JAMMO ISSN 2146-3328

Asst. Prof. Dr. Erkan Konyar of the Department of Ancient History, Istanbul University provides the results from one of his archaeological excavations in Van. The work at the Mound of Van Fortress is supported by the Scientific Research Projects Unit of Istanbul University

Ahsen Yalin explores the unknowns of nature in view of science, mystical factors and philosophy. She contends that mysticism is a good product for marketing to trade in its secrets and promises; she cautions all to be vigilant and ensure the rules of ethics are always maintained in the collaboration between mysticism and marketing.

Ayberk examines mysticism closely from psychological and sociological perspectives combining Middle Eastern and Western framework from Güleç; Tarhan; Doğan to Maslow; Stace and Jung to name a few. His approach is thorough and honest.

The article redefines myth away from falsehood, advances literary, archaeological evidence, valid technological proofs and offers insights into spiritual realities to re-present Lord Krishna as an historical personage making it unnecessary to over argue this reality by consigning erstwhile widely-held oriental outdated myth postulation of the West, which incidentally had also influenced some Eastern indologists to arbitrariness, political motivation and missionary disposition. Professor Horacio Francisco Arganis-Juárez provides a detailed deconstruction of Benjamin Preciado Solis’ the First Historical Evidences of Krishna.

Drawing on psychology, theology, sociology and especially the practice of marketing, Saba G. Oral analyzes New Age trends in the media focusing on “Tibet”, a TV commercial; to provide means to understanding the consequential significance of language and words.

In Hilal Kiliç’s article, the readers are faced with the commercial forces of astrology tending to a future sold as a given and with the contemplation of mystical experiences outgrowing religion almost as a necessity in the twenty-first century to replace the fracturing of community and family life of the twentieth century.

Dilge Kodak frames the twenty-first century within the unique currents of postmodernism embracing individualized attitude to consumerism.

Appendix: FOSS tools for OER development, management and dissemination¹