Category: News

Join us For Autumn 2025 Turkish Politics Online Workshop Series

by psaturkishpolitics, posted in News

The Turkish Politics Online Workshop returns this autumn with a compelling new series exploring the intersections of digitalization, gender politics, and social inequality in contemporary Turkey. Convened by Assistant Professor Aykut Öztürk (University of Glasgow) and Assistant Professor Digdem Soyaltin-Colella (University of Aberdeen), the programme brings together scholars for three in-depth discussions on the evolving dynamics of political, economic, and social transformation in Turkey.

The sessions will take place on Zoom and the registration links will be updated closer to the events.

4 November (13:00, UK time)

Autocratization in an Age of Digitalization

Presenter: Huseyin Emre Ceyhun (Princeton University)

Discussants: Dr. Melis Laebens (Central European University) and Dr. Rachael McLellan (University of Glasgow)

Register here

17 November (15:00, UK time)

Who Balances the Scale? Parliamentary Framings of Work-Family Life Reconciliation in Türkiye’s Labor Law Debates

Presenter: Cansu Yetimoglu (Bilkent University)

Discussants: Dr. Elifcan Çelebi (University College Dublin) and Dr. Nazli Kazanoglu (Nisantasi University)

Register here

8 December (15:00, UK time)

How Exposure to Economic Inequality Deflects Resentment from Disadvantaged Groups

Presenter: Aysenur Deger (Syracuse University)

Discussants: Dr. Aysenur Dal (Bilkent University) and Dr. Gizem Arikan (Trinity College Dublin)

Scholars, students, and interested participants are warmly invited to join these sessions and contribute to the discussions.

For any queries contact: turkishpoliticspsa@gmail.com

Register here

Civil Society and Autocratisation: Virtual Book Launch with Bilge Yabancı on Co-optation, Repression, and Resistance in Turkey

by psaturkishpolitics, posted in News

As Turkey confronts deepening authoritarian pressures, the question of how civil society adapts and resists has become more urgent than ever. Addressing this challenge, we are delighted to host the launch of Civil Society and Autocratisation: Co-optation, Repression and Contestation in Turkey (Edinburgh University Press), where Bilge Yabancı examines how NGOs, charities, businesses, activist groups, and religious organisations are reshaped under autocratic rule.

About the Author

Dr. Bilge Yabancı holds a dual appointment at Deusto University (Spain), where she is an assistant professor of research funded by the Ikerbasque Foundation of the Basque Government, and a Ramón y Cajal Fellow supported by the Spanish Ministry of Science, Technology, and Innovation.

She previously held posts as a Marie Curie Global Fellow at Northwestern University (USA) and Ca’ Foscari University of Venice (Italy), an Open Society Fellow in the Human Rights Cohort, and a Swedish Institute Postdoctoral Fellow.

Her research examines social movements and the transformation of civic space under autocratisation. She has also written extensively on populism, the nexus between populism, religion, and nationalism, and the role of emotions and performance in political mobilisation. In her current project, she studies social marginalisation to identify potential pathways for shifting attitudes toward refugees and vulnerable groups.

About the Discussants

The book presentation will be followed by feedback from two discussants. Dr. Zeynep Atalay, Associate Professor of Sociology at St. Mary’s College of California, specialises in state–civil society relationships in hybrid regimes, neoliberal governmentality, and the role of faith-based organisations in reproducing conservative communitarianism. Dr. Begüm Zorlu, ESRC Research Fellow at City St George’s University of London, researches political opposition in Turkey and Venezuela, the dynamics of solidarity and contestation in International Relations, and the changing landscape of warfare.

About the Event

The event will take place online on Wednesday, 8 October 2025, at 17:30 (UK time). Registration is available via Zoom, and all are welcome to attend. The presentations will be followed by a Q&A session.

Please register here.

Call for Submissions: Autumn 2025 Turkish Politics Online Workshops by PSA’s Turkish Politics Specialist Group

by psaturkishpolitics, posted in News

The Turkish Politics Specialist Group of the Political Studies Association invites submissions for the Autumn 2025 Turkish Politics Online Workshops, co-convened by Dr Aykut Ozturk (University of Glasgow) and Dr Digdem Soyaltin-Colella (University of Aberdeen).

Photo: Digdem Soyaltin-Colella

Turkish Politics Online Workshops are back!

We are happy to announce the call for submissions for the Autumn 2025 Turkish Politics Online Workshops organised by the Turkish Politics Specialist Group of the Political Studies Association (PSA). This online workshop series aims to provide detailed and constructive feedback for working papers on Turkish politics.

We recognize that publishing is essential to secure employment and promotion in academia. Our goal is to provide junior scholars of Turkish politics (PhD students, postdoctoral researchers, assistant professors, or mid-career researchers) with an opportunity to improve the quality of their manuscripts. We are open to all theoretical and methodological approaches to studying Turkish politics, including those from comparative, international relations, or foreign policy perspectives.

We are planning to organize three sessions in October and November 2025. Each sessionwill feature only one paper and last one hour. We expect the applicant to submit a full draft paper at least ten days before the seminar date. During the seminar, the presenter will make a brief presentation about the paper, no longer than 10 minutes. After that, the submitted paper will be discussed extensively by one or two discussants who are experts on the topic, co-convenors of the online workshop, and other attendees. The session will be finalized with a short Q&A session.

Scholars interested in presenting in the Turkish Politics Online Workshops series should send their draft papers to turkishpoliticspsa@gmail.com (Subject: Online Workshop Autumn 2025) by September 21st, 2025. We accept dissertation chapters and pre-analysis plans, as well as manuscripts written in the format of journal articles. We will prioritizemanuscripts that will benefit most from the workshop. 

We will notify the successful applicants by the end of September.

We very much look forward to receiving your applications!

Call for Papers: Turkish Politics in Transition – New Perspectives on State, Society, and Foreign Policy

by psaturkishpolitics, posted in News

The Political Studies Association’s Turkish Politics Specialist Group invites contributions for an upcoming online workshop and a prospective special issue on the evolving landscape of Turkish politics.

In recent years, Turkey has witnessed dramatic shifts in its political institutions, civil society, and foreign policy orientation. This call seeks papers that critically engage with these developments through innovative theoretical lenses and methodological strategies. We are especially interested in research that explores the interconnectedness of domestic political change and international dynamics.

Please see our full call for papers below:

Political Science Association Turkish Politics Call for PapersDownload

Format and Timeline

This will be an online workshop with pre-circulated papers. All selected participants will be expected to read each other’s papers in advance and provide comments during the workshop. Our aim is to offer detailed, constructive feedback in a supportive environment.

Key Dates

  • Abstract and bio deadline: 8 September 2025
  • Notification of acceptance: 15 September 2025
  • First draft due: 17 November 2025
  • Online workshop: 1 December 2025
  • Final papers for special issue consideration: 2 March 2026

Please send your abstract (max 300 words) and a short bio to turkishpoliticspsa@gmail.com.

We look forward to your submissions.

Spring 2025 Turkish Politics Workshop: Join the Discussion

by psaturkishpolitics, posted in News

We are pleased to invite you to the Spring 2024 Turkish Politics Online Workshop, a forum for scholarly discussions on key political issues shaping contemporary Turkey. Organized by Assistant Professor Aykut Ozturk (University of Glasgow) and Assistant Professor Digdem Soyaltin-Colella (University of Aberdeen), this workshop is open to all academics and researchers with a focus on Turkish politics. The event will take place via Zoom.

The workshop is structured to provide detailed and constructive feedback on working papers, offering presenters the opportunity to engage critically with both scholars and participants. This collaborative environment is intended to support the refinement and advancement of ongoing research. Each session is designed to foster rigorous academic exchange and encourage interdisciplinary dialogue.

Please find below the programme for our Spring workshop. All of the events will take place at 15:00 UK time.

Meanings/Conceptualization of Democracy: A Political Ethnography in Kirklareli, Turkey
  • Presenter: Cana Tülüs Türk (Sabanci University)
  • Discussants: Begüm Zorlu (City University), Tugce Ercetin (Bilgi University)
  • Date: February 10
  • Registration link

Government Type, Electoral Dynamics, and Subnational Unit Proliferation in Turkey
  • Presenters: Murat Abus (Syracuse University) & Sabri Ciftci (Kansas State University)
  • Discussants: Özge Kemahloglu (Sabanci University), T. Murat Yildirim (University of Stavanger)
  • Date: February 17
  • Registration Link

The Language of Diplomatic Contestation: A Quantitative Text Analysis of Turkey’s Response to EU Criticism
  • Presenter: Lungta Seki (Koç University)
  • Discussants: Senem Aydin Duzgit (Sabanci University), Bugra Gungor (American University of Central Asia)
  • Date: February 24
  • Registration Link

Exploring Syrian Refugees’ Local Destination Preferences: Evidence from Turkey and Germany
  • Presenters: Sefa Seen (Nazareth University), Sevinç Oztürk (Çukurova University), Aykut Öztürk (University of Glasgow)
  • Discussants: Sedef Turper (Koç University), Oguzhan Turkoglu (Hertie School, Berlin)
  • Date: March 10
  • Registration Link

Loyalty or Persuasion? Local Voting Behaviour of Electors in Büyükçekmece
  • Presenter: Murat Oztürk (Istanbul University)
  • Discussants: Aysenur Deger (Syracuse University), Mohsin Hussain (University of Aberdeen)
  • Date: March 17
  • Registration Link

For any queries, contact us via email at turkishpoliticspsa@gmail.com. We are looking forward to a comprehensive discussion and knowledge exchange.

Online Book Launch: Memory, Patriarchy and Economy in Turkey

by psaturkishpolitics, posted in News

We are inviting you to the online launch event of Meral Uğur-Çınar’s (Bilkent University) book, Memory, Patriarchy, and Economy in Turkey: Narratives of Political Power. The book, published by Edinburgh University Press, investigates the interplay between collective memory, economic development, and patriarchy in shaping political narratives in Turkey.

The book brings together feminist theories and theories of the state for a holistic account of issues of legitimacy and resistance in Turkish politics.

To read more about the book click here.

The launch will take place on Thursday, January 16th at 15:00 (UK time) and will host an engaging discussion in the fields of Turkish politics, collective memory, and gender studies.

It will feature Sultan Tepe (University of Illinois at Chicago) and Lisel Hintz (Johns Hopkins University) as discussants.

Registration:

To join the event, please register via this link. For any questions, feel free to contact us at turkishpoliticspsa@gmail.com.

Call for Submissions: Spring 2025 Turkish Politics Online Workshops

by psaturkishpolitics, posted in News

We are happy to announce the call for submissions for the Spring 2025 Turkish Politics Online Workshops organised by the Turkish Politics Specialist Group of the Political Studies Association (PSA). This online workshop series aims to provide detailed and constructive feedback for working papers on Turkish politics.

Photo by u015einasi Mu00fcldu00fcr on Pexels.com

We recognize that publishing is essential to secure employment and promotion in academia. Our goal is to provide junior scholars of Turkish politics (PhD students, postdoctoral researchers, assistant professors, or mid-career researchers) with an opportunity to improve the quality of their manuscripts. We are open to all theoretical and methodological approaches to studying Turkish politics, including those from comparative, international relations, or foreign policy perspectives.

We are planning to organize five session in the Spring term.Each sessionwill feature only one paper and last one hour. We expect the applicant to submit a full draft paper at least ten days before the seminar date. During the seminar, the presenter will make a brief presentation about the paper, no longer than 10 minutes. After that, the submitted paper will be discussed extensively by one or two discussants who are experts on the topic, co-convenors of the online workshop, and other attendees. The session will be finalized with a short Q&A session.

Scholars interested in presenting in the Turkish Politics Online Workshops series should send their draft papers to turkishpoliticspsa@gmail.com (Subject: Online Workshop Spring 2025) by January 5th, 2025. We accept dissertation chapters and pre-analysis plans, as well as manuscripts written in the format of journal articles. We will prioritize manuscripts that will benefit most from the workshop. 

We will notify the successful applicants by the 15th of January .

We very much look forward to receiving your applications!

Co-Convenors

Dr. Aykut Ozturk (University of Glasgow)

Dr. Digdem Soyaltin-Colella (University of Aberdeen)

Previous Programme

Virtual Book Launch: Guardianship and Democracy in Iran and Turkey

by psaturkishpolitics, posted in News

Join us on Friday, December 6, 2024, at 15:00 (UK time) / 18:00 (Turkey time) for the launch of Guardianship and Democracy in Iran and Turkey: Tutelary Consolidation, Popular Contestation by Karabekir Akkoyunlu (SOAS). The book provides a comparative analysis of the establishment, consolidation, and contestation of regime guardianship in the Islamic Republic of Iran and the Republic of Turkey. It provides insights for the democratisation and hybrid regime scholarship into how tutelary institutions shape and constrain electoral institutions and processes.

You can read more about the book here.

The event will feature Evren Balta, from the Department of International Relations at Özyeğin University, and Ali Alavi, from the School of Languages, Cultures, and Linguistics at SOAS, as discussants. We will also have time for a Q&A session.

You can register for the event using this link: https://lse.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_NWmm9lpwTWOuWb_uHaW3vQ#/registration.

Call for Papers: PSA Annual Conference 2025

by psaturkishpolitics, posted in News

The Turkish Politics Specialist Group (TPSG) invites scholars and researchers to submit their paper proposals for the PSA Annual Conference 2025. This year’s conference, themed “What Next?”, will be hosted by the University of Birmingham and Aston University from 14–16 April 2025. We encourage scholars interested in Turkish politics to submit abstracts that align with the overall conference theme or explore other critical issues in Turkish studies.

Key Dates

Submission Deadline: 18 October 2024
Notification of Acceptance: Week commencing 15 November 2024
Conference Dates: 14–16 April 2025


How to Submit

Please submit your abstract (up to 250 words) via the Ex Ordo platform. If you do not have an Ex Ordo account, you can create one using this link. During submission, select the Turkish Politics Specialist Group as the relevant Specialist Group to review your paper.

Panel Composition and Program

The Turkish Politics Specialist Group will review all submitted abstracts and compose thematic panels to reflect a diverse range of topics and perspectives. The draft conference program will be released in December 2024, and early-bird registration will open shortly thereafter.

Call for Submissions: Autumn 2024 Turkish Politics Online Workshops by PSA’s Turkish Politics Specialist Group

by psaturkishpolitics, posted in News

We are happy to announce the call for submissions for the Autumn 2024 Turkish Politics Online Workshops organised by the Turkish Politics Specialist Group of the Political Studies Association (PSA). This online workshop series aims to provide detailed and constructive feedback for working papers on Turkish politics.

Photo by Feyza Dau015ftan on Pexels.com

We recognize that publishing is essential to secure employment and promotion in academia. Our goal is to provide junior scholars of Turkish politics (PhD students, postdoctoral researchers, assistant professors, or mid-career researchers) with an opportunity to improve the quality of their manuscripts. We are open to all theoretical and methodological approaches to studying Turkish politics, including those from comparative, international relations, or foreign policy perspectives.

We are planning to organize three sessions in October and November 2024. Each sessionwill feature only one paper and last one hour. We expect the applicant to submit a full draft paper at least ten days before the seminar date. During the seminar, the presenter will make a brief presentation about the paper, no longer than 10 minutes. After that, the submitted paper will be discussed extensively by one or two discussants who are experts on the topic, co-convenors of the online workshop, and other attendees. The session will be finalized with a short Q&A session.

Scholars interested in presenting in the Turkish Politics Online Workshops series should send their draft papers to turkishpoliticspsa@gmail.com (Subject: Online Workshop Autumn 2024) by September 21st, 2024. We accept dissertation chapters and pre-analysis plans, as well as manuscripts written in the format of journal articles. We will prioritizemanuscripts that will benefit most from the workshop. 

We will notify the successful applicants by the end of September.

We very much look forward to receiving your applications!

Co-Convenors

Dr. Aykut Ozturk (University of Glasgow)

Dr. Digdem Soyaltin-Colella (University of Aberdeen)