Your book is organized around four major historical moments: the Early Republic, the Cold War, the Özal period, and Erdoğan’s neo-patrimonial era. How should readers understand the scope and ambition of this book?
This book should be read as a major interpretive history of modern Turkey. In that sense, it enters into conversation with two classic works: Bernard Lewis’s The Emergence of Modern Turkey and...
In Lebanon, the question of who possesses weapons is never merely a security issue. It is also a question of who governs, who protects the country, and who has the authority to decide between war and peace. This is why the approaching end of the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon, commonly known as UNIFIL, is generating an unusually sensitive debate. The issue is...
The Fragile Turkish-PKK Peace Process Threatened by Renewed Fighting between the Syrian Army & Pro-Kurdish SDF
The sudden fighting in Aleppo between the Syrian army...
Two weeks ago, I again visited Iraqi Kurdistan—often referred to as the Iraqi Kurdistan Government (KRG)—to deliver the keynote address on “Kurdish Identity” at...
In Turkey, democracy has always been perceived as merely changing the government through elections. The act of holding elections, regardless of the conditions under...
The potential removal of the Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK) from terrorism lists by Turkey, the EU, and the US could foster peace and enhance Turkish democracy. This designation often serves political motives rather than reflecting legal truths, complicating peace efforts. Historical context reveals that both Turkey and the PKK share blame for violence. Delisting the PKK might renew negotiations, benefiting all parties, albeit with risks of restoration to the terrorist list if unsuccessful.
