On Friday, 30 May, American Culture and Literature held its first-ever senior project colloquium, with presentations by a number of graduating seniors to a room full of professors, friends, and peers.

For this inaugural event, four students chose to present their work and field questions from the audience. Dilara Başar conducted a critical analysis of representations of the Middle East in American cinema, using Edward Said’s conception of “orientalism” as a critical frame. Rather than writing an academic essay, Dilara chose to create a compelling “video essay” that made great use of the films of her study and interviews with Said. Her voiceover struck the perfect balance of academic essay and creative work. Zeynep Sude Özdoğan presented her original short story, “The Story of Once Silenced,” a utopia that offers, in her words, “a critical analysis of the function of history and how crafted knowledge of the past would change the future of a society.” The story challenges us to ask questions about social constructions of gender and race as well as collective memory and trauma.

Zeynep Çalışır produced a hardcover book exploring American horror legends and their histories, each story accompanied by striking original artwork. Clearly inspired by Professor Johnson’s American Gothic class, the illustrations are both beautiful and frightening. Finally, Arda Atmaca shared a song he wrote, inspired by contemporary American country music and his time in the American Culture and Literature program. In the style of a countrified American rock ballad, Arda’s song interrogates a number of American myths, particularly the concept of American exceptionalism.

The presentations prompted lively discussions and felt like a fitting celebration of all our students’ hard work, not only for their senior projects but for their years in the AMER program. This may have been the first event of its kind, but it will not be the last.