NEW! Food. Sustainability. Community Building. – 2027

Overview

Istanbul is a global city of about 15 million people, shaped by centuries of migration. Today, people from different parts of Türkiye live alongside communities from Syria, Iran, Iraq, Central Asia, Russia and Ukraine. They bring their food traditions with them, open businesses, grow familiar ingredients and contribute to the everchanging culture of the city. At the same time, climate change is a global threat to the food we grow and the soil and water we all depend on.

DukeEngage Türkiye uses food as an entry point for learning about this diverse city. Students will partner with local organizations and communities involved in food sustainability, food and spatial justice, and the preservation of local food traditions. They will learn about Istanbul’s historic urban gardens, where people continue to grow centuries old seeds in the middle of a rapidly changing city.

Students will also work with immigrant communities and small food businesses. Through these experiences, they will see how food can help maintain connections to home, build new communities, and create economic opportunities.

The program will bring Duke students together with college students in Istanbul working on community projects. Site visits to neighborhoods, historic restaurants, and tea gardens will help students experience Istanbul through its everyday food culture. Throughout the program, we will reflect on what food can tell us about migration, sustainability, and belonging in a global city.

 

Community Partnership(s)

Postane will be the primary community partner and the home base for the program in Istanbul. Students will meet at Postane regularly, share meals, and prepare for their placements in different parts of the city. From there, they will assist community leaders working on urban farms, food bazaars, and community kitchens.

Students will support community partners according to their needs. This might include helping with harvesting and organizing community events or helping small businesses and women’s coops build their digital presence and share their work with a wider audience. Postane will help connect students with these communities and provide a space where they can come together, share what they are learning, and reflect on their experiences.

Sabancı University will be another important partner. Duke students will be matched with local college students who can join them in some of their activities and help them experience Istanbul through the perspective of people their own age. These connections will give Duke students a more personal way to learn about everyday life in Istanbul.

 

Program Requirements

Language: No need to speak Turkish

Skills: No specific technical skills are required. Students should be comfortable communicating with people from different backgrounds and working collaboratively. Experience with social media, photography, writing and digital storytelling may be useful for some community projects, but is not required.

Personal Qualities: Students should be curious, open-minded, and willing to step outside of their comfort zones. Istanbul is a large and busy city, and the program will take students into different neighborhoods. They should be flexible when plans change and respectful when entering spaces where people live and work. An interest in food, sustainability, migration, or community work will help students engage with the program.

 

Logistics

Housing, meals, and transportation: Students will live in shared apartments with comfortable living arrangements, including kitchens where they can prepare their own meals. The apartments will be within wakling distance of Postane and close to city center. During the week, students will share one meal a day with community partners.

Students will walk to Postane and use Istanbul’s public transportation system to travel community sites in different neighborhoods.

Local safety, security, and cultural norms: We encourage students who have questions or concerns about health or safety in international programs to check Duke’s International SOS (ISOS) portal for relevant information. If you have special needs related to health, culture, disability, or religious practices, please contact the program director(s) or the DukeEngage office to discuss whether your needs can be accommodated in this program.

For guidance on how race, religion, sexual/gender identity, ability, or other aspects of identity might impact your travels, we suggest exploring the Diversity, Identity and Global Travel section of the DukeEngage website.

 

Academic Connections

This program is open to students from all academic backgrounds. It may especially appeal to students interested in food systems, migration, urban life, and community building. Students in relevant Constellations and Focus programs may find strong connections between their coursework and their experiences in Istanbul.