the train accident experience became a bestseller in Turkey.

After fifteen years living abroad, Pavey returned to Turkey in 201 1 and ran for a parliament seat. She left her position at the United Nations in 201 2 and was elected Deputy of Istanbul Province for the Republican People's Party (CHP), becoming the first disabled female member of the Turkish Parliament. After living abroad for 1 5 years, Pavey accepted an offer to stand in the 201 1 elections because she was concerned about the direction her country was taking. Freedom of expression, women's Her days in intensive care mark the rights and minority rights were all in decline. beginning of a yearlong struggle of adjusting According to official statistics, reported to her new body. With this accident, Şafak’s violence against women had greatly risen plans change. She is since 2002, before the suddenly on the tabloids of “the young woman who lost her current government won both Turkish and Swiss arm andleg helping a friendin the general elections. newspapers as “the young Turkey had recently been the train station.” woman who lost her arm shaken by a massive and leg helping a friend in corruption scandal that the train station.” However, the biggest involved high government officials, when change was within her. The first three Recep Tayyip Erdoğan famously said that he months of her recovery were tough. She did not think that men and women were battled with psychological repercussions of equal. Pavey believes the country should be extreme physical trauma. Later on, in one of less obsessed by any topic concerning the interviews she gave, she talked about sexuality and focus on the real issues: the year after the accident as “a year of freedom of expression, government contemplating on life, and coming to terms accountability and separation of powers. with what happened.” The recurring Pavey says she wants to keep fighting for question in her head was “Was it worth it?” what she thinks is crucial. "Many female to which her answer was always “Yes.” politicians get intimidated by the aggressive behavior of men. I don't. Not because I am a After a year of rigorous physical treatment courageous person or anything, but because she dropped-out of university in Zurich and I see international standards and I see that went to London to study international they are worth fighting for." relations at the University of Westminster On 31 October 201 3, as she took the stand, and completed her postgraduate studies at dressed in white, her speech was, as always, the London School of Economics. controversial and refreshing. After she voiced her concerns on the social and Pavey served in the Office of the United political polarization of the country, her last Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, sentences were, “Please remember, fellow providing humanitarian aid to countries such members of Parliament! The people are as Algeria, Egypt, Iran, Lebanon and Syria. not here for you. You are here for the She was a columnist for the Istanbul based people.” LE ZADIG · 9 May 2016

Epode

The Salonikans and the Making of Modern Turkey

Sadreddin Berk Metin

he extraordinary adventures of “the Salonikans” began in 1648, when a twenty-one year old rabbi from Smyrna (Izmir) of Anatolia, named Sabbatai Zevi, announced himself to be the awaited Messiah. After the “false” messianic message of Jesus of Nazareth, he claimed to be the real saviour ofthe Jews.

News of a new Messiah was a rouser throughout the Jewish communities all across Europe. His message was quite unorthodox, and according to the Jewish clergy, blasphemous. Therefore, he was Credits: http://thriceholy.net/false.html excommunicated by the Ottoman Chief Rabbinate. Not giving up, he visited the principal towns of Anatolia and preached his Cami) in Salonica and Teşvikiye Mosque in messianic message. During his journeys, he Istanbul. was greeted by large crowds of supporters, cheering: “Long live the king of Israel!” He Salonikans were a tiny and mysterious managed to gather support not only from community with considerable influence, yet the local Jewish community, but even from their significance is often neglected. This is countries such as the Netherlands, Germany, due to several facts: Most importantly, little and Poland. Moreover, as his message was is known about this community. Although it open to everyone, even some Christian and is a topic the public finds most interesting, Muslim subjects of the the field is almost Ottoman Empire joined During his journeys, he was untouched by the Turkish him. This was when he with the greetedby large crowds of academia, began to be perceived as a supporters, cheering: “Long live exception of a few scholars real threat; in 1 666, he was and independent the king ofIsrael!” summoned by the Sultan researchers. There are and was forced to make a choice: basically no sources in Turkish, with the Conversion or death. Sabbatai chose to live. exception of the works of R. Bali. Secondly, Shocked by the fact that their messiah has (and probably worst of all,) since the field converted to Islam, only a tiny proportion of was largely ignored by academia, it came to his supporters remained loyal to him. They be dominated by conspiracy theorists, who converted to Islam too, later settling in were completely ignorant of the numerous Salonica. The Turks called them sources that were not in Turkish but either “Selanikliler” — Salonikans, or “Dönme”*, in European languages or in Hebrew. which literally means converts. Their Moreover, these conspiracy theorists tried appearance resembled that of a Muslim, but to explore it with a petty islamist/nationalist they continued to semi-secretly practice modality. This created a vicious cycle; some their religion for centuries, notably in places real researchers who were afraid to be they built such as the New Mosque (Yeni labeled as conspiracy theorists stayed away LE ZADIG · 9 May 2016

Epode

from this “dangerous” field. On the societal The aim of these modern schools was to level, the issue of Salonikans consists of “raise a generation of modern, enlightened nothing but “whispers and rumours.” people.” The founder of the Republic of Therefore, my intention is just to establish a Turkey, Mustafa Kemal (later Atatürk), was sense of familiarity with the rather educated at a famous Dönme school, known mysterious topic by making use of the few as Şemsi Efendi Mektebi in Salonica. Marc resources that are David Baer, author of available and to the book titled The explore the role of Dönme (Stanford Salonikans in the late University Press) Ottoman and early writes about Şemsi Turkish Efendi and his school: modernisation “The school was both processes, especially popular and famous their role in for teaching critical education, mostly by thinking, rather than citing the few rote memorization, scholarly works on and for inventing a the issue. new type of As the Ottoman blackboard. There Empire entered an were attacks and Teşvikiye Mosque, Istanbul. Credits: era of absolute pressure on it, decadence however, and the approximately 200 years after Sabbatai’s number of students declined. Finally, conversion and saw the urgent need of S! emsi Efendi was forced to close it in modernising every aspect of life, the long1 891 .” forgotten Dönme community of Salonica became known once again. It has been Baer writes about the Dönme schools: “The argued that the “conventional”—nonoutlook of the Dönme merchant families Sabbataist Jews lost important proportions was especially evident in their schools, of their wealth and power in the last where foreign and local languages, modern decades of the Empire, sciences, and business Their appearance resembledthat ofa which could be useful skills were taught with helping the Muslim, but they continuedto semi- together with religion, secretly practice their religion for modernisation process ethics, morals, and of the country, so this centuries, notably in places they built Dönme social bonds mission was, to a very such as the New Mosque (Yeni Cami) in and boundaries. All large extent, carried were purposely Salonica andTeşvikiye Mosque in out by the Salonikans, combined in Istanbul. a.k.a Dönme. Under meaningful ways such circumstances, allowing Dönme youth they became the pioneers of Turkish to perpetuate the local and international modernisation. The diverse city of Salonica networks of which the Dönme were a part.” arguably became the cultural capital of He adds: “Students in Dönme schools were Ottoman Empire. well prepared to engage in international commerce and serve the empire. In 1 904, Their contributions were numerous. The new courses were added that would aid first modern European-style schools in future civil servants, including official-style which the elite and intelligentsia of the late writing, political economy, commercial law, Ottoman and early Turkish period studied physical geography, chemistry, economics, were established and run by the Dönme. and economic geography.” LE ZADIG · 9 May 2016

Epode

but seeking to exploit those whom the government saw to be second-class citizens. Secondly, it was created to transfer wealth from nonMuslims to the Muslim/Turkish bourgeoisie, which was soon to be created. Although there were no official records proving that they were actually non-Muslims, the Dönme had to pay this special tax, too. First considered as Muslims by Greece and forcibly sent to Turkey, they were now considered nonNew Mosque, Salonica. Credits: http://www.dunyabulteni.net/ Muslims by Turkey and condemned to give up their In 1 924, as a result of the population wealth. exchange between Turkey and Greece, the Although some people, many of them being Dönme, considered as Muslim Turks, were quite famous, expounded that they were of sent from Salonica—which was now in Dönme origins, it is unknown if such an Greece, to Turkey. They continued to organised community still exists. Their possess substantial numbers are estimated wealth and constitute to be around 1 00,000, The Dönme no longer hadto go to the educated elite of the majority of whom Turkey. The new mosques as regular Muslims did, and reside in Istanbul and practice the Islamic faith as every Republic of Turkey, Izmir. The only burial other Muslim did. However, they still which strictly adopted place that is known to secular principles, claimedto be Muslims, Muslims who be composed only of fully adoptedsecularism. seemed to become a the Dönme is safe haven for them at Bülbülderesi Cemetery first. The Dönme no longer had to go to in Istanbul, which I’ve visited several times. mosques as regular Muslims did, and It is known via some testimonials that most practice the Islamic faith as every other people who had Dönme origins and Muslim did. However, they still claimed to discovered their ancestors did it by mistake; be Muslims, Muslims who fully adopted they were not told by their parents or secularism. grandparents. Therefore, it has been They didn’t pass on the “secret”to claimed by some However, despite their their children; letting them free from scholars that the contributions to Salonikans decided to the burden ofkeeping it. society and eagerness assimilate fully into the to accept Republican Turkish society, principles, along with “official” non-Muslims abandoning their religion and religious of Turkey such as Greeks, Armenians, and customs as well as their ethnic roots. They Jews, the Dönme too suffered. In 1 942, the didn’t pass on the “secret” to their children; Turkish government levied a heavy tax for letting them free from the burden of non-Muslim citizens called the Capital Tax keeping it. The new generations successfully (Varlık Vergisi). The Capital Tax had two joined the secular elite of Turkey. As of major goals: First, it aimed to aid the Turkish today, it is unknown if their religion economy during World War Two without continues to be practiced. placing a heavier burden on Muslim citizens, LE ZADIG · 9 May 2016

World

Je Suis Ankara

Alaz Ada Yener

e’ve all seen (or posted, but don’t feel bad, I still love you) the familiar sentence all over social media: “You were Paris, will you be Ankara?” A common reaction after a terrorist attack such as the ones that occurred in Istanbul and Ankara in the past months is to ask “Will you be (insert city name)?”, following the trend of “being”the victim for solidarity.

it is true that European tragedies get more attention than others, but I don’t think people in newsrooms look at a map and think “let’s not talk When people say this about Ankara, about these bombings, since we do they usually mean both “Europe not care about their lives” (but as I doesn’t care about Turkey because will show later on, some people Turkey is Middle Eastern!” and also definitely do this). I think there are “Turkey isn’t really Middle Eastern, two reasons driving media attention, (it’s better than them), the first one being the “Will you be (insert city name)?” but Europe thinks it’s fact that Turkey like them and doesn’t (despite its past as a care about it!”. Both of colonial power and its these approaches are fundamentally current attempts to take a seat at the wrong and oversimplifying, and I want adult’s table, or at least to pose with to talk about the reasons why. I’m them in photographs), is not a major going to try to not focus on the fact international actor in the Europe-USA that the concept of the “Middle East” context. With the increasing is fundamentally flawed and repression and violence, the constructed based on the experience unaddressed corruption scandals, and of European colonialism, religion, and the unstable, erratic foreign policy, Orientalism, and the country and its therefore is incoherent I think there are two reasons leader create an image and inapplicable as a driving media attention, the with which European geographical or first one being the fact that and North American identity-based leaders (ie, what one Turkey [...] is not a major category, as it may would call “The West”), international actor in the cause a campus-wide have no desire to Europe-USA context. existential crisis. associate with (unless Instead of getting into it’s to outsource the an argument with countless wellrefugee crisis). Turkey isn’t meaning friends who expressed this “fashionable” (less suitable for similar sentiment on Facebook, as I serving the European dream of liberal don’t like Facebook fights or essaypolitical Islam and a tool to shape the sized comments, I decided to actually region) anymore and therefore the write about it. lives of its citizens have been devalued. Starting with the “Europe Doesn’t Care Because Turkey Is Middle The second reason, according to me, Eastern/Muslim/Whatever” approach, is the fact that, in perception, the LE ZADIG · 9 May 2016

World

attacks in Turkey have no direct teachers may say, we didn’t “also impact on the lives of European or count as losers because Germany North American people as a whole, in lost”). However, a Turkish person contrast with the following Brussels looking down to what they call the attack, for example. It is not Middle East and assuming that Turkey acknowledged that these attacks are is completely separate and superior a part of a global (more modern, the attacks in Turkey have no direct trend and can very more advanced, well be impact on the lives ofEuropean or essentially more interconnected, and North American people as a whole “Western”) to what instability in a the category region could easily implies is more due result in destabilizing its unwilling to the Turkish perception (when I say neighbors. This is about the “perception”, please feel free to read inaccurate classification of Turkey as it as “delusion”) of Turkey as a a distant, isolated country and its modern, developed, stable, peaceful perceived geographical, and the country, which is experiencing an following sociopolitical, remoteness exceptional, uncharacteristic rise in from Europe. violence recently. Arriving at the “Turkey Isn’t Really The last part isn’t completely Middle Eastern, So Please Care” inaccurate; however, peace and approach, and related to the previous stability have never been the concept, even if we don’t take into country’s default, rather a brief trend account that the before the recent concept of the saying that “Turkey is not a Middle decade or so. This Eastern country andtherefore its Middle East is also goes on to incoherent and tragedies are mournable”is obviously show that Turks in inapplicable as a Turkey tend to a problematic approach. geographical or ignore the state identity-based violence present in category, saying that “Turkey is not a the primarily Kurdish regions of the Middle Eastern country and therefore country and declare lives lost to this its tragedies are mournable” is violence as unmournable (or routine, obviously a problematic approach. exaggerated, even justified). Not many people call attention to the The Turkish people have a tendency tragedies in Cizre and Sur. The to distance themselves from the majority of Turks exhibit the same “Middle East,” and for the wrong hypocrisy they are seeing in the reasons. It would Western world and make sense for a media. however, peace andstability have Turkish person to This idea also exists never been the country’s default feel uncomfortable in international with the Middle perspectives. Eastern label due to the past of the Another reason behind my writing country as a colonial power or due to this was an article in the Guardian: I the fact that it hasn’t experienced made a bad decision and also read the European colonialism (sorry, those comments below. The article was affected by the Sevres Syndrome, but flawed in itself, pointing out that losing in WWI doesn’t count, and Turkey mourned Paris but Europe unlike what our history books and didn’t mourn Ankara as if mourning is LE ZADIG · 9 May 2016

World

a tit-for-tat exchange. It also quoted American musician James Taylor, where he said “Contrary to what many people think, Turkey is not the Middle East. Ankara is not a war zone, it is a normal modern bustling city, just like any other European capital,” to justify mourning Ankara. This approach implies that “the Middle East” is a war zone, it is not and cannot be “normal” or “modern” or “bustling”, and therefore it is okay to ignore deaths that happen here, and furthermore, Turkey is somehow completely isolated from this imaginary region, and it’s okay to feel sad because it’s like “any other European capital.” Look, everyone, it’s a normal city, you can be sad! This American musician said it’s normal, #jesuisankara!

someone blow me up the next time I’m in the Middle East, so I don’t read comment sections again?

The second perspective shows a fundamental misunderstanding of how politics work. According to this logic, if a government prevails in a country, the whole (or a big majority) of the population must be supportive of it, and they must be held accountable. This accountability should go as far as rendering them unmournable. The society is uniform, and groups in a country are targeted and endangered equally, and everyone is fully educated and aware. People who are citizens of a country must be benefiting from the atrocities committed by its government and cannot possibly be suffering under it. This is obviously The comments on not the case, but the article, an article in the Guardian: American this was the logic naturally by musician James Taylor, where he said used by those who “Western” “Contrary to what many people think, refused to be perspectives, Turkey is not the Middle East. Ankara Ankara. I want to pointed out two quote some is not a war zone, it is a normal things: “Turkey is in exemplary modern bustling city, just like any the Middle East, comments below, other European capital,” only a small portion not touching the of it is in Europe, so spelling and I don’t relate to it and will not be it”, grammar for authenticity: and “the Turkish people elected their current repressive, violent “In Paris there is always something to government so I will not support believe in, there is truth……in Turkey them.” To be honest, there were under Erdogan where is the truth to some very reasonable comments, believe in?” (Translation: Suffering some reflecting the points I made from an autocratic government makes above, but these interesting people unmournable) perspectives weren’t exceptions, but “Most of Turkey is in the Middle East the norm. not Europe and right or wrong get’s The first perspective shows a lumped in with all the other fundamental misunderstanding of dysfunctional regimes in that region. It how “Middle East” acts as a category, is hardly helping itself at the moment implying that once I cross the by slipping rapidly into dictatorship.” Bosphorus to meet my friends, or (Translation: I do not speak English, take a flight to see some relatives, I naughty children who let go from Europe to Middle East. If I authoritarianism prevail by unjust was to be killed there, would it be means in their country deserve to get more normal than for me to be killed bombed) at home in Europe? If so, can LE ZADIG · 9 May 2016

“No. Turkey is headed down the pan fast, in another 30 years it will be a Pre-civil war Syrian-esque place. Religion poisons everything.” (Translation: I do not understand things)

these people may be suffering from the regime I disagree with. Also, this was by someone with the username “babyboomer1957.”)

To conclude, the Middle East as you know it does not exist, the location “Paris is just across the water and a and origin (and even governments!) of train ride away. They are just like us lives lost should not determine how but with better pastry. It could have mournable they are, but this can be been me or my stated without the location andorigin (andeven family. Ankara is the asking people to be middle east. It governments!) oflives lost shouldnot Ankara, for determine how mournable they are, would never be whatever reason. I anyone I know in completely Ankara. And they are not like me. May understand the frustration of feeling as well be Iraq. That’s the perception I like people care less about you and think, rightly or wrongly.” (Translation: people like you than others, to be I am incapable of empathizing with honest I felt this myself after the people I see as different, but I am Brussels attacks (although I never honest about it) want to see that photo of the crying flags with the passive-aggressive “When Ankora shouts out loud and addition of the Turkish flag). proud, liberty, equality and fraternity, However, it’s completely possible to and means it, I may have some express this without being sympathy, until then I don’t really care, hypocritical yourself, reinforcing secularism is but a very thin veneer in harmful and inaccurate ideas, and Turkey these days.” (Translation: I only reducing mourning to a hashtag of care about the lives of people I agree #iamwhatever. with and cannot conceptualize that

LE ZADIG · 9 May 2016

Ode à Saint Germain

d'après Jules Supervielle, Marseille

Johanne Fora-Porthault Un quartier, sortie du luxe et d'un on ne sait quoi, avec ses échoppes, ses vitrines et leur scintillement. Et ses rues de craies qui rivalisent les Antiquaires, Ses cafés d'un autre monde sont emplis de leur histoire, Le beau rendez-vous des grands esprits qui se disputent les mots comme pour s'en nourrir, Et les boutiques d'antiquaires rassemblent les Arts d'hier et maintenant comme des portes temporelles, Leurs meubles, leurs miroirs, leurs livres d'encre jaunie et leurs tableaux, Et cela dessine des toiles silencieuses. Ici les artistes pensent tout haut, c'est une rumeur qui s'entre mêle à l'écho des passants, Et peint des poèmes comme des fenêtres en pleine rue, Ils entraînent les cœurs, les bousculent dans les rimes, Et les réveillent à toute heure au coin des rues. Et la Lune est une muse échappée du pinceau d'un peintre Qui vous guide à travers les rues sombres de la nuit. Insouciant passant, écoute-le, je t'en prie, prête ton oreille, Tout ce tumulte voudrait t'atteindre, et te rallier aux siens, Laisse toi donc faire, que ces notes te rattrapent Ô mélodie insaisissable Et qui nous titille les yeux A cause de toutes ces couleurs que tu chante à travers tes murs.

Nesma Merhoum Zeynep Aksoy Berke Alikasifoğlu Camille Azzam Máté Földi LE ZADIG · 9 May 2016

Jacquelyn Rudich Omar Kamel Pırıl Özgerçin Ryan Zohar

Cover Photo: Yasmeen Moreau lezadig.com lezadigjournal@gmail.com