The visit organized by the AYBU History Society to the Turkish Historical Society (TTK) once again demonstrated that historiography is not confined solely to theoretical knowledge, but gains meaning through institutions, archives, documents, and on-site observation.
Within the scope of the visit, the process of knowledge production in the historical discipline was examined firsthand. Participants had the opportunity to directly observe how historiography is shaped, by which methods knowledge is produced, how sources are preserved, and the fundamental principles of academic discipline. The Turkish Historical Society’s well-established institutional structure, publication tradition, research approach, and its mission to safeguard the historical memory of our country served as a significant source of inspiration for our students.
Through this visit, it was concretely experienced that historiography acquires deeper meaning not only through texts, but also through fieldwork, archival research, and engagement with experts. In this respect, the visit contributed to the development of students’ professional identities as historians and strengthened their professional awareness.
We would like to extend our sincere thanks to the officials and academics of the Turkish Historical Society who hosted us, answered our questions with great sincerity, and guided us with their experience. We also thank all participating students for their contributions and express our hope that such activities supporting academic development within our department will continue to increase in the future.
