History professor Ariel Salzmann's recent fellowship at Koç University in Istanbul allowed her to work alongside scholars from all over the world.

History professor Ariel Salzmann recently completed an interdisciplinary fellowship at Koç University’s Research Centre for Anatolian Civilizations in Istanbul, Turkey. The fellowship was a unique international experience that allowed her to work alongside scholars from all over the world.

“One of the things I found very fascinating about my time in Turkey was witnessing the tremendous expansion of postsecondary education and the democratic governance of premier public institutions, such as Boğaziçi University,” says Dr. Salzmann, the first faculty member from a Canadian university to be awarded one of the prestigious international fellowships.

While abroad, Dr. Salzmann’s main project was researching Catholic and Muslim relations in the eighteenth century, particularly the Muslim slave revolt that took place in Malta during that time.

Working with her Turkish translator, she completed a revised, updated translation of her 2004 monograph Tocqueville in the Ottoman Empire: Rival Paths to the Modern State and delivered a talk at Istanbul’s Boğaziçi University comparing the ways in which historic Ottoman and Muslim societies were able to incorporate non-Muslim members.

While in Istanbul Dr. Salzmann lived in the heart of the rapidly expanding city, enjoying its thriving cultural and academic landscapes. She was there during the June general election.

Queen’s currently has partnerships with three universities in Turkey: Koç and Boğaziçi universities in Istanbul and Bilkent University in Ankara. Dr. Salzmann hopes that students will consider the country when exploring the possibility of studying abroad.

“It’s truly one of the most dynamic and vibrant countries in the world today,” she says.

Queen’s has exchange agreements with approximately 150 institutions in 45 countries. To learn more about these partnerships, visit the Queen’s international webpage.