The first of three workshops to be organized within the scope of the project “Russia and Turkey in Global Perspective: The Limits of Convergence” was held on 14 March 2024 at Kadir Has University with the title “Russia-Turkey-West Triangle and the Global Balance of Power“.
The project aims to encourage relevant actors, including expert researchers, academics, and policymakers, to reflect on the evolving Russian-Turkish relations and to contribute to foreign policy debate in Turkey. The first workshop was attended by 21 academics, researchers, and journalists from Kadir Has University, Marmara University, Bilkent University, Ankara University, Özyeğin University, Istanbul Bilgi University, Istanbul Okan University, Stockholm University, Heinrich Böll Stiftung Türkiye Office and journalists.
The workshop started with the opening speech by Prof. Dr. Mustafa Aydın. In the first part of the workshop, speakers Prof. Dr. Erel Tellal, Prof. Dr. Emre Erşen, and Dr. Samuel J. Hirst presented their views and discussed the historical background of Turkey-Russia-West relations, the current political and economic dimensions of Turkey-Russia relations, and the effects of global dynamics on these relations. In the second part of the workshop, a discussion on Turkey’s Western identity and its links with the West and the effects of its relations with Russia on these, the fundamental dynamics of Turkey-Russia relations, and Turkey’s and Russia’s approaches to global and regional developments were discussed.
Workshop Participant List
No
Name and Surname
Affiliation
1
Prof. Sinem Akgül Açıkmeşe
Kadir Has University
2
Prof. Mustafa Aydın
Global Academy
3
Dawid Bartelt
Heinrich Böll Stiftung Turkey
4
Cem Bico
Heinrich Böll Stiftung Turkey
5
Prof. Mitat Çelikpala
Kadir Has University
6
Münciye Sena Demir
Kadir Has University
7
Erman Ermihan
Kadir Has University
8
Prof. Emre Erşen
Marmara University
9
Prof. Serhat Güvenç
Kadir Has University
10
Dr. Samuel J. Hirst
Bilkent University
11
Assoc. Prof. Onur İşçi
Kadir Has University
12
Assoc. Prof. Emrah Karaoğuz
Kadir Has University
13
Sezen Kaya Sönmez
Kadir Has University
14
Dr. Paul T. Levin
Stockholm University
15
Assoc. Prof. Habibe Özdal
İstanbul Okan University
16
Assoc. Prof. Behlül Özkan
Özyeğin University
17
Doğuş Sönmez
Kadir Has University
18
Prof. Erel Tellal
Ankara University
19
Dr. Mehmet Ali Tuğtan
İstanbul Bilgi University
20
Uğuralp Tunç
Kadir Has University
21
Barçın Yinanç
Journalist, International Relations Council of Turkey