Dr. Turgay Bülent Göktürk, academician at Eastern Mediterranean University (EMU) Atatürk Research Center has published two books titled “Amerikan Basınında İzmir Yangını - 1922” (The Great Fire of Smyrna in American Press-1922) and “Kıbrıs Rum Ortodoks Kilisesi ve Enosis Politikaları”(Greek Cypriot Orthodox Church and Enosis Politics).
The Great Fire of Smyrna in American Press-1922
The tragedy that took place on the 13th of September 1922, two days after the Turkish Army recaptured İzmir during the Turkish National Independence War is known as the Great Fire of Smyrna. This tragedy has changed the economic, sociological and physical appearance of Izmir. The Great Fire of Smyrna resulted in two-thirds of İzmir burning down. To this day there is disagreement regarding how this fire started and who it was started by. This book examines sources from the American media trying to objectively shine light on this event.
Greek Cypriot Orthodox Church and Enosis Politics
When we historically examine the Greek Cypriot Orthodox church we see that it has played an important role in the formation of politics via their authority over the public and politicians. It is also visible that the church has played a big role at the start and continuation of disagreements between the Greek and Turkish communities. In this book Dr. Göktürk details how the Greek Cypriot Orthodox Church took advantage of the tolerance given to them by the Ottoman Empire and how the church affected decision making processes on the island.
Who is Dr. Turgay Bülent Göktürk?
Dr. Turgay Bülent Göktürk was born in İzmir in 1961. He received his education at the Turkish Military Academy and the Armed Forces College. He acted as an officer and general in numerous Turkish Armed Forces brigades. He has also acted as an academician in the Turkish Military Academy and the Azerbaijani Military Academy in Baku. In Cyprus he has acted as colonel for the 28th Division of the office of commander in chief and 1st division of regiment command. In 2007 he decided to retire from the Turkish Armed Forces and attained his PhD at İzmir Dokuz Eylül University on the topic of “Turkey’s vision and application regarding pre-1974 Cyprus politics”. In 2009, he published a book titled “Enosis’in Doğuşu ve Düşünceden Eyleme Geçişi-1931 İsyanı” (The Birth of Enosis and the transition from thought to action-1931 Riot) in which the preface was written by the late Rauf R. Denktas. Dr. Göktürk, who has numerous articles and manifestos under his belt has been working as an academician at the Eastern Mediterranean University (EMU) Atatürk Research Center since 2008.
