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Stirring Up the Ashes: Exhibiting the Great Fire of Smyrna in the Context of Turkish Politics of Memory

Map illustrating the ‘black hole’ of the fire-zone. Photograph: Torsten  Janson.
Map illustrating the ‘black hole’ of the fire-zone. Photograph: Torsten Janson.

New article co-written by CMES researcher Torsten Jansson.

In the academic article Stirring Up the Ashes: Exhibiting the Great Fire of Smyrna in the Context of Turkish Politics of Memory, the authors examine how one of the most traumatic events in the late Ottoman period continues to shape historical narratives and public memory today. Focusing on museum exhibitions and commemorative practices, the study explores how the 1922 fire of Smyrna (Izmir) is interpreted, framed, and instrumentalised within contemporary Turkish memory politics.

By analysing exhibitions as sites of meaning‑making, the article sheds light on the relationship between history, nationalism, and cultural representation, offering important insights into how contested pasts are negotiated in the present.

Read the article here

The Author: Torsten Jansson