Pinar Selek

Pinar Selek is an Associate Professor in Sociology and a prominent French-Turkish activist known for her work on minority rights, the Kurdish question, and social discrimination. She has been affiliated with the École Normale Supérieure de Lyon (ENS de Lyon), where she received a Doctor Honoris Causa in 2013 and served as a visiting professor at the Max Weber Center. Lyon has become a significant base for her academic and activist networks. In 2023, she was awarded honorary citizenship of Lyon, reflecting her deep ties to the city.

Selek faces ongoing legal persecution in Turkey since 1998 for her research and publications. Her fifth trial, upheld by Turkey’s Supreme Court in 2022, will be monitored remotely from Lyon’s Hôtel de Ville on June 28, 2024. ENS de Lyon and Lyon’s municipal authorities have actively supported her through public demonstrations, speeches, and artistic interventions.

Her scholarly contributions and activism intersect academia and social justice, with a focus on marginalized communities and systemic discrimination. Key partnerships include work with Armenian, Kurdish, and LGBTQ+ communities, alongside international solidarity networks.