معرفی
Ayşenur Özdal serves as an Associate Professor in the Department of Turkish Language and Literature at Gaziantep University's Faculty of Arts and Sciences, a position she has held since 2024 after promotion from Doctor Lecturer (2020-2024). Her academic identity centers on Turkish folklore, with specialized expertise in anonymous folk literature and women's folklore within regional Gaziantep cultural contexts.
Her educational trajectory includes a PhD in Turkish Language and Literature from Adıyaman University (2012-2018), a Master's degree with thesis from Gaziantep University (2009-2011), and a Licence degree from Gazi University's Faculty of Letters (2004-2008).
- Doctorate: Adıyaman University, Institute of Social Sciences (2012-2018)
- Master's: Gaziantep University, Institute of Social Sciences (2009-2011)
- Licence: Gazi University, Faculty of Letters (2004-2008)
Özdal's research portfolio demonstrates exceptional depth in Turkish folklore methodologies, examining cultural transmission mechanisms through occupational practices, folk beliefs, and mythological frameworks. Her work integrates regional ethnography with contemporary cultural challenges, particularly documenting Gaziantep's intangible heritage amid modernization pressures. Key thematic clusters include women's folklore systems, anonymous literary production, and the symbiotic relationship between physical spaces (baths, museums, markets) and cultural memory.
Analysis of her 13 recent publications (2019-2024) reveals a distinct regional focus on Gaziantep intersecting with broader Turkish cultural studies. Her scholarship consistently addresses heritage preservation through diverse lenses: earthquake lament-epics (2023), digital transmission of folk narratives (2023), and vanishing professions like Kuşakçılık (2023). A notable methodological trend involves comparative analysis of traditional practices (bath culture, merchant proverbs) against contemporary consumption patterns and media representations.
Her scientific recognition includes:
- TDK-MEB Scientific Article Award for Using Turkish Correctly and Beautifully (2017)
- Ministry of National Education Work Award
Özdal actively mentors graduate researchers through comprehensive thesis supervision, currently guiding two doctoral candidates (Mungan on Mardin's cultural heritage transfer; Güven on Kahramanmaras tarhana economics) and six master's students. Her supervised works span critical contemporary issues: Syrian refugee birth customs (Aykal, 2025), Alevi Çepni cem rituals (Aslan, 2023), and Kilis tomb sites documentation (Porsuk, ongoing). While specific grant details remain unmentioned, her research infrastructure clearly supports field-based ethnographic projects focused on urgent cultural preservation needs across southeastern Turkey.
