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EPQ Idea? (Not 100%)

Hi. I wanted to ask if its possible to do a EPQ on the conversion of Hagia Sophia from a museum to a mosque? I have talked to my peers and they said not enough can be written on that subject. I have mainly chosen it as the building fascinates me in terms of its structural design, architecture and history of it (from church to mosque to musesum etc).I also took an interest in it as I also want to study History at University. What do you guys think? Do you think its writeable?
Original post by GST1_m4n543
Hi. I wanted to ask if its possible to do a EPQ on the conversion of Hagia Sophia from a museum to a mosque? I have talked to my peers and they said not enough can be written on that subject. I have mainly chosen it as the building fascinates me in terms of its structural design, architecture and history of it (from church to mosque to musesum etc).I also took an interest in it as I also want to study History at University. What do you guys think? Do you think its writeable?


I think it's possible since it's also relevant to your study of interest but at the same I would also say that I don't think there's much to write on it but if you're really passionate about it, you can do loads of reasearch.
Original post by GST1_m4n543
Hi. I wanted to ask if its possible to do a EPQ on the conversion of Hagia Sophia from a museum to a mosque? I have talked to my peers and they said not enough can be written on that subject. I have mainly chosen it as the building fascinates me in terms of its structural design, architecture and history of it (from church to mosque to musesum etc).I also took an interest in it as I also want to study History at University. What do you guys think? Do you think its writeable?

I would anticipate there could be a lot to write about, but maybe it is how you are framing it that is raising some doubts? If you just concentrate on the current controversy, these are only symbolically about the building (it is a ‘Macguffin’). Really they are about the balance between religion and politics or religious and state authority (modern Turkey was founded as a secular state), and about nationalism and autonomy vs international law and inter-governmental bodies.
I think returning it to a mosque from a museum has been opposed by UNESCO on heritage grounds. The more populist, more religious, and increasingly confrontational Turkish government might be seen as an inevitable reaction to reluctance by EU member states to allow Turkey to join the EU (particularly from Germany economically, although shamingly by the Brexit Party in the UK’s 2016 referendum, but also since the Mediterranean migration crises following the failure of the ‘Arab Spring’ in Egypt, Syria, etc. Concern from other countries that Turkey would not be able to manage the external border of the EU if it was within the Schengen freedom of movement zone).
What is the ‘research question’ you want to answer?
Original post by SebastianMesser
I would anticipate there could be a lot to write about, but maybe it is how you are framing it that is raising some doubts? If you just concentrate on the current controversy, these are only symbolically about the building (it is a ‘Macguffin’). Really they are about the balance between religion and politics or religious and state authority (modern Turkey was founded as a secular state), and about nationalism and autonomy vs international law and inter-governmental bodies.
I think returning it to a mosque from a museum has been opposed by UNESCO on heritage grounds. The more populist, more religious, and increasingly confrontational Turkish government might be seen as an inevitable reaction to reluctance by EU member states to allow Turkey to join the EU (particularly from Germany economically, although shamingly by the Brexit Party in the UK’s 2016 referendum, but also since the Mediterranean migration crises following the failure of the ‘Arab Spring’ in Egypt, Syria, etc. Concern from other countries that Turkey would not be able to manage the external border of the EU if it was within the Schengen freedom of movement zone).
What is the ‘research question’ you want to answer?

something along the lines if it was appropriate enough to turn the Hagia Sophia back into a mosque?
Original post by GST1_m4n543
something along the lines if it was appropriate enough to turn the Hagia Sophia back into a mosque?

The word ‘enough’ would require some unpacking of your assumptions and position prior to undertaking the research, so I’m going to stick just with ‘appropriate’!
Apart from in the most basic sense - could Hagia Sofia function as a mosque? - then appropriate really is talking about competing values, as I described above. A good starting point for that could be Edward W Said’s (1978) Orientalism.
The Hagia Sofia debate could also provide a particular angle, or focus, for the wider debate about value - and the ongoing arguments around repatriation of artefacts, most famously (in the UK) the ‘Elgin Marbles’ and the Benin Bronzes. You will find lots of discussion of this in current affairs, but the BBC Radio 4’s (2010) A History of the World in 100 Objects podcasts, and BBC TV series Civilisations might also be good background information.
Good luck with your EPQ whether you decide on this topic or not.
Would you guys also recommend me typing while researching or research first then type it up?
Original post by GST1_m4n543
Would you guys also recommend me typing while researching or research first then type it up?

It’s aimed at undergraduates, but should still be relevant for an EPQ - there is useful advice on the Royal Literary Fund website https://www.rlf.org.uk/resources/writing-essays/

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