Arab-Turkish relations continue to grow in economic, political and cultural areas. However, scholarly relations amongst Arab and Turkish social scientists are still weak and lag behind other fields. Therefore, it is important to strengthen these intellectual and academic exchange in order to deepen and establish an interactive network among Middle Eastern intellectuals as well as to rationalize and enlighten relations with other fields. This become more necessary and interesting after the Arab Spring that has swept the whole Middle East.
During the most part of the twentieth century, the Arabs and Turks fell apart and chose discrepant paths in terms of international alignments, economic relations and cultural orientations. As a consequence, a major gap emerged between the Arab and Turkish societies in all fields despite the similarities in the intellectual, cultural, social, economic and political tenets. Therefore, it became a necessity for the scholars of social sciences in the Arab World and Turkey to develop a greater level of understanding and cooperation among themselves and to share their common knowledge and experience from their respective fields.
The varied practices of Arabs and Turks could (1) provide a fertile space for more comparative studies between the two experiences and varied Middle Eastern performances; (2) help in discovering new untraditional methods and tools for approaching various social, economic and political phenomena; (3) assist in evaluating current perspectives and methods in order to put hands on the explanatory and predictive power of such methods and tools; (4) share variable experiences between Turkish and Arab societies in the areas of social, economic and political developments, and (5) generate and operationalize new perspectives and methods more consistent with the civilizational and cultural background of the Middle East region, as well as with the interests and needs of its societies.
All of the above will help in building an awareness of different epistemological background of studies in the social sciences and comparing the varied civilizational perspectives involved. So, the Middle Eastern Scholars could easily present their academic achievement and input to assess and develop social science study, in general, and regional study, in particular.
This desired understanding and acquaintance could help going beyond historical experience and mutual misunderstanding, by criticizing and understanding its circumstances and context, as well as accumulating useful experiences. All of these would create a foundation for good and fruitful communication for both parts.
In brief, the ATCOSS aims to fill the academic gap by bringing together the Turkish and Arab scholars of social sciences as well as other international scholars who study Turkish and Arab affairs. It is especially intended to allow Arab and Turkish social scientists to achieve an unhindered communication and a better understanding of the problems and potentialities of Turkish-Arab relations in particular and the Middle Eastern interactions in general. The Congress will enhance not only the academic aspects of Arab-Turkish dialogue but also multidisciplinary and cultural aspects of exchange as well.
Congress Purpose:
The Arab-Turkish Congress of Social Sciences (ATCOSS) was launched as an institutionalized tool of intercultural communication and interaction, which is a necessary step to establish a scientific community in the common civilizational Middle East that could help creating a mutual understanding of its troubles and crisis as well as its potentials and achievements. This will hopefully lead to a better understanding of the region: its history, present and future. In this concern, ATCOSS could present the Middle East scholars’ perceptions, which reflect visions coming from inside the region and assess the external insights in studying its affairs, as well.
The Congress is designed to be an annual platform for exchanging ideas and findings concerning mutual issues and problems, as well as sharing scientific methods and approaches. It is an excellent opportunity to explore the varied trends among the Arab and Turkish intellectual and scholarly circles. Each year the Congress will be held in a different country within Arabic countries and Turkey .
We hope to encourage and achieve the following outcomes, such as to:
- Share knowledge and experience
- Allow policy makers to use the quality knowledge
- Promote cooperation and joint projects
- Eliminate biases and stereotypes
- Encourage mutual and positive understanding
- Encourage interdisciplinary work
- Support young scholars to study other societies
- Promote the establishment of an institutionalized body for Arab-Turkish scholarly cooperation
