Statement of Purpose ( First draft )

[gaygaygay]

I would like to hear your comments. Thank you so much!

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I have always been a person pondering on people's behaviours, political groups' actions, declarations of identity, assumptions about sexuality, gender roles as rooted in changing power relations, assumptions, knowledges which are present and changing in our societies unbeknownst to some people.

I have studied in the first Women's Studies program in Turkey. In my second year, I decided to attend the Gender Studies in Germany to open my ongoing thesis to different influences.

In Women's Studies in (xxxxxxx) University, I started to do research on sexuality studies in my first year. Wide-ranging faculty directed my research approach in sexuality studies in different ways. I chose the social critical approach to sexualities; this approach differs itself from cultural-textual analysis of humanities and ideological, categorizing sciences. In the first hand, it is a social critic of power relations that bases itself on understanding people's experiences in the hands of social institutions. I also met Professor David Halperin in Istanbul and our ongoing exchange over topics of LGBT, Queer Theory and sexuality studies has shaped my foundation in sexuality studies. I took classes entitled Feminism and Political Theory, Seminar by an urban-sociologist, and others where the very idea of sex, gender and identity is called into question and the experiences of men and women with same/opposite sex desire from different geographies were studied. I could have the chance to get influenced with prominent feminists including Professor (xxxxxxx) and other important names in Istanbul's feminist scene through my master education.

On my second year, I attended to a Gender Studies program in Germany. I did extensive research on topics related to sociology of sexuality and sex/gender. I was closely advised by a prominent German sociologist, Professor (xxxxxxx) who is a good friend of Raewyn Connell. She complimented to me saying she found my thesis and my research very interesting. So I could find the chance to interact with a known sociologist in Germany. On the other hand, I advanced more in Queer Theory attending queer-oriented classes on theories of intersectionality and AIDS. This 5-month period was a fruitful and tense period which is only focused on readings, deciding on the plan and methodology of my thesis and interactions with academics working on sexualities and identities.

In Istanbul, I was a volunteer to (xxxxxx) LGBT Solidarity Association where people were pondering on the notions of sex/gender/sexuality, questioning class, ethnicity, classifications of people and contemporary political issues. My experience in this association enabled me the predisposition of understanding political group actions and behaviours on the level their liaisions with group behaviour, theoritical body of knowledge on identity, movements and freedom, and contemporary times.

When I was in Europe, I got accepted to the PhD seminar of Nordic-Arab Network of Research,Women's Empowerment,Gender and Poltics as the only master student. There I met once Harvard Professor (xxxxxx) who was the chair in Media workshop. After my presentation, she commented, knowing my wish for Sociology PhD, ''You will surely get accepted to Sociology and your thesis will be talked so much!'' She also wrote a very supportive letter of reference which I did not include since it is the fourth one.

My research has followed two strands: Sociology of sexuality and Identity. And I need PhD education in sociology for my future goals: teaching classes and writing about sexuality and power.

In my PhD, I aim to work on sexualities and sexual social movements. Thus, I aim to specialise in two LGBT/Queer associations comparatively. Political actions of LGBT rights movement has evolved in respect to theoritical body of knowledge concerning sexuality, identity, and political history, and contemporary realities such as capitalism and profiting. An association develops its actions in respect to people who constitute this association as volunteers, donors, fans as much as theories and practical experience. My aim is to explain the personal experiences of sexuality and identity, the intersections of individual self with the group and the movement, political action plans, stand on social issues, and their imagination of social life through interviews, documentations about associational activities from past to presents. Studying two associations, one from Turkey and another one from USA, comparatively will enable us a very helpful inside about sexual movements, sexualised selves, their relations to capitalism and state, their different uses of opportunities, crisises, and urban. This study will open a different vision on study of sexualised self and sexual politics and group behaviour.

Apart from Women's Studies master, I was also accepted to Sociology master program at Kent University which I could not attend due to financial reasons. In Istanbul I wrote for an independent and powerful online newspaper (xxxx) and started to write for an online LGBT magazinne (xxxxxx) continuously on topics that concerns LGBT in Turkey, contents of which I summarized in my CV. These writings are a result of my studies, what I learned in them and wanted to share with people. My last article on Ex-Gay Industry in Turkey was succesful according to many shares on forums, blogs, networks, internet by readers who seem belonged to different sexualities.

On the other hand, I did my best to contribute to our Women's Studies Centre reflecting my ideas to the cohort of master, arranging departmental activities. Seeing my contributions, the heads of department did not see any reason not to invite me to meetings with international academics over future collaborations, working groups for future seminars. I also moderated mail and facebook group of the department, presentation order of master cohort in two courses.

I was also honoured by one of our associate professors who said I would have been in department's top 3 choice for assistantship position if it was opened. But due to government policy about opening new positions in universities, the department could only have two assistantships for years.

Being in your department, I will be equipped with ethnographic methods with Prof. (xxxx) which I will benefit in my PhD research. On the other hand Associate Prof. (xxxxx) can direct me when I work towards combining queer theory more with sociological theory. I will also benefit from Prof. (xxxxx) about feminist perspectives on identity, political action. And your faculty will also provide necessary branches of sociology for my PhD studies (e.g. Urban Sociology) and my future career paths (e.g. Political Sociology) Your program structure will also develop me the best in sociology with the joing Gender Studies program and its workshops on very important topics for my research.

After PhD in sociology, I envision myself as an academic who publishes about what he sees necessary to be researched in social theory, sexuality studies and social movements, and influence my students and readers who deal with topics concerning power, sexuality and identity.

Edited September 3, 2011 by Sexuality&Power