Ilker Hepkaner, PhD
Ilker Hepkaner is a writer and cultural critic based in New York City and İstanbul. He is an editorial advisor at Sanat Dünyamız, the leading art print magazine in Türkiye. With Sezgin İnceel, he is the co-author of Yine Yeni Yeniden 90’lar (2024, Ayrıntı Yayınları), a book born out of their award-winning podcast that analyzes pop culture in Turkey through a feminist and queer lens. He currently co-produces Sütçüoğlu Apartmanı, a podcast on Turkish comedy and TV culture from the 2000s with Alican Acanerler. Ilker has published articles, essays, and poetry in print and online; taught media, history, and cultural studies in the US and Türkiye; and presented his research to general and academic audiences across the world. He holds a PhD in culture and representation in the Middle East from NYU. His poetry book Beyefendiler (Misters) was published in 2023 by 160. Kilometre Yayınları. His translation of William Carlos Williams’ short stories into Turkish is forthcoming with the same publishing house. Ilker is currently looking for publishers for his novel in English on the gay immigrant experience in NYC and for his short story collection in Turkish on LGBTQI+ issues in Türkiye. He is working on a new novel in Turkish about friendship and fame.
ilker’s work has appeared on:
Metropolis, The Journal of Popular Culture, The Revealer, The Markaz Review, Ajam Media Collective, Mangal Media, Jadaliyya, Comparative Drama, Bantmag, Asymptote Blog, 5Harfliler, KaosGL Dergi, Sanat Dünyamız, Argonotlar, Manifold, NouvArt, TRANSIT, Dadanizm, among other places.
ilker’s work has BEEN TRANSLATED TO:
Portugese and Italian
ilker HAS consulted on followıng ıssues:
Mass Violence, Election Integrity, LGBTQI+ rights in the Middle East and the Diaspora, the Arab-Israeli Conflict, Hindu-Muslim relations in India, Press freedom, Turkey domestic and foreign policy, Internet Legislation, Online Child Safety, Digital Citizenship, Policy Research, Human Rights in Turkey, Print Regulation, AI model training, and Ottoman poetry among other issues.
ilker has taught at:
Faculty of Communication, Galatasaray University
Department of Media, Culture, and Communication, NYU
Department of Middle Eastern and Islamic Studies, NYU
Department of Classical, Middle Eastern, and Asian Languages and Cultures, Queens College
School of Middle Eastern and North African Studies, The University of Arizona
+ more