Karakutu Association is officially established in 2014 to raise awareness on the past injustices and human rights violations in the belief that learning from history is crucial for the search of justice and peace. Our primary area of work is collective memory and facing the past. Our mission as Karakutu is to share different points of view with the society especially with young people to reveal the narratives of ignored, suppressed and marginalised parties by the official history.
Karakutu organises Memory Walks in the scope of its Memory Journey Program. The program aims that young people explore and question the injustices against the historically marginalised groups, based on religion, gender, ethnicity, or political view while strolling around the city and listening the narratives of ‘places of memory’. We are also organising trainings, workshops and seminars for young people from Turkey and abroad who are interested in peace building, intercultural dialogue and dealing with the past issues.
Memory Walk
Memory Walks provide young people with the opportunity of hearing silenced historical narratives and improving their critical thinking skills about the hegemonic narratives. The content of the walks is based on the research of the young Karakutu volunteers. The one-day-long interactive Memory Walks include indoor non-formal workshops and outdoor exploration of the places of memory.
Digitalisation
Karakutu, with the aim of developing and broadening the scope of Memory Journey, will digitalise the Memory Walk until the end of year 2017. We are planning to integrate the digital elements into the physical Memory Walks by January 2018. Making advantage of the current technology, Karakutu aims to combine Memory Walk with new technological possibilities in order to enrich and expand the content of the Memory Walk. Through embedding new ways of methods to the Memory Walk we hope the experience itself will be more fulfilling and also to reach a wider group of young people.
Thus, apart from the organisation of trainings and workshops, from August 2017 to February 2018 Karakutu team will be mainly occupied with the development of the digitalisation of the Memory Walk, preparation of the visual and written content as well as implementing demo Walks. The main tasks of this process are as follows:
- To conduct research on “places of memory” of Memory Walks and collecting data (review of literature, interviews, press review, meetings with other organisations working on dealing with the past, collective memory, human rights as well as urban issues.)
- To do visual documentation on “places of memory” of Memory Walks (photographing, filming, editing as well as review of visual archives of other organisations, institutions.)
- To prepare website content in Turkish and English for Memory Walk microsite (in collaboration with the designer)
EXPECTED PROFILE
A fellow who is familiar with memory studies, history, cultural studies, sociology, political science, architecture, urbanism and city planning could support the digital content development process. Experience in photography and video shooting as well as in data visualisation, storification and visual storytelling would be assets.
Being able to communicate and to have basic reading skills in Turkish would be an advantage since the significant amount of the materials are in Turkish. This would also help the communication between the fellow and our volunteers. However a fellow with good skills in communication and networking in English could also manage to collect relevant data for the project.
Professional and/or volunteering experience in civil society organisation would facilitate the integration of the fellow to the workflow.
CONDITIONS OF THE FELLOWSHIP OPPORTUNITY
The fellow will be expected to be present the office four days in a week between 10:00 - 18:00.
The fellow should attend Memory Walks two or three times -we have four different routes- throughout the program to experience the walk.
Location of the fellowship will be in Istanbul, Turkey.
PROPOSED TIME FOR THE FELLOWSHIP
6 to 8 months between September 2017 and May 2018