Before joining Sabancı University and IPC in September 2024, Zafer Yenal served as a professor of sociology at Boğaziçi University since 2000. He holds a BSc in economics from Middle East Technical University (1989) and earned his PhD in sociology from Binghamton University, NY (2000). His research spans sustainability studies, sociology of consumption, sociology of food, rural sociology, political economy, human geography, and historical sociology. Yenal has authored and produced numerous articles, books, exhibitions, as well as radio and TV programs, and podcasts. For the past three years, he has written Zappa Zamanlar, a widely-read social science bulletin.
Zappa Zamanlar IPC Special Issue - 5
In the fifth article of Zappa Zamanlar IPC Special, based on the programme "Nasıl Bir Dünya? Nasıl Bir Türkiye?"’ programme with the participation of Emre Erdogan and Nebi Sumer on April 17, 2025, we asked the question "Why did young people take to the streets?" and wrote about the loneliness and the uncertainty of the future, especially among young people.
For the details: https://aposto.com/i/gencler-neden-sokaklara-dokuldu
Zappa Zamanlar IPC Special Issue - 4
Today's bulletin, which we have prepared with current research and evaluations from IPC, focuses on the limits of the multipolar international order and the election results in Germany. How will the increasingly pronounced multipolar world order and the early general elections in Germany affect the political balances of the coming period? We ask what the rise of the far right, ruptures in global governance mechanisms and crises of democracy tell us.
Zappa Zamanlar IPC Special Issue
A new Zappa Zamanlar IPC Special Issue series has been launched on Aposto. Published monthly, this special edition aims to present the work conducted at İPM and data-driven insights produced by the center in a concise and detailed manner, offering more effective interpretations, evaluations, and discussions on contemporary approaches to social change.
The first IPC Special bulletin features the last article by Fuat Keyman, who passed away in October. Published in Doğu Batı journal, his article highlights the importance of civil society and think tanks in Turkey and offers suggestions for overcoming the stagnation in this field.
Among the shorter pieces, one focuses on economist Johannes Gallé's recent work regarding Turkey's integration into the EU's emissions trading system in the coming years and the potential consequences of this process. Another highlight is sociologist Hande Güzel's research on the impacts of physician migration from Turkey to Germany on both countries.
For more information: https://aposto.com/i/coklu-krizler-fuat-keymana-veda
2025 Assessment with the Contributions of IPC
Ümit Şahin, Zafer Yenal, Nebi Sümer, Zeynep Ayata, Alper Kaliber, Altay Atlı, Ersin Kalaycıoğlu, and Senem Aydın-Düzgit were hosted at the "Nasıl Bir Dünya? Nasıl Bir Türkiye?" program titled "2025 Assessment with the Contributions of IPC'' organized by the IPC-Sabancı University-Stiftung Mercator Initiative in cooperation with Medyascope.
Please click here to watch the event.
From Farm to Table: Changing Flavor Maps from California to Istanbul
IPC organized the event "From Farm to Table: Food, Culture and Politics Talks - Changing Flavor Maps from California to Istanbul (Tarladan Sofraya - Yemek, Kültür ve Siyaset Söyleşileri: Kaliforniya’dan İstanbul’a Değişen Lezzet Haritaları)," which was held with the participation of Levent Soysal as speaker and Zafer Yenal as moderator on December 16 at IPC Karaköy.
From Farm to Table - Quantum Table: On Science, Taste and Curiosity
IPC organized the event "From Farm to Table: Food, Culture and Politics Talks - Quantum Table: On Science, Taste and Curiosity (Tarladan Sofraya: Yemek, Kültür ve Politika Konuşmaları - Kuantum Masası: Bilim,Tat ve Merak Üzerine)," which was held on November 25 at IPC Karaköy with the participation of Zafer Yenal as moderator and Zafer Gedik as speaker.
From Farm to Table: Food, Culture and Politics Talks - Labour, Design and Technology in the Kitchen
IPC organized the event "From Farm to Table: Food, Culture and Politics Talks - Labour, Design and Technology in the Kitchen" which was held on October 6 at IPC Karaköy with the participation of Defne Karaosmanoğlu, Leyla Bektaş Ata and Bahar Emgin and moderated by Zafer Yenal.
"Nasıl Bir Dünya? Nasıl Bir Türkiye?" with Nebi Sümer and Zafer Yenal
Nebi Sümer and Zafer Yenal were hosted at the "Nasıl Bir Dünya? Nasıl Bir Türkiye?" program titled “Social Psychological Wellbeing in Turkey” organized by the IPC-Sabancı University-Stiftung Mercator Initiative in cooperation with Medyascope.
Please click here to watch the event.
From Farm to Table: Food, Culture and Politics Talks -Guest Table or Lasting Legacy? Immigrants and Food Culture
The event ''From Farm to Table: Food, Culture and Politics Talks - Guest Table or Lasting Legacy? Immigrants and Food Culture'' took place on May 20 at IPC Karaköy with the participation of Susan Rottmann, Zeynep Yılmaz Hava and Asma Hedi Nairi and moderated by Zafer Yenal.
From Farm to Table: Food, Culture and Politics Talks - Children's Holistic Development, Protection from Consumption Culture and Rights Advocacy
The event ''From Farm to Table: Food, Culture and Politics Talks - Children's Holistic Development, Protection from Consumption Culture and Rights Advocacy'' took place on April 22 at IPC Karaköy with the participation of Şükrü Hatun and moderated by Zafer Yenal.
From Farm to Table: Food, Culture and Politics Talks-Blue Justice: For whom the Seas Are
The event ''From Farm to Table: Food, Culture and Politics Talks - Blue Justice: For whom the Seas Are?'' took place on February 25 at IPC Karaköy with the participation of Irmak Ertör and Nazlı Demirel and moderated by Zafer Yenal.
From Farm to Table: Food, Culture and Politics Talks- Nutrition-Oriented Agriculture and Food Sovereignty
The event ''From Farm to Table: Food, Culture and Politics Talks - Nutrition-Oriented Agriculture and Food Sovereignty'' took place on December 17 at IPC with the participation of İsmail Çakmak, and moderated by Zafer Yenal.
From Farm to Table: Food, Culture and Politics Talks - We Are City People! What Do We Care About Wildlife?
The event ''From Farm to Table: Food, Culture and Politics Talks - We Are City People! What Do We Care About Wildlife?'' took place on November 19 at IPC with the participation of Esra Güven and Pınar Ertör, and moderated by Zafer Yenal.
From Farm to Table: Food, Culture and Politics Talks - Well Fed? Well Backed? Children and Our Future
The event ''From Farm to Table: Food, Culture and Politics Talks - Well Fed? Well Backed? Children and Our Future'' took place on October 22 at IPC with the participation of Bülent Şık and Ertan Karabıyık, and moderated by Zafer Yenal.
From Farm to Table: Food, Culture and Politics Talks - Meals Told, Flavors Mailed
The event ''From Farm to Table: Food, Culture and Politics Talks - Meals Told, Flavors Mailed'' took place on May 14 at IPC with the participation of Levon Bağış, Paul Benjamin Osterlund and Reyhan Ülker, and moderated by Zafer Yenal.
From Farm to Table: Food, Culture and Politics Talks - From Baklava to Liqueur: Places, Migrations, Cuisines
The event ''From Farm to Table: Food, Culture and Politics Talks - From Baklava to Liqueur: Places, Migrations, Cuisines'' took place on April 16 at IPC with the participation of Anna Maria Beylunioğlu, Burak Onaran and Silva Özyerli, and moderated by Zafer Yenal.
What Kind of a City? - Art, History and Society
The event ''What kind of acity? - Art, History and Society'' took place on March 12 at IPC with the participation of Murat Germen, Zafer Yenal and Cenk Özbay, and moderated by Murad Tiryakioğlu.
From Farm to Table: Food, Culture and Politics Talks - Localizing Cuisines, Globalizing Tastes
The event ''From Farm to Table: Food, Culture and Politics Talks - Localizing Cuisines, Globalizing Tastes'' took place on March 5 at IPC with the participation of Derya Nizam, Mansur Aşkar and Tangör Tan, and moderated by Zafer Yenal.
From Farm to Table: Food, Culture and Politics Talks - Farm in the City, Avocado on Toasts
The event ''From Farm to Table: Food, Culture and Politics Talks - Farm in the City, Avocado on Toasts'' took place on February 13 at IPC with the participation of Baran Karsak, Bediz Yılmaz and Fatih Tatari, and moderated by Zafer Yenal.
The Political Ecology of Food Book Launch and Discussing Food Politics on the Path to Elections
IPC-Sabancı University-Stiftung Mercator Initiative and Mercator-IPC Senior Researcher Fikret Adaman organized the meeting titled "The Political Ecology of Food Book Launch and Discussing Food Policies on the Road to Elections" held with the participation of IPC Director Fuat Keyman and Boğaziçi University Faculty Member Zafer Yenal at IPC on April 13.
Salgın ve Toplum - “Yeni Yerellik: Tarım, Çatışma Çözümü ve Kentler”
IPC organized the webinar Salgın ve Toplum - “Yeni Yerellik: Tarım, Çatışma Çözümü ve Kentler” with the participation of Ayşe Köse Badur, Çağlar Keyder, Fuat Keyman and Zafer Yenal on November 17.
Please click here for the event.
Political Ecology of Transformation in Agriculture in the Context of Climate Change
Istanbul Policy Center-Sabancı University-Stiftung Mercator Initiative's report launch webinar titled ‘Political Ecology of Transformation in Agriculture in the Context of Climate Change’ was held on 6 November with the participation of Fuat Keyman, Fikret Adaman and Zafer Yenal.
Please click here for the event.
“Salgın ve Toplum” Webinar Series: “Pandemi Döneminde İklim Değişikliği ve Gıda Güvencesi”
IPC organized the webinar Salgın ve Toplum - “Pandemi Döneminde İklim Değişikliği ve Gıda Güvencesi” with the participation of Fikret Adaman, Hilal Elver, Ümit Şahin and Zafer Yenal on July 13.
Please click here for the event.
Istanbul Perspectives 12 – Taste of the City: Food and Agriculture in Istanbul
The twelfth meeting in the Istanbul Perspectives Talks series took place with the participation of Zafer Yenal from Boğaziçi University. Yenal’s talk on “Taste of the City: Food and Agriculture in Istanbul (Şehrin Tadı: İstanbul’da Yemek ve Tarım)” was moderated by Asuman Suner on February 27, 2020 at IPC Karaköy.
