Wissenschaftliche Mitarbeiterin
Tel.: +90 – 212 293 60 67-126
E-Mail: baskavak@oiist.org
Dr. Gülşah Başkavak ist seit Februar 2025 als wissenschaftliche Mitarbeiterin im Forschungsbereich „Science, Technology and Society“ im Projekt MediCluster am Orient-Institut Istanbul tätig. Sie ist zudem Assistenzprofessorin am Fachbereich Soziologie der Acıbadem-Universität. Zwischen 2019 und 2022 arbeitete sie am Orient-Institut Istanbul als wissenschaftliche Mitarbeiterin und Projektkoordinatorin im Forschungsfeld „Mensch, Medizin und Gesellschaft“, wo sie an mehreren internationalen Projekten mitwirkte. Ihre wissenschaftlichen Arbeiten verorten sich an der Schnittstelle von Arbeits- und Berufssoziologie, der Erforschung von Medizintechnologien, Handwerk und handwerklichen Praktiken, Science and Technology Studies (STS), Medizinsoziologie, Körpersoziologie und digitaler Gesundheit.
Sie promovierte 2016 im Fach Soziologie an der Middle East Technical University (METU) mit der Dissertation „Understanding the Craft of Surgery in the Context of Technological Change, Healthcare Transformation, and Marketization: A Study on Surgeons in Istanbul“. Während ihrer Promotionsforschung war sie als Gastdoktorandin an der Sozialwissenschaftlichen Fakultät der Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin. Ihre Promotionsforschung basierte auf einer umfangreichen qualitativen und ethnografischen Feldforschung, die sie über einen längeren Zeitraum in Krankenhäusern, Kliniken und Operationssälen in Istanbul durchführte. Zuvor arbeitete sie als wissenschaftliche Mitarbeiterin an der METU und der Technischen Universität Yildiz und arbeitete als Forscherin und Koordinatorin an verschiedenen nationalen und internationalen Forschungsprojekten in den Bereichen Professionssoziologie, Kriminologie, Körpersoziologie und Religionssoziologie mit. Dr. Başkavak ist derzeit als Wissenschaftlerin im Rahmen des Forschungsprojekts „Manufacturing Practices of Medical Instruments in Innovation Clusters: A Comparative Analysis of Tuttlingen, Sialkot, and Samsun“ (MediCluster) tätig, dass unter der Trägerschaft des Orient-Institut Istanbul durchgeführt wird.

Akademische Aktivitäten
Forschungsinteressen
Arbeits- und Berufssoziologie
Medizintechnologien
Handwerk und Handwerkliche Praktiken
Wissenschafts- und Technikforschung (Science and Technology Studies-STS)
Medizin- und Gesundheitssoziologie
Körpersoziologie
Digitale Gesundheit
Qualitative Forschungsmethoden
Vorträge
05.05.2026: “Beyond Borderlines: Paper Walls as Mobile Boundary Infrastructures in Transnational Surgical-Craftscapes [Jenseits von Grenzlinien: Papierwände als mobile Grenzinfrastrukturen in transnationalen chirurgischen Handwerkslandschaften]”. Border Matters: Embodiment, Environment, and Infrastructure of Border Spaces. 4.–6. Mai 2026. Warschau, Polen. (mit M. Şahinol, A.B. Uçarol)
06.11.2025: “Zanaatkârlık Mirasıyla Geleceği Yeniden Şekillendirmek: Samsun’da Yerel Zanaat Pratiklerinin Sosyoteknik Manzaraları [Die Zukunft durch das Erbe des Handwerks neugestalten: Die soziotechnischen Landschaften lokaler Handwerkspraktiken in Samsun]”. STS TURKEY 2025 — Teknotopyalar: Geçmiş, Bugün ve Geleceğin Tahayyüller [Technotopien: Imaginationen der Vergangenheit, Gegenwart und Zukunft]. 6.–7. November 2025. Istanbul. (mit M. Şahinol, A.B. Uçarol)
12.09.2025: “Three Rs Revisited in The Light of One Health: A Qualitative Study with Early Career Researchers [Die drei R im Lichte von One Health neu betrachtet: Eine qualitative Studie mit Forschenden in frühen Karrierephasen]”. EACME Annual Conference. 11.–13. September 2025. Zürich, Schweiz. (mit Y. Ülman, K. Biçiçi, G. Kaya)
05.09.2025: “Bridging Craft and Innovation: Surgical Instrument Manufacturing Between the Global South and North [Brücken zwischen Handwerk und Innovation: Die Herstellung chirurgischer Instrumente zwischen dem Globalen Süden und Norde]”. 50th Annual Meeting of the Society for Social Studies of Science (4S): Reverberations. 3.-6. September 2025. Washington, United States of America. (mit M. Şahinol)
06.01.2024: “Üniversite Gençleri Arasında HPV Farkındalık Çalışması-Niteliksel Bir Araştırma [HPV Awareness Study among University Youth – A Qualitative Research]”. II. Kadın Sağlığı ve Hakları Kongresi [2nd Congress on Women’s Health and Rights]. Acıbadem University, Istanbul.
01.11.2023: “Türkiye’de HPV Aşılama Politikasının Biyoetik Değerlendirmesi [Bioethical Evaluation of HPV Vaccination Policy in Türkiye]”. STS Meets Ethics – STS TURKEY & METU Applied Ethics Research Center Joint Conference 2023. October 31-November 2, 2023. METU, Ankara. (mit Yeşim Ülman)
15.09.2023: „‚Free HPV Vaccination after 18?‘: A Qualitative Study on Awareness of University Students about HPV Infection and Vaccination Policy in Turkey„. European Association of Centres of Medical Ethics Annual Conference (EACME) on Facing Disruption. Challenges to Bioethics, Human Rights and Democracy. University of Warsaw. September 14-16, 2023. Warsaw, Poland. (mit Yeşim Ülman)
12.09.2022: “‘Grip’ or ‘Paçavra Hastalığı’–Language Change in the Turkish Health Sector?”. 34. Deutscher Orientalistentag (DOT) – 100. Jahrestag. Freie Universität Berlin. September 12-17, 2022. Berlin, Germany. (mit Ruth Bartholomä)
24.11.2021: “‘Şiir gibi Ameliyat Yapmak’: Cerrahide Teknoloji, Zanaat ve Estetik [‚Poetic Surgery’: Technology, Craft and Aesthetics in Surgery]”. STS TURKEY 2021 Konferansı- STS: Bir Disiplin Olarak Kimlik İnşası [STS TURKEY 2021 Conference-The Construction of STS as a Discipline]. November 22-24, 2021. Ankara University.
23.11.2021: “Cinsiyetlendirilmiş Hijyen: Erkeklerde Saç ve Kıl Bakım Pratikleri [Gendered Hygiene: Men’s Practices of Hair Care]”. STS TURKEY 2021 Konferansı- STS: Bir Disiplin olarak Kimlik İnşası [STS TURKEY 2021 Conference-The Construction of STS as a Discipline]. November 22-24, 2021. Ankara University. (mit Melike Şahinol & Burak Taşdizen)
29.01.2020: “‘Beni Robot Ameliyat Etsin İstiyorum’: Cerrah, Teknoloji ve Hasta [‘I Want a Robot to Operate on Me’: Surgeon, Technology, and Patient]”. Konferans Dizisi: İnsan, Tıp ve Toplum: Geçmiş, Bugün ve Gelecek Buluşmaları [Conference Series: Human, Medicine, and Society – Past, Present, and Future Encounters]. Orient-Institut Istanbul.
09.11.2019: “Türkiye’de E-Sağlık ve Öz-Takip Teknolojileri [E-Health and Self-Tracking Technologies in Turkey]”. STS TURKEY 2019: Toplum için Bilim ve Teknoloji Çalışmaları Konferansı [Conference on Science and Technology Studies for Society]. September 10-12, 2019. Istanbul Technical University (ITU), Istanbul. (mit M. Şahinol)
22.05.2019: “Türkiye’de Öz-Takip Cihazlarının Pratikleri ve Sosyo-Kültürel Boyutları: İlk Araştırma Bulguları [The Practices and Socio-Cultural Dimensions of Self-Tracking Devices in Turkey: Preliminary Findings]”. Research Colloquium. Orient-Institut Istanbul.
30.08.2017: “Marketization and Technological Change: Turkish Surgeons in A Changing Context”. 13th European Sociological Association (ESA) Conference on (Un)Making Europe: Capitalism, Solidarities, Subjectivities. August 29- September 1, 2017. Athens, Greece.
05.04.2017: “Cerrahlık Zanaatı, Teknoloji ve Piyasalaşma: İstanbul’da Cerrah Tipolojisi [Surgical Craft, Technology and Marketization: Typology of Surgeons in Istanbul]”. VI. Hasan Ünal Nalbantoğlu Sempozyumu: Teknolojiye Dair Sorular. April 5-7, 2017. Middle East Technical University (METU), Ankara. (mit S. Kalaycıoğlu)
20.05.2016: “Surgeons and Marketization of Health: The Case of Turkey”. 13th European Sociological Association (ESA) Mid-Term Conference of the Research Network on Sociology of Health & Illness (RN16) on New directions in health care work and organizations. 19-21 May, 2016. Lisbon, Portugal.
20.05.2016: “A Social Scientist in the Operating Theatre”. 13th European Sociological Association (ESA) Mid-Term Conference of the Research Network on Sociology of Health & Illness (RN16) on New directions in health care work and organizations. 19-21 May, 2016. Lisbon, Portugal.
23.11.2015: “Zanaat Olarak Cerrahlık ve Teknoloji [Surgery as Craft and Technology]”. 14th National Social Sciences Conference [TSBD]. 3-5 November, 2015. Middle East Technical University (METU), Ankara.
03.04.2013: “International Diffusion of Neoliberalism and Resistance: The Transformation of Healthcare System in Turkey”. 54th International Studies Association (ISA) Annual Convention on The Politics of International Diffusion: Regional and Global Dimensions. April 3-6, 2013. San Francisco, California, USA. (mit Y. Başkavak)
Publikationen
Artikel
Başkavak, G., Şahinol, M. & Kılıçtepe, Ş. (2024). “Interplay of Global Technological Dynamics and Local Realities: Digital Healthcare Transformation in Turkey”. Trakya University Journal of Social Science, 26(1), 91-118. https://doi.org/10.26468/trakyasobed.1369225
Başkavak, G. (2023). “‘Senden Daha İyisi Olmayacak‘: Cerrahlıkta Teknoloji, Beceri ve Uzmanlaşma”. Mediterranean Journal of Humanities (MJH), XIII, 43-58. http://doi.org/10.13114/MJH.2023.592
Şahinol, M.& Başkavak, G. (2021). “Contested Daily Routines, Contested Care. Children with Type 1 Diabetes in Covid-19 Times, Childhood Vulnerability Journal. 3, 23-40. https://doi.org/10.1007/s41255-021-00017 -0
Şahinol, M. & Başkavak, G. (2021). “Sosyo-Biyo-Teknik Bakım Kompleksi: Tip 1 Diyabette Dijital Sağlık Takibi [Socio-Bio-Technical Care Complex: Digital Health Tracking In Type 1 Diabetes]”. Sosyoloji Araştırmaları Dergisi [Journal of Sociological Research] (Special Issue: Türkiye’de Çekişmeli Bedenler: Tıp Teknolojisindeki Gelişmelerle Dönüşen Beden, Sağlık ve Toplum [The Contested Bodies in Turkey: Body, Health and Society Transformed by Advances in Medical Technologies]). 24(1), 110-145. https://doi.org/10.18490/sosars.911385
Şahinol, M. & Başkavak, G. (2021). “Türkiye’de Çekişmeli Bedenlere Giriş [Introduction to the Contested Bodies in Turkey]”. Sosyoloji Araştırmaları Dergisi [Journal of Sociological Research] (Special Issue: Türkiye’de Çekişmeli Bedenler: Tıp Teknolojisindeki Gelişmelerle Dönüşen Beden, Sağlık ve Toplum [The Contested Bodies in Turkey: Body, Health and Society Transformed by Advances in Medical Technologies]). 24(1), 1-17. https://doi.org/10.18490/sosars.911124
Sonderausgaben Peer-reviewter Zeitschriften
Şahinol, M. & Başkavak, G. (2021). “Türkiye’de Çekişmeli Bedenler: Tıp Teknolojisindeki Gelişmelerle Dönüşen Beden, Sağlık ve Toplum [Contested Bodies in Turkey: Transformation of Body, Health and Society through Techno-Medical Innovations]” Special Issue in Sosyoloji Araştırmaları Dergisi [Journal of Sociological Research]. 24(1). https://dergipark.org.tr/tr/pub/sosars/issue/61228
Herausgeberschaft
Şahinol, M., Taşdizen, B. & Başkavak, G. (2022). Hair:y_less Masculinities. A Cartography. Bonn: Şahinol, Melike (in cooperation with perspectivia.net/Max Weber Foundation). https://doi.org/10.25360/01-2022-00000 (ISBN 978-625-00-9547-8)
Buchkapitel
Başkavak, G. (2023). “Zanaat ve Teknoloji Kesişiminde Cerrahinin Estetiği”, In A.U. Aydınoğlu, Ş. Kılıçtepe, E. Öncüler Yayalar, E. Saka ve M. Şahinol (Eds.), STS: Bir Disiplin Olarak Kimlik İnşası (pp. 114-134). NEÜ Yayınları. https://neuyayin.com/tr/acik-erisim/sts-bir-disiplin-olarak-kimlik-insasi/816 (E-ISBN: 978-625-6960-64-0)
Şahinol, M. & Başkavak, G. (2020). “Türkiye’de Biyomedikalizasyon: Sağlığın Dijitalleşmesi ve Öz-Takip Pratikleri [Biomedicalization in Turkey: Digitalization of Health and Self-Tracking Practices]”. In A. Turanlı, M. Şahinol and A. U. Aydınoğlu (Eds.), Türkiye’de STS: Bilim ve Teknoloji Çalışmalarına Giriş [STS in Turkey: Introduction to Science and Technology Studies] (pp. 103-117). Istanbul: İTÜ Yayınları. https://polen.itu.edu.tr/handle/11527/18483 (E-ISBN: 978-975-561-516-5)
Başkavak, G. (2017). “Zanaattan Robotiğe: Tıp Teknolojisi ve Türkiye’de Kuşaklararası Cerrah Tipolojisi [From Craftsmanship to Robotics: Medical Technologies and a Generational Typology of Surgeons in Turkey]”. In Denizcan Kutlu and Çağrı Kaderoğlu Bulut (Eds.), Sınıfın Suretleri: Emek Süreçleri ve Karşı Hareketler [Representations of Class: Labor Processes and Counter Movements] (pp. 105–126). Istanbul: NotaBene. (ISBN: 6059679954)
Doğrusoy-Başkavak, G. (2005). “Bilişim Teknolojileri: Getirdikleri ve Götürdükleri [Information Technologies: Pros and Cons]. In Aşkın Keser (Ed.), Çalışma Yaşamında Dönüşümler: Örgütsel Bakış [Transformations in Working Life: Organizational Perspective] (pp. 197–210). Bursa: Ezgi Publishing. (Reprinted by Nobel Publishing in 2005). (ISBN: 9789755918013)
Forschungsberichte
2024 – “İstanbul’da Bir Vakıf Üniversitesi Öğrencilerinin HPV Farkındalığı Üzerine Niteliksel Araştırma [A Qualitative Study on the Awareness of HPV Among University Students in Istanbul]”, THD-2023-147, Project Supported by Higher Education Institutions, Acıbadem University (mit Y. Ülman)
2022 – “Cartography of Hair:yless Masculinities. A Comparison between the Islamic Republic of Iran and the Republic of Turkey”, #01UG1903-TM2C. Orient-Institut Istanbul for German Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF) (mit M. Şahinol & B. Taşdizen)
2020 – “Between Empowerment and Disempowerment: A Qualitative Analysis of (Voluntary) Digital Health (Self-)Tracking in Turkey”. #ZMV | 1 – 2517 FSB 016. Orient-Institut Istanbul for the German Federal Ministry of Health (BMG). (mit M. Şahinol)
2013 – “Sağlık Sektöründe Özelleşme ve Metalaşmanın Uzmanlık Üzerindeki Etkileri: İstanbul’daki Uzman Doktorlar Üzerine Bir Çalışma [Privatization and Commodification in the Health Sector and their Effects on Professionalism: A Study on Medical Profession in Istanbul]”. BAP-07-03-2009-00-03. METU. Ankara. (mit S. Kalaycıoğlu)
2011 – “Türkiye’de Toplumsal Yapı ve Din [The Social Structure and Religion in Turkey]”. TÜBİTAK 108K202. Istanbul. (mit B. Akşit, R. Şentürk, K. Cengiz, Ö. Küçükural, G. Yavuz, Z. Benli, S. Gülen, P. Güran, N. Taşkın, Z. Arıkan)
2008-“Kentsel Suçlar için Mekânsal Analiz Yöntemlerine Dayalı Suç Tahmini Modellerinin ve Suç Önleme Politikalarının Geliştirilmesi [Development of Urban Crime Prediction Models and Crime Reduction Policies Based on Spatial Analyses]”. SPO (DPT) State Planning Department- BAP-07-02-DPT.2003(06)K120920-21. Ankara. (mit Ş. Düzgün, S. Kalaycıoğlu, Rittersberger H. İ.)
Blogbeiträge
Uçarol, A.B., Başkavak, G. & Şahinol, M. (4. Juni 2026). “Paper Walls and Mobile Boundary Infrastructures: MediCluster in Warsaw [Papierwände und mobile Grenzinfrastrukturen: MediCluster in Warschau]”. Manufacturing Practices of Medical Instruments (MediCluster). https://doi.org/10.58079/16c4f
Şahinol, M., Kocager, U., Başkavak, G. & Uçarol, A. B. (1. Juni 2026). “Co-Producing Knowledge: Citizen Science and Participatory Futures in Türkiye [Wissen koproduzieren: Citizen Science und partizipative Zukünfte in der Türkei]”. Orient-Institut Istanbul Blog. https://oiist.org/co-producing-knowledge-citizen-science-and-participatory-futures-in-tuerkiye/
Başkavak, G. & Şahinol, M. (22. April 2026). “Walking the Cluster: Urban Memory, Craft, and Medical Manufacturing in Tuttlingen [Den Cluster durchwandern: Stadtgedächtnis, Handwerk und die Herstellung medizinischer Instrumente in Tuttlingen]”. Manufacturing Practices of Medical Instruments (MediCluster). https://doi.org/10.58079/1647j
Başkavak, G. (16. Dezember 2025). “MEDICA as a Global Socio-Technical Marketplace: Sociological Fieldnotes [MEDICA als globaler soziotechnischer Marktplatz: Soziologische Feldnotizen]”. Manufacturing Practices of Medical Instruments (MediCluster). https://doi.org/10.58079/15cz5
Başkavak, G. (14. August 2025). “Fieldnotes from Samsun (Türkiye): Listening to the Masters–MediCluster Project [Feldnotizen aus Samsun (Türkei): Den Meistern zuhören – MediCluster-Projekt]”. Manufacturing Practices of Medical Instruments (MediCluster). https://doi.org/10.58079/14hd1
16.02.2022: Şahinol, M., Taşdizen, B., & Başkavak, G. “Perform_Factur_ing /Healthy/ Wo_Man: Iran, Turkey and Beyond: A Timely Reflection”, https://hairyless.hypotheses.org blog post, 16 February 2022. https://hairyless.hypotheses.org/?p=563
2020: Şahinol, M. & Başkavak, G. “Covid-19 Sürecinde Tip 1 Diyabetli ve Sürekli Glikoz İzleme Teknolojisi Kullanan Çocuklar”/“Kinder mit Typ 1-Diabetes und kontinuierliche Glukosemessung während Covid-19”, Orient-Institut Istanbul, Newsletter, https://www.oiist.org/tr/newsletter/, Sonbahar/Herbst 2020 (pp. 18-19).
30.04.2020: Şahinol, M. & Başkavak, G. “İnsan, Tıp ve Toplum alanındaki ‘E-sağlık: Türkiye’de Öz-Takip Cihazlarının Pratikleri ve Sosyo-Kültürel Boyutları’ başlıklı proje tamamlandı”. Orient-Institut Istanbul Blog. 30 April 2020. https://www.oiist.org/insan-tip-ve-toplum-alanindaki-e-saglik-tuerkiyede-oez-takip-cihazlarinin-pratikleri-ve-sosyo-kueltuerel-boyutlari-baslikli-proje-tamamlandi/
15.05.2020: Başkavak, G. “When you start working on a topic, you feel like swimming in an ocean, and without a boat” – An interview with Gülşah Başkavak”. Orient-Institut Istanbul Blog. 15 May 2020. https://www.oiist.org/when-you-start-working-on-a-topic-you-feel-like-swimming-in-an-ocean-and-without-a-boat-an-interview-with-guelsah-baskavak/
22.10.2019: Başkavak, G. “When you start working on a topic, you feel like swimming in an ocean, and without a boat” – 5in10 with Gülşah Başkavak”, in: TRAFO – Blog for Transregional Research. 22.10.2019. https://trafo.hypotheses.org/19828
Podcast
Başkavak, G. (2024). “Tıpta Yeni Teknolojiler, Yeni Beceriler [New Technologies, New Skills in Medicine]”. Podcast in Gündelik Hayatın Sosyolojisi (Sociology of Everyday Life), Açık Radyo. 09.10.2024
