About Me

I am a part-time lecturer in Defence Studies Department at King's College London.

I was a teaching fellow in the Department of Political Science and International Studies at the University of Birmingham. I was a also visiting fellow in the Institute of Middle Eastern Studies at King’s College London and in the Department of International Relations at the London School of Economics and Political Science.

​ I do conceptual, theoretical, and empirical research on a couple of issue areas:

  • concepts of power and influence in international affairs
  • relational dynamics between states and violent non-state actors in international relations
  • military involvement of states in conflict environments

The Middle East constitutes the regional focus of my research.

At the University of Birmingham, I have taught the modules International Relations Theory, both at the undergraduate and postgraduate levels, and International Politics of the Middle East at the undergraduate level.

I have professional working proficiency in Arabic, French, and Persian. I have limited working proficiency in Bahasa Indonesia and Spanish as well.

I have a PhD in international relations from the Department of International Relations at Bilkent University.

Please, feel free to reach out for collaborations, inquiries, or any questions you may have.

Research

Books

  1. Turkish-Chinese Military Relations

    2008

    The first and only monograph on military relations between Turkey and China

Journal Articles

  1. Epistemic Hierarchies and Asymmetrical Dialogues in Global IR: Increasing the Epistemic Gravity of the Periphery through Thematic Density

    2023

    Published in Third World Quarterly

  2. The Rise and Fall of Homegrown Concepts in Global IR: The Anatomy of ‘Strategic Depth’ in Turkish IR

    2022

    Published in All Azimuth

  3. Conceptual Cultivation and Homegrown Theorizing: The Case of/for the Concept of Influence

    2018

    Published in All Azimuth

  4. Political Economy of Turkish-Iranian Relations: Three Asymmetries

    2014

    Published in Middle Eastern Studies [Orta Doğu Etütleri]

  5. Bringing Religion Back In? Debating Religion in International Politics

    2012

    Published in All Azimuth

  6. Turkey and Iran’s Nuclear Program

    2012

    Published in Middle East Policy

  7. Turkish Foreign Policy towards the Algerian War of Independence (1954-62)

    2012

    Published in Turkish Studies

  8. An Unconventional Approach to the Historiography of World War I

    2012

    Published in Atilim Social Science Journal [Atılım Sosyal Bilimler Dergisi]

  9. From Rival to Collaborator: The Curious Case of Resurgent Nationalism in China

    2012

    Published in Eurasian Studies [Avrasya Etütleri]

  10. The Middle East in Chinese Foreign Policy: A Study on the Diplomacy of Caution

    2012

    Published in Review of International Law & Politics [in Turkish]

  11. Old Principles, New Practices: Explaining the AKP Foreign Policy

    2009

    Published in Turkish Policy Quarterly

  12. Turkish-Chinese Military Relations: Appraisal in a New Analytical Framework

    2008

    Published in Eurasian Papers [Avrasya Dosyası] [in Turkish]

  13. The US Strategy of China under the Bush Administration (2001- 2006)

    2007

    Published in Review of International Law & Politics

Book Chapters

  1. Euphrates-Tigris River Basin: Contentious Hydropolitics in the Middle East

    2023

    In Christian Ploberger, ed., River Basins and International Relations: Cooperation, Conflict and Sub-regional Approaches (Oxon: Routledge, 2023), pp. 139-159.

  2. From Regionalism to Realpolitik: The Rise and Fall of Turkey as a Middle Power in the Middle East

    2020

    In Giampiero Giacomello and Bertjan Verbeek, eds., Middle Powers in Asia and Europe the 21st Century (Maryland: Rowman & Littlefield, 2020), pp. 119-136.

  3. Conceptual Cultivation and Homegrown Theorizing: The Case of/for the Concept of Influence

    2018

    In Ersel Aydınlı and Gonca Biltekin, eds., Widening the World of International Relations: Homegrown Theorizing (Oxon: Routledge, 2018), pp. 204-225.

  4. Realism

    2014

    In Ramazan Gözen, ed., International Relations Theories (İstanbul: İletişim Yayınları, 2014), pp. 159-187. [in Turkish]

Book Reviews

  1. Strategic Thought: Theory, Paradox, Practice [in Turkish]

    2021

    Published in Uluslararası İlişkiler [International Relations]

  2. Leadership and the Rise of Great Powers

    2021

    Published in Diplomacy & Statecraft

  3. Becoming China: The Story Behind the State

    2020

    Published in International Studies Review

  4. Turkey’s Pivot to Eurasia: Geopolitics and Foreign Policy in a Changing World Order

    2020

    Published in International Affairs

  5. Emerging Powers in a Comparative Perspective: The Political and Economic Rise of the BRIC Countries

    2014

    Published in Journal of Contemporary European Studies

  6. Between Terror and Tolerance: Religious Leaders, Conflict, and Peacemaking

    2012

    Published in Review of International Law & Politics

Teaching

My teaching approach centres on the pedagogical necessity to stimulate the curiosity of young minds for intellectual autonomy. I defined research in my PhD thesis as “a journey of curiosity for a rendezvous with truth.” It is my utmost pleasure to accompany my students in this journey.

​ Teaching Portfolio

University of Birmingham, 2022-2024

* International Relations Theory (PG)

* International Relations Theory (UG)

* International Politics of the Middle East (UG)

Events

Academic Events

  1. The Ukraine Crisis and the Middle East: Regional Dynamics, Russian Influence, and European Security

    2023, January 20

    Paper presented at BISA European Security Working Groups 7th Workshop, University College Cork, Cork, Ireland

  2. Knowledge Production in Turkey about the Middle East: A Critical Investigation of Graduate Theses on the Gulf

    2022, June 15-17

    Paper presented at British International Studies Association (BISA) 2022 Conference, Newcastle-upon-Tyne, UK

  3. The Ukraine Crisis and the Middle East: Regional Dynamics, Russian Influence, and Strategic Implications

    2022, May 18

    Paper presented at Institute of Central Europe, Lublin, Poland

  4. Concepts as Discursive Constructs in International Studies: The Case of Sharp Power

    2021, June 21-23

    Paper presented at British International Studies Association (BISA) 2021 Conference, Online

  5. Rising against Major Powers: China’s Competition with France and the UK in Africa

    2018, April 4-7

    Paper presented at 59th Annual Convention, International Studies Association (ISA), San Francisco, California, USA

  6. Turkey’s Thorium Strategy: Devising A New Nuclear Path in A Developing State

    2015, October 12-15

    Paper presented at Thorium Energy Conference 2015, Bhabha Atomic Research Centre, Mumbai, India

  7. Turkey in the Southeast Africa: A Comparative Analysis of Turkish Foreign Policy towards Tanzania, Kenya, Madagascar, and Mozambique

    2013, January 24

    Paper presented at International Conference on Past, Present, and Future of East African-Turkish Relations, State University of Zanzibar, Zanzibar City, Tanzania

Professional Events

  1. Summer School

    2024, September 16-19

    Doing Fieldwork in Violent Environments, University of Ghent

    2. Mental Health Awareness

    2024, July 25

    Training provided by Mental Health First Aid (MHFA) England & University of Birmingham

  2. Handling Media Interviews

    2024, June 5

    Training provided by the London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE) & Escott Hunt Limited, Online

  3. Comprehensive Course for OSCE/ODIHR Observers

    2024, May 18

    Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe, Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights, Online

  4. Doha Forum 2022: Transforming for a New Era

    2022, March 26-27

    Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Qatar in Doha, Qatar

  5. Applied Workshop on Preparation and Evaluation of Socio-Economic Social Sciences Projects

    2014, September 8-10

    Bilkent University

  6. Executive Course on Global Health Diplomacy

    2012, November 26-30

    Turkish Ministry of Health, WHO Regional Office for Europe, and Graduate Institute of International and Development Studies in Geneva

Engagements

Public Engagements

  1. Egypt and the Ukraine Crisis

    2023, September 4

    Commentary published in Daktilo 1984 [Turkish]

  2. Turkiye wants bilateral trade volume with Saudi Arabia to reach $30bn, says minister

    2022, December 22

    Quoted in Arab News

  3. Mohammed bin Salman Visiting Turkey: A Litmus Test for Reconciliation

    2022, June 22

    Commentary published in The Arab Gulf States Institute in Washington

  4. Is Turkish-Saudi Normalization an Iranian Nightmare?

    2022, July 10

    Commentary published in The National Interest

  5. Saudi-Turkish reconciliation is a cause for concern in Iran

    2022, May 19

    Commentary published in Middle East Eye

  6. Turkey drops murder case against Saudis, seeks Gulf aid

    2022, April 14

    Quoted in Christian Science Monitor

  7. Are Turkish-Saudi relations set for a reset?

    2022, April 12

    Quoted in Al Jazeera

  8. Saudi Arabia's regional foreign policy options amid US decline

    2021, December 8

    Commentary published in The New Arab

  9. Prospects for Saudi-Turkey Rapprochement

    2021, October 11

    Commentary published in Gulf International Forum

  10. Turkey and Asia Anew: A Foreign Policy Initiative in Passing

    2019, October 18

    Commentary published in The Diplomat

  11. Egypt and the Civil War in Libya: Interests and Dead Ends

    2019, September 21

    Commentary published in Independent Turkish [Turkish]

  12. US sanctions on Iran raise concern in Turkey

    2018, August 11

    Quoted in Deutsche Welle

Professional Engagements

  1. European International Studies Association

    2024, April 1 -

    Member

  2. British Society for Middle Eastern Studies

    2024, February 1 -

    Member

  3. The British Academy Early Career Researcher Network

    2024, January 17 -

    Member

  4. The Levant 2023: The Ukraine War and Shifting Regional Politics

    2023, October 23

    Conference Organising Committee Member, Institute of Middle Eastern Studies at King's College London

  5. Department of International Relations, London School of Economics and Political Science

    2023, September 1 -

    Visiting Fellow

  6. Institute of Middle Eastern Studies, King's College London

    2022, June 1 - 2023, May 31

    Visiting Research Fellow

  7. Daktilo 1984

    2021, June -

    Contributing Author

  8. Review of International Law & Politics

    2012-2014

    Managing editor of the peer-reviewed journal indexed in Ebscohost and Proquest

Social Engagements

  1. Mind

    2024, March 18 -

    Member

  2. Amnesty International

    2024, March 18 -

    Member

  3. Turkish Red Crescent

    2019-2022

    Certified First Aider