2nd International Middle East Symposium

3 minute reading time

On 4-7 May, 2016, 2nd International Middle East Symposium on “State, Non-State Actors, and Democracy”, took place at Kırıkkale University.

Some of the panels organised at the symposium focused on democratic future of the Middle East, peace-building in the Middle East as a humanitarian and political responsibility, regional and local dynamics in the North Africa, the dynamics of the Arab Spring, the dynamics of non-state actors, governance and politics in the Middle East, Turkey’s diplomatic presence in the region, religion and modernity in the Middle East, understanding the Middle Eastern communities, Syrian refugee crisis, sociological perspectives, democracy and its components, Orientalism, Russia and the Middle East, women in the Middle East, human rights and law, and Turkey’s role in the region.

ORSAM organised two panels in the symposium where first, the dynamics of radicalisation in the Middle East and second, the regional dynamics of the Middle East were discussed. The first panel started with President of ORSAM, Assoc. Prof Şaban Kardaş’s discussion on the transformation of the regional security system in the Middle East. Following his discussion, ORSAM Researcher Oytun Orhan discussed the Syrian Civil War and radicalisation in the region, ORSAM Research Assistant Sertaç Canalp Korkmaz elaborated on the link between terrorism and failed state within the context of the Syrian Civil War, and ORSAM Visiting Researcher and PhD candidate at SOAS, Göktuğ Sönmez, made his presentation on radicalisation, violent extremism and Turkey’s fight against them.

In the second panel organised by ORSAM on the regional dynamics of the Middle East, Prof. Dr. Harun Öztürkler discussed the impact of the lower oil prices on the Saudi economy, ORSAM Advisor, Dr. Pınar Arıkan discussed the post-nuclear deal Iran, ORSAM Researcher Bilgay Duman discussed the new dynamics in the post-2003 Iraq, and ORSAM Visiting Researcher Watheq Al-Sadoon discussed the Iraqi Turkmens’ position to and its impact on the contemporary Turkey-Iraq relations.

Organised and hosted by Kırıkkale University, a broad range of panellists and discussants participated in the symposium. Some of the institutions include Middle East Technical University, Boğaziçi University, Ankara University,  Turkish Military Academy, Marmara University, Gazi University, Khartum Uniersity, Girne American University, Kırıkkale University, Düzce University, Bozok University, TİKA, Al-Najah University, University of Bethelem, Sakarya University, Toronto University, Hitit University, Kafkas University, Yıldırım Beyazıt University, Allemeh Tabatabaii University, Bilkent University, University of Bergen.