Areas of Expertise
- Cultural Studies
- Social and Political Theory
- Gender and Sexuality
- Visual Culture and New Media
- Politics of Space and Place
Education
- M.A., Comparative Cultural Analysis, University of Amsterdam
- B.A., Western Languages and Literatures, Bogazici University
İlayda is a fifth year Ph.D. student in Comparative Studies, also pursuing a Graduate Certificate in Contemporary Art and Curatorial Practice. They hold a BA in Western Languages and Literatures from Bogazici University, and an MA in Comparative Cultural Analysis from the University of Amsterdam. Their research sits at the nexus of gender and sexuality studies, cultural studies, social and political theory, and visual culture and media. Currently, İlayda is interested in questions of embodiment and vulnerability, politics of space and place, and collective acts of resistance.
Selected Awards and Fellowships
The Women's Place, Critical Difference Research Grant, 2025
WGSS, Dana Greenblatt Feminist Media Award, 2025
FREE Center, Graduate Small Grant for Feminist Scholarship, 2025
Global Arts + Humanities, Discovery Theme Graduate Team Fellowship, 2023-2024 AY
Arts & Humanities, Graduate Small Grant, 2023, 2024, 2025
University Fellowship, 2020-2021 AY
Selected Publications
Ustel, Ilayda. “‘Challenge Accepted’ Movement on Instagram: An Embodied Virtual Protest.” Iowa Journal of Cultural Studies: Justice Framed 21, no. 1 (2021): 27–48. https://doi.org/10.17077/2168-569x.1569.
Ustel, Ilayda. “Menopoz ya da Kadınlar ve Medikalize Edilen Bedenleri.” 5Harfliler (online), Dec. 28, 2021. https://www.5harfliler.com/menopoz-ya-da-kadinlar-ve-medikalize-edilen-bedenleri/
Ustel, Ilayda. “Spaces of Encounter / Spaces of Contamination.” Soapbox Journal for Cultural Analysis (online), Nov. 12, 2021. https://www.soapboxjournal.net/online-articles/spaces-of-encounter-spaces-of-contamination