Ecem Nazlı Üçok
Ecem Nazlı Üçok explores how student protests in Turkey, Serbia, and Georgia reflect more than isolated unrest — they reveal a transnational wave of political mourning, democratic erosion, and Gen Z-led resistance. In the face of authoritarianism, students are not just reacting — they are reimagining the future Read more
Zeynep Şahin Mencütek
The European Commission has proposed a new system for returning third-country nationals staying illegally in the EU: sending them to designated holding areas before deportation. Zeynep Şahin Mencütek and Soner Barthoma explain why its plan will not work Read more
Ãœmit Seven
Syrian refugees face multiple challenges in returning to their homeland. The threat of violence may have ended, but the destruction of infrastructure, along with social and economic instability, make return unlikely. Ãœmit Seven shows how prolonged displacement has led many Syrians to rebuild their lives elsewhere. Many, he argues, have created a 'pragmatic home' in host countries Read more
Priya Vijaykumar Poojary
In 2018, the distinguished scholar Amitav Acharya proposed a 'global international relations' to challenge Western dominance in the discipline. Since then, Japanese, Indian, Chinese, and Anatolian schools of IR have emerged. But Priya Vijaykumar Poojary warns that these non-Western schools risk merely replacing existing Western ethnocentricity with new forms of hegemonic discourse Read more
Maissam Nimer
The sudden collapse of the Assad regime could result in Syrian refugees being pressured into returning. But Maissam Nimer and Susan Beth Rottmann say refugee returns must be voluntary, dignified, and sustainable – not driven by political agendas. Given Syria's shattered infrastructure, instability, and limited opportunities, 'safety' means more than simply the absence of violence Read more
Gülşen Doğan
Gülşen Doğan describes how charismatic leadership, propaganda, and a commitment to stable governance are behind the rise of autocratic populists. Read more
Loqman Radpey
The past decade has seen relentless Turkish expansion into Kurdistan. This encroachment has disturbing echoes of Turkey's 1974 invasion of Northern Cyprus – a violation largely ignored by the rest of the world. Loqman Radpey warns that the international community must not abandon the Kurds in their fight against Turkish humanitarian violations Read more
Pelin Ayan Musil
In the 2023 presidential and parliamentary elections, Turkish opposition parties suffered catastrophic defeat. Several factors contributed to their surprise victory in the recent local elections. Pelin Ayan Musil and Sultan Tepe argue that shifting from alliance to party-centred competition gave opposition parties a striking advantage – and laid bare the vulnerabilities of President Erdoğan’s political strategies Read more
