Tag: News

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.

Scotland to Host Inaugural Workshop on Turkish Politics at University of Glasgow

by psaturkishpolitics, posted in Uncategorized

We are pleased to share the call for papers for the inaugural Scotland Workshop on Turkish Politics, a one-day academic event to be held on 18 June 2025 at the University of Glasgow’s School of Social & Political Sciences. The workshop will bring together early career researchers to present new work and engage in dialogue on contemporary political developments in Turkey.

Organized by a team of scholars based in Scotland and Turkey, the event aims to establish a recurring platform for interdisciplinary research exchange on Turkish politics, with future workshops expected to rotate among Scottish universities. The organizing committee includes Dr Aykut Öztürk (University of Glasgow), Dr Sevinç Öztürk (Çukurova University & University of Glasgow), and Candaş Ayan (Hacettepe University & University of Glasgow).

The call for papers is open until 30 May 2025, with submissions welcomed from doctoral students, postdoctoral researchers, and early career faculty. Accepted participants will be notified by 6 June, and full papers are due by 10 June.

The workshop comes at a time of increasing scholarly interest in Turkey’s political trajectory, marked by democratic backsliding, polarizing populism, and complex shifts in foreign and economic policy. Topics of interest include regime change, digital activism, identity politics, Turkey-EU relations, migration, and more. Both theoretical and empirical approaches across disciplines are encouraged.

The format includes paper presentations with assigned discussants for detailed feedback, a keynote address by Dr Diğdem Soyaltın Colella (University of Aberdeen), and a concluding roundtable on the future of Turkish politics research in Scotland. Dr Soyaltın Colella and Dr Uğur Özdemir (University of Edinburgh) are also confirmed as discussants, with additional names to be announced.

There is no fee to participate, though attendees are responsible for their own travel and accommodation costs. Interested researchers and discussants should send submissions or enquiries to turkishpolitics.scotland@gmail.com.

With its ambition to position Scotland as a hub for critical scholarship on Turkey, the workshop promises to be a milestone for early career researchers and a catalyst for future collaboration across borders and disciplines.

See the full call for papers in the attachment below.

CfP_Scotland Workshop on Turkish PoliticsDownload

New Book: Civic Death in Contemporary Turkey: Mass Surveillance and the Authoritarian State

by psaturkishpolitics, posted in Uncategorized

We are excited to announce the release of Civic Death in Contemporary Turkey: Mass Surveillance and the Authoritarian State by our colleague Seçkin Sertdemir, published by Cambridge University Press. The study investigates the profound implications of state actions on individual citizens in Turkey following the failed 2016 coup attempt.

In this study, Sertdemir examines the Turkish government’s response to the coup, which included the dismissal of approximately 152,000 individuals through emergency decrees known as Kanun hükmünde kararnameli. The book explores how these authoritarian securitisation methods were implemented and their impact on the lives of the affected individuals.

'Civic Death in Contemporary Turkey' by @seckinsertdemir.bsky.social.Analyses the aftermath of the 2016 Turkish coup attempt, wherein the AKP government introduced new methods of authoritarian securitisation.📚 cup.org/3Wm4vYU 📚

— Cambridge University Press Political Science & IR (@cambridgeuppolisci.bsky.social) 2025-01-20T08:35:09.118Z

Sertdemir’s analysis brings together perspectives from political philosophy, social anthropology, and sociology to shed light on the lived experiences of those targeted by these measures. The book also highlights the specific impacts on women, as well as disabled and LGBTQ+ communities.

To read more about the book click here.

*Seckin Sertdemir is a Visiting Fellow in the European Institute at London School of Economics and Political Science.

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.

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

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.

PSA Turkish Politics Specialist Group Online Forum: Unraveling Turkey’s Local Electoral Dynamics

by psaturkishpolitics, posted in News

The PSA Turkish Politics Specialist Group cordially invites you to its online forum, where we will analyze the recent local electoral outcomes in Turkey.

The event will take place on April 16, 16:00-17:00 British Summer Time on Zoom.

We will be hosting Professor Seda Demiralp from Işık University and Dr Aykut Öztürk from the University of Glasgow, who will share their insights on the notable victories secured by the main opposition party in key cities such as Istanbul and Ankara, indicating a setback for the ruling AKP government. The presentations will be followed by a Q and A session.

Please find the joining link below.

Topic: Turkish Politics Specialist Group Local Election Forum
Time: Apr 16, 2024 04:00 PM London

Join Zoom Meeting
https://city-ac-uk.zoom.us/j/82204764485

Meeting ID: 822 0476 4485
Passcode: 933608

If you have any queries contact begumzorlu@gmail.com

Virtual Book Launch with Dr Zeki Sarigil

by psaturkishpolitics, posted in News

PSA Turkish Politics Specialist Group cordially invites you to a virtual book launch event featuring Dr Zeki Sarigil as he introduces his latest work, “How Informal Institutions Matter: Evidence from Turkish Social and Political Spheres.”

Date: March 12, 2024
Time: 13:30 (GMT)
Platform: Zoom

The book will be examined by Dr. Digdem Soyaltin Colella from the University of Aberdeen and Şebnem Yardimci-Geyikçi from Universität Bonn. Following the presentation, there will be insightful feedback from the discussants and an engaging Q&A session.

The book is open access and can be read through this link.

Registration can be made through Eventbrite. We look forward to your participation in this enriching discussion.