Baykan Sezer

Sociologist (b. 1939, Malatya). When he was born, his father was an eye specialist and Head Doctor at Malatya State Hospital and his mother was a primary school teacher. He settled in İstanbul when his father became associate professorship on the staff of Istanbul University, Faculty of Medicine in 1942. He went to primary school in İstanbul Büyük Reşit Paşa Primary School. After his graduation from Galatasaray High School in 1956, he had the opportunity to go to France. He stayed in Paris between 1960 and 1965. When he had to choose between returning to Turkey and staying in France, he returned to Turkey.

In France, on his friends’ suggestions and support, he started studying sociology. He continued his education at İstanbul University Faculty of Literature, Department of Sociology. In 1969, he started working as an assistant at İstanbul University, Faculty of Management, and Chair of Behavioral Sciences. During his military duty, he prepared his thesis on the subject of “Doğu-Batı Çatışmasında Yunanlılığın Yeri” (The Position of Being Greek in the East-West Conflict). He did his master’s thesis on the subject of “Doğu-Batı İlişkileri Açısından Batı Tarımı” (Western Agriculture from the Angle of East-West Relations). He prepared, under the title of “Asya Tarihinde Su Boyu Ovaları ve Bozkır Uygarlıkları” (Coastal Plain and Steppe Civilizations in Asian History) his Ph. thesis, and under the title of “Toplum Farklılaşması ve Din Olayı” (Society Diversification and the Case of Religion), his associate professorship thesis. He started working as the department chair in İstanbul University, Faculty of Literature, Department of Sociology in 1982. When his time of duty came to an end, he retired with the thought of expanding his colleagues’ future careers.

His articles were published in reviews such as Doğu Batı, as well as in university reviews.

WORKS:

Toplum Farklılaşması ve Din Olayı (Society Diversification and the Case of Religion, 1981), Türk Sosyolojisinin Ana Başlıkları (Main Points of Turkish Sociology, 1983), Türkiye’de Sosyolojinin 75. Yılı (75^th Year of Sociology in Turkey, 1988), Türk Sosyolojisinin Ana Sorunları (The Main Problems of Turkish Sociology, 1989), Doğu-Batı İlişkileri Açısından Batı Tarımı (Western Agriculture from the Angle of East-West Relations, 1990), Türk Sosyolojisinin Tarihle İlişkileri (Turkish Sociology’s Relationship with History, 1991), Sosyolojide Yöntem Tartışmaları (Method Discussions in Sociology, 1993), Batı Dünya Egemenliği ve Endüstri Devrimi (Western World Hegemony and the Industrial Revolution, 1997).

REFERENCE: Kurtuluş Kayalı / “Türk Sosyolojisinin 80’lerde Yeniden Biçimlenişi” (CDT Ansiklopedisi, XV, 1289-1300, 1995), Gökhan Köktürk / Baykan Sezer’in Türk Sosyolojisindeki Yeri (HÜ Sosyoloji B. Dergisi, 2000), Sezgin Kızılçelik / “Batı düşün kalıplarının dışında, ‘takım anlayışı’ndan hareket edenlerin karşısında bir yerli, yerli olduğu kadar evrensel bir sosyolog: Baykan Sezer” (Doğubatı dergisi, Sayı:16), Ufuk Özcan - Ertan Eğribel / Baykan Sezer’e Armağan: Baykan Sezer ve Türk Sosyolojisi (İÜ Sosyoloji Yıllığı 11, 2004), İhsan Işık / Resimli ve Metin Örnekli Türkiye Edebiyatçılar ve Kültür Adamları Ansiklopedisi (2006, 2009) - Ünlü Fikir ve Kültür Adamları (Türkiye Ünlüleri Ansiklopedisi, C. 3, 2013) - Encyclopedia of Turkey’s Famous People (2013).