In Memoriam: Ulku Ulkusal Bates, 1938-2023

Ulku Bates, a long-time educator who spent the bulk of her teaching career at Hunter College of the City University of New York, died on August 7 in Portage, Michigan. She was 84 years old.

A native of Romania, Dr. Bates earned a bachelor’s degree at the University of Istanbul in Türkiye. She went on to earn a Ph.D. in art history from the University of Michigan.

Dr. Bates began teaching career at Oakland University in Michigan and the University of Michigan, where she taught Islamic and Chinese art history. In 1971, she joined the faculty at Hunter College in New York City. Her major focus was Islamic art history, but she also taught Indian, Chinese, and Japanese art history.

Professor Bates was a co-author of the original edition of Women’s Realities, Women’s Choices, an interdisciplinary textbook for an introductory course on women’s studies that was first published in 1983. It is now in its fourth edition.

Dr. Bates retired from teaching in 2008, after 37 years on the faculty of Hunter College.