معرفی
İsmail ABALI is an Associate Professor of Turkish Folk Literature at the Faculty of Science and Letters, İğdır University. He holds a PhD from Adnan Menderes University (2015), an MA from Giresun University (2011), and a BA from Menderes University (2008). His research focuses on psychoanalytic interpretations of Turkish proverbs, symbolism in folk tales, and the intersection of Sufism with material culture. He has published extensively on topics like ladder symbolism in mysticism, folk riddles as expressions of primitive impulses, and folk songs reflecting social identity. His administrative roles include serving as Deputy Chair of the Department of Turkish Folk Literature and leading research projects on Anatolian folktales. He currently teaches courses on folk poetry, Sufi literature, and folklore methodology. His work frequently bridges anthropology, psychology, and cultural studies, with a particular emphasis on Anatolian and Eastern Turkish cultural heritage.
Research interests span Freudian analysis of folk proverbs, mystical symbolism in Turkish folk narratives, and the documentation of endangered cultural practices. His recent studies include investigations into the symbolism of honey in folk thought and the folkloric representation of death in Republican-era epitaphs. He actively participates in international folklore conferences and has authored chapters on mythology and cultural anthropology in edited volumes.
Academic contributions include directing eight graduate theses on topics like folk medicine in Aydın province and the symbolism of circumcision rituals in Iğdır. He coordinates the Turkish Folktale Compilation project as a researcher. His administrative experience includes heading departmental operations and managing cultural research centers at İğdır University.
