Assoc. Prof. Dr. Harun Ürer:‘TÜBA-KED, will become a culture inventory journal of the whole world starting with the 10th edition’
We spoke to Assoc. Prof. Dr. Harun Ürer, who is a Department Head at the İzmir Katip Çelebi University Social and Human Sciences Faculty, Turk-Islam Archeology Department and also the editor of TÜBA-KED (Turkish Academy of Sciences Culture Inventory Journal), about the journal as preparations are taking place for the release of the 10th edition.
• If you wish, we can first ask you to explain what “culture inventory” means in order for our readers to get a better understanding of the journal content.
The phrase “culture inventory”, which the journal is named after, can be defined as documentation of the reflection culture, a subject with a very wide range, on the various branches of science. However, no matter what branch of science it is, all studies conducted under the concept of culture must definitely be settled in certain standards and assessed with a shared point of view. In this context the Culture Inventory Journal was first set up as a privileged publication in which the inventory work being conducted, especially in Anatolia in a certain format, were being published and announced to the scientific world.
• Can you describe the scientific line of TÜBA-KED in terms of being a scientific journal publication?
As you will discern from its name, the Turkish Academy of Sciences (TÜBA) has an important mission and responsibility in terms of representing the academic community and sharing scientific activities. As a reflection of this responsibility, the Academy has undertaken the publication of TÜBA-AR and TÜBA-KED, two scientific publications under the general heading of “Culture and Art”. The content of the journal, which started out with the publication of inventory work done in the scope of TÜBA-TÜKSEK (Turkish Culture Sector), later expanded to all manner of tangible and intangible cultural heritage work without period and geography limitations and the journal also undertook the creation of an academic forum in this field.
With a relatively wide base, TÜBA-KED has arrived at a concept in which not just cultural inventory work but many different topics from all over the world under the definition of “culture” are included. TÜBA-KED, which follows all scientific and technological progress, taking into consideration the point which scientific journal publication has reached in our present day, will not only convey the developments and new discoveries in this field to readers but will also serve as a leader in the preparation and publication of Turkey’s cultural inventory in a systematic structure in line with its founding mission.
• What kind of project was TÜBA-TÜKSEK, the output point of TÜBA-KED’s publication life?
The TÜBA-TÜKSEK (Turkish Culture Sector) project, which was brought to life in 2001 with the participation of universities, non-governmental organizations and relevant government agencies, was a relatively comprehensive project for the purpose of preserving any kind of tangible and intangible cultural asset by documenting them at the location where they emerged. At the same time, rejuvenating some traditional applications that were in danger of being forgotten or lost and transforming them into values that could provide economic benefit became another of the project’s objectives. In this context a protocol was signed between TÜBA and the Ministry of Culture and Tourism under the name “Culture Inventory Project” to document cultural assets. In order to maintain the work at a certain level and document a variety of cultural assets in different fields with a common approach, inventory samples were prepared and after this infrastructure work was completed the documentation work, which was planned to take at least 10 years, was started. The issue of sharing the data that was achieved through field studies in different regions of Anatolia with the scientific world became a current issue and the TÜBA-KED (Turkish Academy of Sciences Culture Inventory Journal) was brought to life in the year 2002 to publish the data collected in the “Culture Inventory Project”.
• What is the goal of TÜBA-KED as a culture inventory journal?
TÜBA-KED strives to study, document, promote and transfer through scientific methods to new generations as a common value of the community, all social values with a cultural element, traditions and customs, all manner of knowledge pertaining to life, people and nature without limitation for period or geographical region. Also presenting qualified studies conducted in this framework to the scientific world and creating an agenda for priority issues are among the objectives for this publication.
• Can you give us information about the scope of TÜBA-KED?
In summary the scope of the journal includes the documentation, inventory and verbal history studies on rural and urban architecture, cultural landscaping, natural environment, archeology, urban archeology, industrial archeology, geo-archeology, art history, etnography, etnobotany, historical documents, traditional applications that are defined as a part of cultural heritage for a certain community, group or individuals, representations, narratives, information, skills and the tools and equipment connected to these and different scales and qualities of tangible and intangible cultural heritage like cultural venues. Also TÜBA-KED, which welcomes any kind of study on the introduction preservation, repair, exhibit, gaining to the public of all these values and evaluating as the cultural sector, is an internationally arbitrated periodical that strives to become a leader in raising public awareness in the field of culture.
• Can you tell us about the operations of TÜBA-KED?
First of all I should point out that TÜBA-KED is a product of team work. The journal, which has a relatively wide based assessment committee, has an editorial board comprised of scientists who have made important achievements in their field, as well as an editorial group comprised of myself, YTU Architectural Department Assoc. Prof. Dr. M. Ebru Erdönmez and ODTU Architectural Department Assoc. Prof. Dr. A. Güliz Bilgin Altınöz. Also I must include here that our TÜBA Chairman Prof. Dr. Ahmet Cevat Acar follows studies in the field of social studies meticulously and provides great support to TÜBA-KED. Also TÜBA Chairman Advisor Prof. Dr. Kenan Çağan, who works on the preparation stage of the journal, Asiye Komut from the TÜBA Ankara Headquarters and Cansu AKTAŞ from the TÜBA İstanbul Office work with dedication on technical issues, directing correspondence and organization.
The scientific studies that are submitted for publication in the journal are first subjected to a preliminary assessment by the editorial group to see if they are relevant to the journal’s scope, whether or not they have been prepared in accordance with the specified publication principles, if there is a theme, whether or not the article can be evaluated in the framework of the theme. Studies that meet these criteria are then submitted to our assessment board for review by specialists in the relevant field. Two assessments are requested to begin with for each work and then if necessary a third, after which the technical work to publish in the next edition is started. Our journal, which is competitive with its print quality as well as its scientific sufficiency, uses state of the art technology to gain the approval of its readers.
• Is the 10th edition of TÜBA-KED the subject of some change compared to previous editions or will you be following the same line?
Intense work continues on the 10th edition. The deadline for applications is October 31, 2014. The applications that have come in have now all been forwarded for jury assessment. In the 10th edition and the editions after that we want TÜBA-KED to be a more wide-based journal. In this context, we wish to publish scientific studies about neighboring countries, the Balkans, the Caucasus and the Turkic countries in particular, in addition to the studies that are done within our borders. Of course the scope will not be limited to this. Starting with the 10th edition TÜBA-KED plans to become a culture inventory journal of the world. I can say that TÜBA-KED, a journal which has received praise abroad for its purpose and quality editions and set an example with its content, will continue in part to follow the same line of edition 10. It is very important and imperative for inventory and documentation work to be conducted on the cultural accumulations in this unique geography and presented to the scientific world. Having accepted this as an its important mission, TÜBA-KED, as I have said before, aims to be present in all fields of culture and serve as a base. Therefore as of the 10th edition a journal with more colorful, enriched content that publishes inventory work in a systematic method and even serves as leader for this type of work, awaits our readers.
• Finally; How can TÜBA-KED be accessed?
The work to make the journal available for online sale on TÜBA’s webpage is almost completed. As in all TÜBA publications, the readers will be able to access TÜBA-KED by these means. Also it will be possible to purchase the journal in bookstores that will be determined at the distribution stage.
Who is Assoc. Prof. Dr. Harun Ürer?
He is a graduate of the Ege University Literature Faculty Archeology and Art History Department. He continues studies in the field of Turkish-Islam Architecture and Traditional Handcrafts. Ürer, who is very involved in the subjects of restoration and preservation, has served in various membership and consultant positions on this subject. Having worked on a variety of archeological excavation projects in the country and abroad and also worked on creating inventories of Turkish works, Harun Ürer continues his academic career as head of the Turkish-Islam Archeology Department at the İzmir Katip Çelebi University Social and Human Sciences Faculty.