VarlikEurozineVarlik2011-01-31Summary for Varlik 1/2011Dossier: "Heading: crime; subheading: punishment -- literary justice"Altay Ömer Erdogan
Heading: crime; subheading: punishment -- literary justice
A discussion of works on the theme of crime in Turkish and world literature. Erdogan says: "Literature never attempts to replace law in general and the court in particular."Figen Abaci
Who did It?
Abaci compares the approaches of law and psychiatry to crime and analyses criminal behaviour in works of literature.Öykü Didem Aydin
Literature and crime
Öykü Didem Aydin presents a history of discussions on law and literature and provides an overview of similar efforts in Turkey. He argues that literature can provide a mirror, and says, "Can crime tell a human 'who' he is? What aspects of humanity do the perpetrator, the victim, and even the witness, the prosecutor and the judge depict in an act of crime?"Hülya Soysekerci
Crime and punishment in Emile Zola's Thérèse Raquin
Soysekerci argues that there is a sexist approach to the concepts of women and crime in Nana and Thérèse Raquin, and makes a detailed analysis of Zola's two significant novels in the context of crime.Asuman Susam
The representation of women as subjects or objects in the relation between crime and literature
Susam says: "There are specific criminal categories attributed to women. It should not be overlooked that these are the cause and effect of gender inequalities," and analyzes women that have been scapegoats in works of literature throughout history.Hasan Bülent Kahraman
"The suns of all our summers"
In this issue's diaries, Kahraman specifically discusses Trotsky.Mehmet Rifat
A "planer" of criticism
Mehmet Rifat questions the importance attached to the biographies of authors when analysing their works. Further, Rifat moves on from Sebastian Dieguez's Maux d'artistes. Ce que cachent les œuvres to discuss inferences of writers' pathologies from their texts, and argues that in the past, while a path would lead from the author to the work, it now leads from the work to the author.Devrim Dirlikyapan
Polish revolutionaries in the "Letter from Poland"
Dirlikyapan says: "The poem that most explicitly depicts Nazim Hikmet's affair with Poland is 'Letter from Poland'," and discusses the historical persons and their relationship with Nazim Hikmet as mentioned in the poem.Süreyyya Evren
Cultural agenda: Wikileaks from all angles
"There are a host of 'leaked' stories and news running rampant in Turkey lately. However, these do not take shape in the Wikileaks fashion. If we were to call these 'Turkeyleaks,' our minds are so cluttered with the Turkish practice of leaking information that we adopt the same perspective towards Wikileaks at first. We know that everyone, every conversation, every correspondence is monitored and filed by authorities; nodes of power archive these documents. They also archive documents related to other nodes of power, and 'leak' them when they see it fit to a specific purpose, through channels that they choose, or even create. The leakage of information is not an attempt at transparency in the Turkeyleaks world. Instead, leaks are manufactured by new obscurities, new implicit power relations, and new conspiracies." Evren argues that the Wikileaks occurrence was interpreted in the Turkeyleaks fashion, its righteousness not being understood.Is Wikileaks the 9/11 of diplomacy?
We asked our writers: "The Sweden-based Wikileaks made headlines when it began to post various confidential documents on the internet on 29 November 2010. International turmoil ensued even when a small portion of the claimed 251 287 documents were leaked. Some of these documents concerned politicians and bureaucrats in Turkey. What is your opinion on the disclosure of these documents and their contents?Mehmet Zaman Saclioglu
"I believe that in a society that upholds ethics and embraces honour as a value, the Wikileaks documents would cause an official implicated there to resign, thereby saving face; while in unethical societies, unethical acts will continue despite full knowledge of their inner working, the corruption of the society will pick up pace, and mentioned officials will brazenly hang on to their posts. Did we not see this all happen?"Sabit K. Bayildiran
"The fact that only particular nations are mentioned in those documents calls attention to an underlying machination or an ulterior motive. It is highly probable that these were leaked to restructure the Middle East. If this is the case, we should expect new moves with Israel at its centre."Iskender Pala
"Wikileaks could be the onset of civilization questioning itself. The trials and tribulations of mankind are centred on being arrow-straight in every matter. Sina Akyol
"You know what else the state can do? It can disparage its opponents. Accusing Julian Assange of being a 'sexual abuser' or a 'man who is losing support due to the dictatorship it exercises on the media' is a case in point."Adnan Azar
"I did not see all the leaked documents; what is interesting is the widespread sharing of information. There is again no distance between the truth and its facsimile."Roni Margulies
"The primary error, particularly in nationalist circles, is the view that American imperialism is omnipotent and rules the world to its will; that countries like Turkey are practically run from Washington. Wikileaks documents clearly show that America, as the driving force of global capitalism, tries to interfere in affairs everywhere, makes plans for every location, and mobilizes a vast economic and military force to make the world a safe and lucrative environment for capitalism. Yes, America indeed tries to run the world, but the Wikileaks documents as a whole show that not everything goes according to plan."Enis Akin
"Just as Wikileaks uncovers the truth behind the 'liberal' US, we in Turkey need similar disclosures, either by individuals or by organizations like the Young Civilians, as much as we need water and air."Sezer Ates Ayvaz
"For optimists, Wikileaks is a hope that the world can change. For pessimists, it is the affirmation of the belief that it has never changed, and never will."Müge Iplikci
"I find it important that Wikileaks is a nonprofit media company and leaks important, true confidential information and stories."Sabit Kemal Bayildiran
Exercises in thought -- VI
Bayildiran discusses language issues, analyses how sexuality is handled in poetry, and conveys debates in literary publications.Mustafa Günay
Remembering Nermi Uygur
An essay on the works of the philosopher Nermi Uygur (15.01.1925-21.02.2005)Günel Altintas
Halil Ibrahim Bahar or on A section of the history of literature
Altintas comments on the personality and works of poet Halil Ibrahim Bahar, his close friend and former partner in the Soyut magazine.