You are invited to this week’s special talk organized by the Department of Psychology.
Everyone is welcome to attend!
Dr. Ekin Birdir Stewart
Title of the talk: Peace Interrupted: Deconstructing Hegemonic Narratives of Peace through the Perspectives of the Oppressed
Date: 24.03.2025, Monday
Time: 12:30 PM – 1:30 PM
Room: C Block amphitheater
Abstract:
We all want peace, but whose peace do we want? An abundance of psychological research has been devoted to promoting harmony and peaceful relationships between groups in conflict. Unfortunately, these studies have rarely prioritized justice for the minoritized populations in their investigations. In this talk, I will challenge this hegemonic approach by presenting my research on privileged narratives of peace that embed systemic violence toward minoritized communities. Then, I will present the contrasts between majoritized and minoritized narratives of peace by drawing on cross-cultural data from Türkiye and the U.S., exploring the contextual characteristics of oppression and the suffering of the minoritized. Informed by Liberation Psychology, my research integrates indigenous grounded theory with quantitative methodologies to illuminate the maintenance of cultural violence in intergroup dynamics from a culturally reflexive lens. In doing so, my goal is to provide opportunities for the decolonial investigation of social phenomena from the viewpoints of marginalized communities and emphasize the vitality of research on discursive engagement per positionality.
Short Bio:
Dr. Birdir Stewart is a critical social psychologist whose research aims to examine power dynamics in hegemonic knowledge structures to advance socially responsible academic praxis. She received her B.Sc. in Psychology from Middle East Technical University (METU) and earned her Ph.D. in Social Psychology from the University of Kansas (KU), where she also completed graduate certificate programs in Women, Gender, and Sexuality Studies and African and African American Studies. She is currently an adjunct faculty member at METU, where she teaches Critical Psychology. Using mixed-method approaches, her research centers the perspectives of the minoritized communities to denaturalize privileged narratives in intergroup dynamics. Her work has been supported by multiple international research grants, including the Clara Mayo Grant from the Society for the Psychological Study of Social Issues. Informed by her research, her pedagogical approach also earned her a course transformation grant from the KU Center for Teaching Excellence, supporting her efforts to reinforce inclusive learning and critical thinking in psychology education.
We hope to see you there!
Department of Psychology