PRIME Youth Advisory Board Member Professor Thomas Faist visits Istanbul Bilgi University

2 November 2023

Professor Thomas Faist, Advisory Board Member in the PRIME Youth Project, visited the SantralIstanbul campus of Istanbul Bilgi University on November 1, 2023. The visit was part of the ongoing Advanced Grant Project and focused on youth movements and political alliances in Germany. During the meeting that covered the previous and ongoing studies in the project, Professor Faist engaged in lively discussions with the PRIME Youth research team members, including Professor Ayhan Kaya, Principal Investigator, and Postdoctoral Researchers Dr Metin Koca and Dr Ayşenur Benevento.  

Professor Faist provided new insights and feedback on the ongoing research concerning social movements and German politics, including new questions regarding how to address the political divisions in post-unification Germany, foster dialogue between culturally and geographically clustered groups, and reconcile spatial and social mobility. During the meeting, the PRIME Youth research team and Professor Faist discussed the main contours of the project, including its strengths and limits in terms of sampling. The group discussed how German governments, the European Commission and NGOs address radicalization among Islamist and nativist groups. The discussion allowed the team to gain a deeper understanding of the dynamics and implications of youth activism in Germany.  

The meeting participants also had the opportunity to exchange ideas and perspectives on the broader implications of these findings for youth engagement and political participation on a global scale. The discussion enriched the ongoing research of the PRIME Youth project and furthered the team's commitment to understanding and promoting youth empowerment and political activism.   In addition to the academic dialogue, Professor Faist had the chance to explore the SantralIstanbul campus.

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