The Family as the Foundation of Society Panel held in collaboration with the FABKAM Fatma Bacı Center for Women’s Studies, the Faculty of Education, and the Office of Science Communication.
Speaking before the panel, Assistant Professor Muzaffer Musab Yılmaz from the Office of Science Communication of Kırşehir Ahi Evran University emphasized that the academic knowledge produced at the university should not remain on library shelves but must be “made accessible to the public”. He stated that their fundamental vision is to ensure that knowledge is no longer a burden behind closed doors but is disseminated to every corner of society. Noting that the role of publishing is being increasingly taken on by universities, Yılmaz expressed that the peace and future of the family—which he described as society’s “micro-laboratory”—should be the ultimate goal of all academic work produced, ranging from sociology to health.
The panel held on April 17, 2026, at the Ahi Evran Congress and Culture Center, Prof. Dr. Fuat Sezgin Hall, was moderated by Prof. Dr. Maksut Yiğitbaş from the Faculty of Education. Delivering the opening speech of the panel, Yiğitbaş stated that this event was organized as part of the family special issue of the Ahi Evran University Journal of the Institute of Social Sciences. Touching upon the main objective of the program, Yiğitbaş offered his thanks following his speech and left the floor to the panelists.
Following Prof. Dr. Maksut Yiğitbaş’s speech, the first panelist Assoc. Prof. Dr. Ertuğrul Güreşçi, a faculty member at the Faculty of Economics and Administrative Sciences, highlighted the effects of economic cooperation on family structure in his presentation titled “The Role of Cooperatives in Protecting and Empowering the Family in Turkey.” Assoc. Prof. Dr. Ertuğrul Güreşçi highlighted the structure of civil society, which requires voluntarism and responsibility, and offered important insights into the development of civil society awareness in Turkey. Güreşçi emphasized that the structure of the endowment and ahilik culture in Anatolia, which unites society and bridges the gap between the state and citizens, differs from the Western understanding of civil society that positions itself against the state, and pointed to the critical role of the cooperative model in protecting the family.
Following Assoc. Prof. Dr. Ertuğrul Güreşçi, Assoc. Prof. Dr. Songül Erdoğan, a faculty member of the Faculty of Science and Letters, addressed the topic of “The Family in the Language of Motifs,” discussing how symbols in our cultural heritage represent family bonds and social continuity. Sharing the silent language of communication embedded in Anatolia’s ancient traditional arts with the audience, Erdoğan highlighted the social and cultural values reflected in Turkish motifs.
Following Assoc. Prof. Dr. Songül Erdoğan, Dr. Gülçin Cebecioğlu, Assistant Professor at the Faculty of Arts and Sciences, delivered a presentation titled “The Rights and Obligations of Spouses in the Family: An Assessment from Legal and Sociological Perspectives,” addressing both the legal framework and the sociological implications of roles within the family. Cebecioğlu emphasized that the family is not merely an emotional bond but a deeply rooted institution shaped by mutual rights and obligations. She drew attention to the transformation of traditional roles and legal statuses within the family, particularly in light of women’s increasing participation in social life.
