Conversations with Career Pioneers – Selin Sayek Böke
Tarih: Date
Our guest in April was Assoc. Prof. Dr. Selin Sayek Böke, who is an Economist, a Lecturer, and a Member of Parliament. Mrs. Sayek Böke began her visit with an interview on Radio TEDU and then carried on with her presentation. She stated that she is currently serving as the Member of the Parliament for İzmir and that, before her active political life, she had carried out various duties at institutions such as Bentley University, Georgetown University, International Monetary Fund (IMF), Bilkent University, World Bank, TÜBİTAK and Social Sciences Research Group.
Mrs. Sayek Böke, when she talked about what kind of choices she made, what affected her choices and what her parents’ role was in her career choice while she was shaping her career after graduation, she emphasized her learning by experiencing that social sciences underlies all aspects of life. She said that, while she was studying economics, she learned how to perceive the world in a different way, that everything in social and political terms pertains to humans. She sees her job as a natural part of her life, and thus, she said, she does not have much difficulty in her work.
Mrs. Sayek Böke also stated that she was deeply influenced by Gezi Park Protests and that these were the reasons that led her to take an active part in politics. According to her, we remembered what it is like to be a community during those protests and how powerful we are as a community. She stressed she adopts the idea “If you are not part of the solution, there is no solution.” She advocated that political socialization is a must in the community. Mrs. Sayek Böke then continued by answering students’ questions.
She pointed out that our students should know themselves very well and invest in different areas to make themselves different; that it becomes difficult when someone else tells them what to do, and that they should fully devote themselves to what they do.
She ended the session by adding that a society in which basic skills are not taught to all gives birth to injustice, that education should provide equal opportunities for all, that women have to go through a lot not only in politics but in all parts of life, that non-governmental organizations are the platforms to make ourselves heard.
