The Turkish Tea Garden: Exploring a 'Third Space' with cultural resonances

Sharon Wohl

Research output: Contribution to journalArticleScientificpeer-review

5 Citations (Scopus)
120 Downloads (Pure)

Abstract

This article examines the history, use, and significance of the Turkish Tea Garden or Cay Bahcesi, positing that these gardens offer unique democratic spaces for public discourse set within the polis. The article unpacks the historical, cultural, and symbolic features of these gardens, and the role these shared spaces play in Turkey’s multivalent civic environment. It employs Ray Oldenburg’s notion of “third space” to consider how these gardens provide inclusive settings for a culturally diverse citizenry. Furthermore, the article considers how these spaces act as repositories of shared memory, mediating conflict that appears in other societal spheres. The gardens are presented as uniquely “sacred” third spaces, distinct from the “profane” third spaces characterized by Oldenburg.
Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)56-67
JournalSpace and Culture
Volume20
Issue number1
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 2017

Bibliographical note

Accepted Author Manuscript

Keywords

  • tea gardens
  • Turkey
  • memory
  • public space
  • discourse
  • third space

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