Handan Meltem Arıkan (born January 7, 1968) is a Turkish

novelist A novelist is an author or writer of novels, though often novelists also write in other genres of both fiction and non-fiction. Some novelists are professional novelists, thus make a living wage, living writing novels and other fiction, while other ...

and

playwright A playwright or dramatist is a person who writes play (theatre), plays, which are a form of drama that primarily consists of dialogue between Character (arts), characters and is intended for Theatre, theatrical performance rather than just Readin ...

Biography

Arıkan was born and grew up in

Ankara Ankara is the capital city of Turkey and List of national capitals by area, the largest capital by area in the world. Located in the Central Anatolia Region, central part of Anatolia, the city has a population of 5,290,822 in its urban center ( ...

Turkey Turkey, officially the Republic of Türkiye, is a country mainly located in Anatolia in West Asia, with a relatively small part called East Thrace in Southeast Europe. It borders the Black Sea to the north; Georgia (country), Georgia, Armen ...

. Currently she is UK-based since she was persecuted by the Turkish government. The play Mi Minör is considered by the politicians a subversive work and the playwright is accused to be responsible for the rehearsal of Gezi Park protests. She allegedly received rape and death threats Her first short stories and essays were published in various literary journals during 1992–1995. Her first novel, ''Ve… Veya… Belki… (And… Or… Maybe…)'' was published in 1999, followed by ''Evet... Ama... Sanki... (Yes… But… As If…)'' in 2000 and ''Kadin Bedenini Soyarsa (Undressing Herself)'' in 2002. Her fourth novel ''Yeter Tenimi Acıtmayın (Stop Hurting My Flesh)'' which included women's trauma stories of child abuse, harassment and incest had been banned in early 2004 by the ''Committee to Protect the Minors from Obscene Publications'', a body established under the Turkish Prime Ministry, with the accusation of "Writing about the non-existing incest fact in Turkey, while using Turkish names for the characters, attempting to disturb the Turkish family order with a feminist approach." Following the legal procedures, the ban was lifted by the '1st Magistrate Criminal Court' after two months, and the book was published once again without being subjected to any censorship. After this experience of censorship, Arıkan has been awarded with “Freedom of Idea and Statement Prize 2004” by the Turkish Publishers’ Association. Her fifth novel ''Zaten Yoksunuz (You Exist In No Way)'' was published in 2005, followed by ''Umut Lanettir (Hope is a Curse)'' in 2006. After her first 6 novels, Arikan wrote the script for the play ''I’m Breaking the Game (Oyunu Bozuyorum)'' which premiered in August at the

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, performed by Garajistanbul and awarded the “New Unique Play” prize from VIII. Lions Theatrical Awards in 2007. She published a research book titled ''Beden Biliyor (The Body Knows)'' in 2008. In 2009 another play, ''Parallel'', whose dramaturgy was by Arıkan, was staged by Garajistanbul as a part of the

Linz Linz (Pronunciation: , ; ) is the capital of Upper Austria and List of cities and towns in Austria, third-largest city in Austria. Located on the river Danube, the city is in the far north of Austria, south of the border with the Czech Repub ...

2009:

European Capital of Culture A European Capital of Culture is a city designated by the European Union (EU) for a period of one calendar year during which it organises a series of cultural events with a strong pan-European dimension. Being a European Capital of Culture can ...

program. Her last novel, ''Özlemin Beni Savuran (Your Yearning That Sways Me)'' was published in June 2009.

Bibliography

Fiction

* 1999 ''Ve... Veya... Belki... (And... Or... Maybe...)'', 210 pp., 3rd edition 2005, * 2000 ''Evet... Ama... Sanki... (Yes... But... As If...)'', 209 pp., 3rd edition 2004, * 2002 ''Kadın Bedenini Soyarsa (Undressing Herself)'', 328 pp., 5th edition 2005, * 2003 ''Yeter Tenimi Acıtmayın (Stop Hurting My Flesh)'', 327 pp., 6th edition 2007, * 2005 ''Zaten Yoksunuz (You Exist In No Way)'', 278 pp., 4th edition 2005, * 2006 ''Umut Lanettir (Hope is a Curse)'', 263 pp., 2nd edition 2006, * 2009 ''Özlemin Beni Savuran (Your Yearning That Sways Me)'', 190 pp., * 2015 ''Erospa'', Akılçelen Publications * 2018 ''Tek Bildikleri Aşktı'', Eksik Parça Publications

Non-fiction

* 2008 ''Beden Biliyor (The Body Knows)'', 139 pp., 3rd edition 2008,

Theatrical plays

* 2007 ''I'm Breaking the Game'' (a.k.a. I'm Spoiling the Game) Text: Meltem Arıkan (Oyunu Bozuyorum) * 2009 ''Parallel'' Dramaturgy: Meltem Arıkan * 2012–2013 '' Mi Minör'' * 2017 ''Enough is Enough'', Wales

Journalism

* 2007 - columns at monthly magazine ''Kazete''Meltem Arıkan's monthly column articles in Kazete

Awards and honours

* 2014, “Freedom of Expression in Arts Award” shortlisted by

Index On Censorship Index on Censorship is an organisation campaigning for freedom of expression. It produces a quarterly magazine of the same name from London. It is directed by the non-profit-making Writers and Scholars International, Ltd (WSI) in association wit ...

* 2013, Mi Minör, “Best Play of the Year” nomination at Lions Theatrical Awards * 2012, Mi Minör, “Best Play of the Year” prize by Readers of Radikal Newspaper * 2007 VIII. Lions Theatre Awards, Unique New Play Award (with ''Oyunu Bozuyorum - I'm Breaking the Game'') * 2004

Turkish Publishers Association The Turkish Publishers Association ({{langx, tr, Türkiye Yayıncılar Birliği, TYB) is the oldest national association for publishers in Turkey. It was founded in 1985, and in 2013 counted around 300 publishing companies and distributors as memb ...

's Freedom of Statement and Idea Award (with ''Yeter Tenimi Acıtmayın - Stop Hurting My Flesh'') * 2003 Nigde University Talebe Journal's Best Female Writer Award (with ''Kadın Bedenini Soyarsa - Undressing Herself'')

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Arikan, Meltem 1968 births Living people 21st-century Turkish women writers Turkish dramatists and playwrights Turkish non-fiction writers Censorship in Turkey Turkish women novelists Turkish women's rights activists Writers from Ankara Turkish women dramatists and playwrights 21st-century Turkish dramatists and playwrights 21st-century Turkish novelists