Context Istanbul Tour Guides

Claire Karaz has dual degrees in English (University of Michigan) and Medieval Art History (University of Rome, "La Sapienza"). She lived in Rome for a decade where she taught art history at Trinity College and study abroad programs for other American universities. She has lived in Istanbul for the last twelve years. She is presently an adjunct faculty at Yeditepe University and freelance translator. Originally from Washington, DC, Claire is very interested in social history. She is the author of Topkapı Palace: Inside and Out, published by Citlembik (Istanbul, 2004).

Ceylan Zere was born and raised in Istanbul and has spent much of her life wandering through its maze busy streets and alleys. With a background in engineering, she possesses a good knowledge of the city's built environment. Ceylan spent many years in the United States, and although she continues traveling her deep love is for Istanbul in particular, its traditions, lives, characters, and the stories of two great Empires that made the city their capital over the last 2000 years. A licensed guide for Turkey, Ceylan spend much of the year leading expeditions to archeological sites along the Aegean and Mediterranean coasts of Turkey. She is the co-author of Turkey Guide: Confluence of Civilizations, written for the Ministry of Culture and Tourism.

Max Vetter is a Vienna-bred historian/art historian with a special interest in the social context of art and architecture. Having landed in Istanbul a couple of years ago, not without several detours, he there conducts research on the architectural history of the Ottoman Empire and teaches at one of the many Istanbul universities. Max is an active participant in international conferences and author of a number of articles in specialist journals. He is also eager to explore and share the treasures of Istanbul "off the beaten track", which linger behind many a corner in this overwhelming urban site.

Selin Rozanes is a native of Istanbul. After a career in the travel and hospitality industries, she returned to her Sephardic Istanbuli roots and began designing and leading culinary itineraries and Turkish cooking classes in Istanbul, including programs on Sephardic cuisine. A self-taught chef and gastronomically inquisitive person, Selin has lead many culinary walks and tours and lectured widely on food. She is a member of Slow Food and the International Culinary Tourism Association. She speaks English, Turkish, and French.

Zeynep Cetrez is a social historian who has studied the diverse populations of Ottoman Turkey and has a special interest in the Jewish neighborhoods of Istanbul. With a masters in history from Sabanci University, Zeynep is currently enrolled in a Ph.D. program at Rice University.

Ivana Jevtic teaches Byzantine studies at Isik University and is a senior research fellow at Koc University in Istanbul. Originally from Serbia, Ivana did her Ph.D. work at the Sorbonne in Paris, focusing on 13th century mural painting. Ivana is a gifted teacher with an interest in all aspects of medieval culture and the Byzantine empire in Istanbul.

Suna Cagaptay is an architectural historian and archaeologist teaching in the School of Art and Design at Bahcesehir University. With a strong background in Byzantine and early Ottoman periods, she is well-equipped to examine and introduce the landmarks and built environments in the city, Suna holds BA and MA degrees in Archaeology and History of Art from Bilkent University and a PhD in the Architectural History, Theory, and Criticism program at the University of Illinois in 2007. After several years of living, studying, and teaching in Illinois, D.C., and Arizona, Suna is happy to be back in Istanbul, the city with which she fell in love when she had first visited as a 9- year girl for the first time. Currently, she conducts archaeological surveys in Bursa, the first capital of the Ottomans and publishes on the transition from Byzantine to the Ottoman in Asia Minor and the Balkans.

After a career as an educator in the United States, Ann Marie Mershon relocated to Istanbul several years ago. After a stint at the Koc School she has recently taken a position at Robert College. Her keen passion for history and cultural exploration led her co-author a major guidebook to the bazaars of Istanbul.

Ebru has a background in journalism and was many years a writer for a variety of Turkish magazines, including Gezi National Geographic Traveler. She has also served as an arts editor at a local publication. A native of Istanbul and a licensed guide, she has a broad range of knowledge, and is extremely interested in art and aesthetics and translating the details of the Istanbul street experience for visitors.

Haluk Cetinkaya is an archaeologist and scholar of Byzantine history. He holds a Ph.D. in Byzantine studies from the University of Istanbul and is a member of the archaeology faculty at Mimar University. Haluk serves as an advisor to many significant digs and restoration projects in Istanbul and Kosovo, and has lectured at universities around the world. He is considered an expert on the Hagia Sofia and was involved in a major television program about that structure. Haluk has a warm, inviting teaching style coupled with a deep knowledge and passion for late Roman and Byzantine culture in Istanbul.

Carole Woodall has been exploring and studying Istanbul for nearly two decades with a specific interest in cultural and sensory urban environments. As a historian of the late-Ottoman and Turkish Republican periods, her specific research interests focus on the nightlife of 1920s Istanbul. Initially moving to Istanbul in 1991 from the US, she pursued an M.A. in History from Istanbul's Bogazici University focusing on Seljuk and late-Byzantine history. Later, she finished a Ph.D. in Middle East and Islamic Studies/History from New York University, and presently is a faculty member in the Dept. of History and Women's and Ethnic Studies program at the University of Colorado. Carole actively participates in international workshops, conferences, and has published widely. She is currently working on a forthcoming manuscript on decadent nightlife in 1920s Beyoglu. Her favorite activity is roaming the streets of this vibrant city at all hours of the day and night.

An architect by training, Aylin studied conservation of historic structures in Turkey, Italy and the UK. She practiced architectural conservation for 13 years in her own office. She later became the manager of 'Turkey, Cultural Heritage Project' conducted by The Ministry of Culture and World Bank. Eventually, her passion for food and travel led her to write on food. Since 2003 she has written a weekly food column at Cumhuriyet, a prestigious national daily. She contributes to various food magazines and was a Jury member of the Slow Food Award 2000-2003. She contributes to Terra Madre and Presidia projects as the leader of the Ankara Convivium. Aylin consults for Channel 4 and appeared in the Istanbul episode of ‘Food Lover's Guide to the Planet, a documentary by Gourmet, broadcast by National Geographic TV. Aylin won the Sophie Coe award on food history in 2008 by her article "Poppy: Potent yet Frail" presented previously at the Oxford Symposium on Food and Cookery where she’s become a regular presenter. Lately she contributed to the Food Cultures of the Word Encyclopedia entry on Turkey and is the curator of the Culinary Culture Section of Princess Islands’ City Museum,. She is happy to unite her expertise in archaeology and art history from her previous career with her unbounded interest in food culture.

Anestis Vasilakeris is a professor of Byzantine studies at Bogazici University in Istanbul. He holds a Ph.D. in Byzantine history.

Nikitas Palantzas, was born in Greece and studied social sciences in Athens. He has carried out fieldwork research in Istanbul and he completed his PhD in Social Anthropology at the University of Bristol, UK where he had been teaching for two years at the department of Archaelogy and Anthropology. Nikitas has also been a visiting lecturer at a number of universities in Europe, worked in a variety of research programs, and presented his work in international academic conferences. His academic interests focus on the historical connection between Turkey and Europe, especially as this is depicted in Istanbul with its temporal role as a cosmopolitan city, from the Ottoman Period until today. He is also interested in the history and the social and cultural life of Beyoğlu, which was the field of his ethnographic research.

Having lived in Greece and London, Arzu Toramon is a native of Istanbul. She is currently working on her Ph.D. at the University of Istanbul in Byzantine studies, where she is researching Byzantine frescoes and mosaics.

Katie Johnson, a native Midwesterner, fell in love with the Middle East more than a decade ago and has been working on archaeological projects throughout the Middle East and the Balkans ever since. She has MAs in Middle East History and Islamic Archaeology (University of Chicago) and is currently a Ph.D. candidate in Ottoman Archaeology at the University of Chicago. Presently, she teaches at Istanbul Bilgi University, but she has also been involved with numerous cultural, historical, and archaeological projects in Turkey and the greater Islamic world. She has several published articles and has given numerous guest lectures and conference talks. She researches the influence of empire on material culture and examines the physical expression of identity in urban settings. Her knowledge of and interest in history and modern culture and politics allow her to talk about many aspects of Istanbul, from the ancient to the modern.

Sevil as a licensed guide for Turkey has been guiding and exploring Istanbul since 1992. In Sevil's opinion, Istanbul is a perfect location for capturing the beauty, mysticism and harmony of east and west cultures where the ancient and modern continue to melt in the same pot. Yet, one can still taste the differences and similarities reflected by historical monuments, modern art works, and contemporary culture. Sevil loves to share her knowledge of this magnificent city. She studied linguistics, archaeology and history of art as an undergraduate. Having completed a Masters degree in archaeology and history of art, she is currently writing her dissertation for a Ph.D. in history of art at Istanbul Technical University and working as a part-time teacher at Isik University. She loves to research and write and do yoga in her spare time.

Suzan Kalayci's historical scholarship on Istanbul is far ranging, encompassing Ottoman and modern history and topics as diverse as book collecting, exile, and women's studies. She is a graduate student at Bogazaci University and a frequent lecturer. A docent for the Istanbul Biennale, Suzan has a particular interest and knowledge of the city's contemporary art scene. And, as a dual citizen (German-Turkish) who grew up in Istanbul, she is also an incomparable companion on Pamuk-like adventures through Beyoglu and other parts of the city.