Reading Tunceli Museum as a place of memory with documentary photographs

This thesis aims to examine the historical and socio-cultural memory of the Tunceli Museum—formerly known as the Dersim Barracks—through the medium of documentary photography. Originally constructed and used as a military barracks, the building embodies a multi-layered history and memory that extends from the past to the present. The study investigates the evolution of the structure since its inception, with particular attention to the period when it functioned as residential housing. It seeks to analyze, through semiotic methodology, the daily life practices, cultural interactions, and reflections of historical events within the space during this era. Within this framework, the analysis is grounded in photographic methodology, aiming to interpret the representations of photographs produced since the construction of the museum in their historical and social contexts. By categorizing these photographs into distinct periods, the study contextualizes them within broader social and political frameworks. This contextual analysis provides a scholarly evaluation of the memory embedded in the space and the narratives of the past. Moreover, through the reconstruction of photographic narratives, the study intends to reveal the socio-cultural impact and historical significance of the building on collective memory, both visually and textually. In doing so, it contributes to the creation of a comprehensive documentary photography project.