Writer, anthropologist (b. 1962, İzmir).
Her previous surname was Çizgen. She graduated from Ankara University,
Faculty of Language, History and Geography, Department of Anthropology (1979).
After her marriage to her first husband, she lived in Iran for a while
(1977-80). She did her master’s on Classical Anthropology and Archaic Greece
(1983). She worked as a researcher and consultant to the minister at the
Ministry of Public Works and Housing (1983-87), as a marketing director at a
private computer company (1987) and as an specialist at the Coopers and Lybrand
company related to the Çukurova Region Development Project, which was a project
of the World Bank. For a while she was freelance writer, she wrote articles,
travel notes, novel critiques and multi-vision scripts for different
publications (1989-93). For a short period she worked as a manager at Pimapen
Culture House. In 1997 she taught anthropology and city planning at Marmara
University.
Her work has been published in Yeni Yüzyıl (1994-97), Zaman
and different reviews and newspapers since 1989. In 1990 she collected the
Yunus Nadi Long Films Screenplay Award and the 1997 Writers and Journalist
Association Reconciliation Award. She prepared and presented talk-show programs
for the Turkish Radio and Television Corporation Channel 2 (1994), Channel E
(1995) and STV (1998-2000). She has been a speaker at different events and
conferences. She has done research on Iran, Turk and Alewis, the GAP (Project
of Southeast Anatolia), problems of Turkish workers abroad and Moldavia. She is
member of the International Union of Travel Writers, the Turkish-Chinese Art
and Friendship Association (founder, vice chairman for a short period: 1995)
Women Supportin Association (founder, 1997), the Principle Culture Association
(founder, board member, 1997), the Library of Works by Women and Information
Center (board member, 2000).
WORKS:
Aşkın Ölümcül Etkileri (Mortal Effects of Love, 1990), İki Ülke İki Devrim Türkiye-İran (Two Countries Two Revolutions
Turkey-Iran, 1994), Kent ve Kültür (City
and Culture, 1994), Fethullah Gülen'le
New York Sohbeti (New York Chat with Fetullah Gülen, 1997), Aşka ve Kültüre Bir Çağrıdır Yolculuk (A
Journey is An Invitation to Love and Culture, 1997), Aşk Kapıyı Her Zaman Çalar (Love Always Comes Knocking, 21st
Century Discussion of Relations between Men and Women, 1998), Girişimci Kadınlar (Entrepreneurial
Women, 1999), Kanserle Yaşıyorum (I
Race Against Cancer, memoir, 1999).
