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| Semester | fall semester 2021 |
| Course frequency | Once only |
| Lecturers | |
| Content | The Annual MUBIT Doctoral Workshop in Late- and Post-Ottoman Studies is a two-day workshop in Basel, Switzerland, designed for international doctoral students conducting research on the Near and Middle East. This year's two-day workshop examines the dynamics of continuity and rupture in contemporary Turkish politics with the goal of discussing, evaluating, and theorizing main political actors, events, and trends since the country’s transition to parliamentary rule in 1983. Although Turkey underwent a dual process of economic and political liberalization in the 1980s, democratic consolidation remains an elusive goal after decades. Faced with Islamic and Kurdish groups challenging the regime, the military continued to wield strong influence over the governments and the bureaucracy in the 1990s and 2000s. The ensuing Kulturkampf between secularists and conservatives, along with their competing political narratives, structured the political system in this period. However, the military's influence in the political arena was soon eclipsed by a resurgent Islamist movement led by Recep Tayyip Erdoğan. After a long line of unstable governments, the moderate Islamist Justice and Development Party (AKP) gained dominance in national politics by mobilizing the conservative base. Situated in a volatile regional environment, Turkey’s international course also shifted dramatically from the late Cold War era to the post-Arab Spring world. Opening accession talks with the European Union and expanding diplomatic activities in the former Ottoman territories, the AKP governments turned foreign policy into an instrument to influence domestic politics. For many students of Turkish politics, the AKP’s political dominance is a sign of growing piety within society. And yet, Turkish society has in the last decade become more urban, educated, and diverse than at any other point in its history. In sharp contrast with the government’s conservative agenda, secular trends are reportedly on the rise among the country’s youth. Drawing on a diverse set of scholarship from political science, history, sociology and international relations, this workshop seeks to weave together these separate areas to understand how political and societal trends have evolved in contemporary Turkey. The sessions will be broken up into four themes to help scrutinize the main political dynamics, actors, and issues that left their mark on Turkish politics over the last four decades. |
| Learning objectives | Participants will learn about the main topics shaping contemporary Turkish politics, familiarize themselves with the foundational literature on the topic, and obtain the opportunity to network and discuss these issues with experts in the field. |
| Bibliography | Participants will receive by 15 October 2021 a list of readings to be completed prior to the workshop. |
| Comments | The workshop will be led by Dr. Berk Esen (Stiftung für Wissenschaft und Politik, Sabancı University). |
| Admission requirements | Participation is open to doctoral students enrolled at the University of Basel or international doctoral students (by application only). |
| Course application | For those participating outside the University of Basel, an application is required prior to participating. |
| Language of instruction | English |
| Use of digital media | No specific media used |
| Interval | Weekday | Time | Room |
|---|---|---|---|
| Block | See individual dates | ||
| Date | Time | Room |
|---|---|---|
| Friday 10.12.2021 | 13.15-18.00 | Maiengasse, Seminarraum 0105 |
| Saturday 11.12.2021 | 08.00-13.00 | Maiengasse, Seminarraum 0105 |
| Modules |
Doktorat Near & Middle Eastern Studies: Empfehlungen (PhD subject: Near & Middle Eastern Studies) |
| Assessment format | continuous assessment |
| Assessment details | Successful participation at the workshop is subject to the mandatory completion of the required readings in advance and active participation in the workshop discussions. |
| Assessment registration/deregistration | Reg.: course registration; dereg.: not required |
| Repeat examination | no repeat examination |
| Scale | Pass / Fail |
| Repeated registration | no repetition |
| Responsible faculty | Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences, studadmin-philhist@unibas.ch |
| Offered by | Fachbereich Nahost-Studien |