Professor Faruk Sen, key figure in Turkish-German relations, passes away

Professor Faruk Sen, a renowned academic and activist who played a crucial role in shaping Turkish-German relations, has passed away at the age of 77. Having spent nearly 40 years in Germany, Sen was instrumental in advocating for the rights of Turkish immigrants and fostering cultural and academic exchanges between the two nations.

Sen was the founder and longtime director of the center of Turkish Studies Research (TAM) in Germany. After leaving TAM, he established and led the European-Turkish Foundation for Education and Economic Research (TAVAK), continuing his work in the same field. In 2010, he relocated TAVAK’s headquarters to Istanbul, where he continued his research and advocacy.

His funeral will take place on January 27, 2025, at Kanlica Iskenderpasa Mosque following the noon prayer, and he will be laid to rest at Kanlica Cemetery.

A career rooted in academia and social justice

Born in Ankara in 1948, Sen completed his secondary education at the German High School in Istanbul before moving to Germany in the early 1970s. He studied business economics at the University of Munster, where he also earned his doctorate. Sen later taught at the universities of Bamberg and Essen.

On October 1, 1985, he founded the Center for Turkish Studies in Bonn, which was later moved to Essen and granted foundation status. He led the institution for 23 years, conducting significant research on the social, political, and economic conditions of Turkish immigrants in Germany.

Sen became a professor at the University of Essen in 1991. His contributions earned him numerous accolades, including the North Rhine-Westphalia State Honor Award in 1997, the Federal Republic of Germany’s Order of Merit in 2003, and the Turkish-German Friendship Award in 2005.

Controversy and departure from TAM

In 2008, following the tragic Ludwigshafen fire that claimed the lives of nine Turkish citizens, Sen published a controversial article comparing the discrimination faced by Turks in Germany to the persecution of Jews during the Nazi era. This led to a fierce backlash, and he was eventually dismissed from his position at TAM. The foundation was later renamed the Foundation for Turkey and Integration Studies.

That same year, he founded TAVAK in Essen, focusing on strengthening trade, social, and cultural ties between Türkiye and Germany. In 2010, the foundation moved its headquarters to Istanbul. One of its major initiatives was the establishment of a Turkish-German University in Istanbul’s Silivri district, but the project was ultimately not realized.

A legacy of scholarship and activism

Throughout his career, Sen was actively involved with international organizations such as the United Nations Economic and Social Council, UNESCO’s German National Committee, and the European Union’s Intercultural Dialogue Commission (Anna Lindh Foundation). He was also a member of Germany’s Social Democratic Party (SPD) and Türkiye’s Republican People’s Party (CHP).

Even in his later years, he continued to share his insights on Turkish-German relations and social developments through articles and public commentary. He had been battling a severe illness in recent years.

Sen authored numerous books in Turkish, German, and English, covering topics such as Turkish-German relations, labor migration from Türkiye to Germany, and the socio-economic conditions of Turkish communities in Germany.

He also contributed to and led several collaborative research projects.