Selim Koru
Erdogan Goes for the Death Blow Against Turkey’s Bureaucracy
On the night of June 16, 1826, blood ran on the streets of Istanbul. Mobs of the sultan’s loyalists raided buildings belonging to the Janissaries, hunting down anyone…
The Meaning of Turkey’s Five Million Strong Nationalist Moment
Three weeks after the attempted coup in Turkey, President Recep Tayyip Erdogan called on citizens to gather at the Yenıkapı (“new gate”) Parade grounds in Istanbul. More…
Turkey's Last Coup: What I Saw in Ankara
On May 27, 1960, the people of Turkey woke up to their first coup. Soldiers occupied centers of government, established checkpoints, took over communications stations,…
The Syrian Civil War and the End of Turkey's Liberal Dream
In the second of a two-part series, a Turkish analyst describes his country’s strategic character, and how it is changing through its contact with the Syrian Civil War.…
Turkish Foreign Policy is Waking Up From the Liberal Dream
In the first of a two-part series, a Turkish analyst describes his country’s strategic character, and how it is changing through its contact with the Syrian Civil War.…
The Russian in Turkish Public Consciousness
The young man across from me is leaning back in his chair, stretching his chest. “After all these years, we’ve shot down a plane.” His eyes widen. “And brother, it’s a…
Can Turkey be at the forefront of the latest battle against the Islamic State?
In 1818, Amir Abdullah bin Saud was taken to Istanbul for execution. This was no ordinary prisoner. He was leader of a rebellion that had occupied the two holy cities of…
A word-cloud analysis of the G20 Istanbul communiqué
The G20 finance ministers and central bank governors met February 9-10, producing the first communiqué of Turkey’s G20 presidency. As usual with these meetings,…