Between Empire and Modernity: Turkish Dizi as Instruments of Soft Power
media studies Ezio Sorti media studies Ezio Sorti

Between Empire and Modernity: Turkish Dizi as Instruments of Soft Power

Walking today through the streets of Istanbul, it is easy to come across a film crew, a costumed actor, or an improvised set just around the corner. This goes far beyond mere urban folklore or entertainment; it is a tangible sign of a broader transformation that has turned the city into one of the beating hearts of a new global cultural industry. Cinema and television have long been powerful tools for presenting a country to the world, as demonstrated by Hollywood, Bollywood, and more recently South Korea. Today, however, Türkiye has also carved out a leading role. Its television series, also known as dizi, have attracted millions of viewers far beyond national borders, reaching most of the world.

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The Pope in the Eastern Mediterranean: A Journey between Faith, Culture, and Diplomacy
cultural diplomacy Ezio Sorti cultural diplomacy Ezio Sorti

The Pope in the Eastern Mediterranean: A Journey between Faith, Culture, and Diplomacy

The Eastern Mediterranean provided the setting for Pope Leo XIV’s first steps on the global stage. By traveling to Türkiye and Lebanon, lands marked by ancient Christian memory and complex religious histories, and marked today by geopolitical strain, the head of the Catholic Church articulated a vision of dialogue amid fragmentation and uncertainty.

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Cosmopolitan Mosaics: Italian Heritage in the Heart of Istanbul
cultural diplomacy Ezio Sorti cultural diplomacy Ezio Sorti

Cosmopolitan Mosaics: Italian Heritage in the Heart of Istanbul

Walking along Istiklal Caddesi, the great pedestrian artery of Beyoğlu, you might be surprised to come upon a neo-Gothic church that seems more at home in Venice or Milan than in the heart of Istanbul. It is Saint Anthony of Padua, the city’s largest Catholic church, built in 1912 by Italians. This is not an isolated anomaly: Istanbul in fact preserves a little-known yet significant cultural heritage tied to the Italian presence. From the Dominican churches of Galata to the Genoese palaces, from Levantine schools to the painters who depicted the Bosphorus, the traces of this long history are still present and speak to the role Italians played in shaping the city’s cosmopolitan character.

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