CMES Colloquium: Gifting of Hagia Sophia: An Icon’s Role in Extractive Sacralization

Hosted by Jonathan Wyrtzen

Yagmur Karakaya is an Assistant Professor of Sociology at the Sociology Department. She studies nostalgia as a collective force, highlighting its central place within both populist political discourse and popular culture. In her article in American Journal of Cultural Sociology, she argues that state-led populist nostalgia mobilizes both emotions and reflexive cognition to shape political engagement in Turkey. Her recent article at Social Forces examines Donald Trump’s rallies, arguing a standup comedy style of humor and competitive sports culture contributed to his 2016 win.