Turkey Book Talk William Armstrong

Seda Demiralp, professor of political science at Istanbul’s Işık University and non-resident scholar at the Middle East Institute in Washington DC, on what the recent local election results mean for Turkish politics.

The conversation takes in what the main opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP) did right, what Erdogan’s Justice and Development Party (AKP) did wrong, the emerging challenge to the AKP posed by the hardline Islamist Yeniden Refah Party, the performance of the pro-Kurdish DEM Party, and the impact of Turkey’s economic woes.

Become a member to support Turkey Book Talk. Patreon members get a 35% discount on all Turkey/Ottoman History books published by IB Tauris/Bloomsbury, transcripts of every interview, transcripts of the whole archive, and links to articles related to each episode. https://www.patreon.com/user?u=2998854&fan_landing=true

Andrew Finkel on his novel “The Adventure of the Second Wife: The Strange Case of Sherlock Holmes and the Ottoman Sultan” (Even Keel Press).

Andrew is a veteran journalist based in Turkey for decades. His debut novel is a sprawling, playful narrative exploring the mystery of Ottoman Sultan Abdulhamid II’s obsession with Sherlock Holmes stories.

Become a member to support Turkey Book Talk. Patreon members get a 35% discount on all Turkey/Ottoman History books published by IB Tauris/Bloomsbury, transcripts of every interview, transcripts of the whole archive, and links to articles related to each episode. https://www.patreon.com/user?u=2998854&fan_landing=true

Bahar Baser, associate professor of Middle Eastern politics at Durham University, on “An Exodus from Turkey: Tales of Migration and Exile” (Edinburgh University Press), which she co-edited with Erdi Ozturk.

The book examines the current wave of migration from Turkey, focusing on the experiences of 21 different public figures who have moved overseas - voluntarily or otherwise - amid political and economic turbulence in recent years.

Become a member to support Turkey Book Talk on Patreon. Members get a 35% discount on all Turkey/Ottoman History books published by IB Tauris/Bloomsbury, transcripts of every interview, transcripts of the whole archive, and links to articles related to each episode. https://www.patreon.com/user?u=2998854&fan_landing=true

İlkay Yılmaz, research associate in the Friedrich-Meinecke-Institute at the Free University of Berlin, on “Ottoman Passports: Security and Geographic Mobility, 1876-1908” (Syracuse University Press).

The book examines how paranoia about nationalist, anarchist and revolutionary movements spread during the era of Abdulhamid II, prompting the introduction of various new methods to control and restrict subjects of the Ottoman state.

Become a member to support Turkey Book Talk on Patreon. Members get a 35% discount on all Turkey/Ottoman History books published by IB Tauris/Bloomsbury, transcripts of every interview, transcripts of the whole archive, and links to articles related to each episode.

https://www.patreon.com/user?u=2998854&fan_landing=true

Alexander Christie-Miller on “To The City: Life and Death Along the Ancient Walls of Istanbul” (William Collins).

Alexander worked for many years as the Times of London’s Turkey correspondent. His book is a sophisticated meditation on contemporary life and politics in the country. It combines historical, political and environmental ruminations with vivid portraits of people living in the neighbourhoods around Istanbul’s historic city walls.

Become a member to support Turkey Book Talk on Patreon. Members get a 35% discount on all Turkey/Ottoman History books published by IB Tauris/Bloomsbury, transcripts of every interview, transcripts of the whole archive, and links to articles related to each episode. https://www.patreon.com/user?u=2998854&fan_landing=true

Tuğba Tekerek, journalist and author, on “Taşra Üniversiteleri - AK Parti’nin Arka Kampüsü” (Provincial Universities: The AK Party’s Backyard Campus), published by İletişim.

The book examines the impact of the government’s push to open over 100 universities across Turkey over the past two decades. It paints a picture of falling academic standards but increased outlets for the ruling party’s religious nationalist ideology.

Become a member to support Turkey Book Talk on Patreon. Members get a 35% discount on all Turkey/Ottoman History books published by IB Tauris/Bloomsbury, transcripts of every interview, transcripts of the whole archive, and links to articles related to each episode. https://www.patreon.com/user?u=2998854&fan_landing=true