Notre Dame’s Istanbul Summer program offers students a unique opportunity to study history beyond the classroom. Over three weeks, students travel through Türkiye, spending two weeks in Istanbul and one week exploring other parts of the country. Led by Professor Mahan Mirza, the program covers thousands of years of history, from the Stone Age to modern times, and includes visits to significant historical and religious sites such as the Hagia Sophia, Topkapı Palace, and the Blue Mosque.

The program grew out of a previous course that brought students to Oman. Mirza noticed the value of experiencing history firsthand and proposed a similar course in Istanbul. The program aims to help students engage with questions of identity, religion, and politics, and to understand how the past shapes the present. Students participate in discussions and conversations with local people, which provide a deeper understanding of the cultural and religious landscape of Türkiye.

Participants like Notre Dame student Joshua Barnard and junior Luke Montano found the program transformative. Barnard appreciated standing in ancient sites he had previously only read about, while Montano discovered that Türkiye’s people are more diverse than he had anticipated. Both students emphasized the importance of interacting with locals and engaging in meaningful conversations, which provided a richer and more nuanced understanding of history and culture.

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