The Politics of Collecting and Heritage in the Ottoman Mediterranean with Dr. Batuhan Özdemir

In this episode of Heritage Türkiye, we speak with Dr Batuhan Özdemir, the 2025–26 BIAA–Bilkent Postdoctoral Fellow, about his research on the history of collecting and the politics of cultural heritage in the Ottoman Mediterranean. Focusing on Lycian material culture and Charles Fellows's collection at the British Museum, he explores how objects were framed within 19th-century imperial discourse. We discuss his shift from field archaeology to archival research, the distinctive character of Lycia, and what material culture can reveal beyond written sources. The conversation also touches on power, mobility, and asymmetry in the circulation of heritage, as well as current debates on decolonisation. Finally, Batuhan reflects on his postdoctoral project and his experience at the BIAA.