Oya Baydar
Encyclopedia
Oya Baydar is a Turkish sociologist and writer. For a long time she was involved in socialist politics.
. She published her first novel, inspired by French writer Françoise Sagan
, while she was a student in high school. The novel she wrote in the last year of high school, God Has Forgot Children, was published both in the newspaper Hürriyet
and as a book. She was almost expelled from her school as a result of writing this novel. After these novels written in high school years, she had a break from writing, interesting herself in politics for a long time, before returning to literature in later life.
She graduated from Istanbul University
's Department of Sociology in 1964 and entered this department as an assistant. The Professors' Council of the University twice rejected her doctoral thesis, about the rise of a labour force in Turkey: students held down the University in order to protest that. That was the first university occupation in Turkey. Baydar then became an assistant in Hacettepe University
.
and the Teachers' Union of Turkey and she left the University. Between 1972 and 1974 she worked as a columnist in the newspapers Yeni Ortam ([New Platform]) and Politika ([Politics]). She issued her first journal together with her husband Aydın Engin and Yusuf Ziya Bahadınlı. She was known as a socialist writer, researcher and activist woman.
During the 1980 military coup she went abroad and remained in exile for 12 years in Germany
. There she lived in the falling period of socialist system. She told this period in 1991 in her story book called Farewell Alyosha.
Story
Others
Education and early works
She studied at Notre Dame de Sion High School in IstanbulIstanbul
Istanbul , historically known as Byzantium and Constantinople , is the largest city of Turkey. Istanbul metropolitan province had 13.26 million people living in it as of December, 2010, which is 18% of Turkey's population and the 3rd largest metropolitan area in Europe after London and...
. She published her first novel, inspired by French writer Françoise Sagan
Françoise Sagan
Françoise Sagan – real name Françoise Quoirez – was a French playwright, novelist, and screenwriter. Hailed as "a charming little monster" by François Mauriac on the front page of Le Figaro, Sagan was known for works with strong romantic themes involving wealthy and disillusioned bourgeois...
, while she was a student in high school. The novel she wrote in the last year of high school, God Has Forgot Children, was published both in the newspaper Hürriyet
Hürriyet
-External links:* * ** * *...
and as a book. She was almost expelled from her school as a result of writing this novel. After these novels written in high school years, she had a break from writing, interesting herself in politics for a long time, before returning to literature in later life.
She graduated from Istanbul University
Istanbul University
Istanbul University is a Turkish university located in Istanbul. The main campus is adjacent to Beyazıt Square.- Synopsis :A madrasa, a religious school, was established sometime in the 15th century after the Ottoman conquest of Constantinople. An institution of higher education named the...
's Department of Sociology in 1964 and entered this department as an assistant. The Professors' Council of the University twice rejected her doctoral thesis, about the rise of a labour force in Turkey: students held down the University in order to protest that. That was the first university occupation in Turkey. Baydar then became an assistant in Hacettepe University
Hacettepe University
Hacettepe University is a major state university in Ankara, Turkey.The University has two main campuses. The first is located in the old town of Ankara and hosts the Medical Centre, and the second is the Beytepe Campus, which is 13 km from the city centre...
.
Political life
During the military coup in 1972 she was arrested due to her socialist activity as a member of the Workers Party of TurkeyWorkers Party of Turkey
Workers Party of Turkey was a Turkish political party, founded in 1961. It became the first socialist party in Turkey to win representation in the national parliament. It was banned twice and eventually merged with the Communist Party of Turkey in 1988.TİP was founded by a group of labor union...
and the Teachers' Union of Turkey and she left the University. Between 1972 and 1974 she worked as a columnist in the newspapers Yeni Ortam ([New Platform]) and Politika ([Politics]). She issued her first journal together with her husband Aydın Engin and Yusuf Ziya Bahadınlı. She was known as a socialist writer, researcher and activist woman.
During the 1980 military coup she went abroad and remained in exile for 12 years in Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
. There she lived in the falling period of socialist system. She told this period in 1991 in her story book called Farewell Alyosha.
Later life
She returned to Turkey in 1992. She worked as editor for the Istanbul Encyclopedia, a common project of the History Foundation and the Ministry of Culture, and as the editor in chief for The Unionism Encyclopedia of Turkey. She has won many awards for the novels and stories she published after returning to Turkey, and become a beloved writer.Works
Novel- Letters of Cats (Kedi Mektupları), 1993
- Turning to Nowhere (Hiçbiryer’e Dönüş), 1998
- Hot Ashes Left (Sıcak Külleri Kaldı), 2000
- (Erguvan Kapısı), 2004
- The Lost Word (Kayıp Söz), 2007 - Palavra perdida, published in Brazil, 2011, by Sá Editora
- The General of Garbage Heap (Çöplüğün Generali), 2009
Story
- Farewell Alyosha (Elveda Alyoşa), 1991
Others
- Family Albums of the Republic (Cumhuriyetin Aile Albümleri)
- From Villages to Cities in 75 Years (75 Yılda Köylerden Şehirlere)
- (75 Yılda Çarklardan Chip'lere)
- (75 Yılda Çarkları Döndürenler)
- Changing Life Changing Person in 75 Years - Fashions of the Republic (75 Yılda Değişen Yaşam Değişen İnsan-Cumhuriyet Modaları)
- Fashions of the Republic (Cumhuriyet Modaları)
- The Unionism Encyclopedia of Turkey (Türkiye Sendikacılık Ansiklopedisi)
Awards
- Sait Faik Story Award in 1991 (with Elveda Alyoşa)
- Yunus Nadi Novel Award in 1993 (with Kedi Mektupları)
- Orhan Kemal Novel Award in 2001 (with Sıcak Külleri Kaldı)
- Cevdet Kudret Literature Award in 2004 (with Erguvan Kapısı)