The Political Agenda of the June 2011 Elections
Turkey, after a long time, is undertaking elections to build a new future instead of overcoming a crisis situation.
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12 June Elections: Towards a New Turkey?
SETA PANEL DISCUSSION Chair: Talip Küçükcan, SETA Panelists: Taha Özhan, SETA İhsan Dağı, METU Mustafa Akyol, Star Newspaper Tarih: May 26, 2011 Thursday Saat: 15.00-17.00 Yer: SETA, Ankara
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Debates on the changing political landscape in the run up to the 2011 elections are of critical importance for the future the Turkey.
Lebanon is a microcosm of Middle Eastern conflicts, and it has often turned into a battlefield of conflicting regional and international actors.
SETA PUBLIC LECTURE Chair: İhsan Dağı, METU Speaker: Roger Cohen Date: October 21, 2010 Thursday Time: 16.00 Venue: SETA Foundation, Ankara
The “Lieberman Plan” aims at removing Israel’s “effective control” over Gaza, without compromising Israeli security or intruding upon its own sovereignty.
Turkey's referendum: thwarting the specter of coup d'etat
On Sunday September 12th, 2010, Turkey voted "yes" in a referendum to a package of amendments by a wide margin (58 percent yes; 42 percent no) with a high level of participation (77.5 percent) despite the pro-Kurdish Peace and Democracy Party's (BDP) boycott. The amendments were designed to restrict the power of the military and the judicial bureaucracy in Turkey that originated from the 1982 junta-made Turkish constitution. The immediate political consequence of the referendum will be a serious relaxation of domestic political tensions, which have been undergirded for over 50 years by the one constant in Turkish politics: the ever present threat of military coup.
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Constitutional Referendum in Turkey
Since the establishment of the Turkish Republic, four constitutions have been adopted (1921, 1924, 1961, and 1982), which were significantly amended by the successive parliaments in light of new developments, yet remained short of meeting universal democratic standards. The last two constitutions were drafted in the aftermath of military interventions, and none of them have been produced out of negotiation, bargaining or a compromise process. Within the framework of the EU reforms, Turkey’s most recent constitution of 1982 has been amended several times – so much so that almost one third of the constitution has been reconstructed. There have been demands for the drawing up of a new constitution from both right and left wing parties, but the idea has never been realized.
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SETA PUBLIC LECTURE Ahmet Kuru Assistant Professor of Political Science, San Diego State University Date: June 3, 2010 Thursday Time: 16.00 – 18.00 Venue: SETA, Ankara
SETA PUBLIC LECTURE Professor Robert W. Hefner Director, Institute on Culture, Religion, and World Affairs, Boston University Date: May 11, 2010 Tuesday Time: 16.00 - 18.00 Venue: SETA, Ankara
The “Alevi Issue” is one of the most complicated and, at the same time, largely misunderstood problems in Turkey. Conflicts, resentments, grievances, and perpetual fears about Alevis that have existed for centuries have been publicly voiced through different mechanisms; yet, the message had never been understood thoroughly by the interlocutors of the Alevis. The discussions on the issue in various social and political contexts have often revolved around a rather limited list of Alevi identity-based claims. The JDP government has undertaken a series of steps to understand and respond to Alevi identity-based claims. Popularly known as the “Alevi opening” (Alevi açılımı), the initiative is a turning point in terms of the Turkish governments’ approach to problems of Alevi citizens in Turkey. The Alevi Opening is the first systematic effort to address Alevis’ identity-based contentions.
Today, genetically modified organism (GMO) foods are front and center in the discussion on food sustainability. While some allege that interfering in the genetic makeup of food items such as corn and wheat will be a hazard to human health and jeopardize the future of humankind, others view GMO foods as a ray of hope for impoverished nations. Claims that the world’s population is growing rapidly and that the world’s current food stock will not be able to meet the demands of this new population also affect the debate. Undoubtedly poverty and hunger are significant and life-threatening issues for human beings, and history provides evidence that starvation has wiped out entire generations, permanently transforming the demographic makeup of the earth.
A Brookings-SETA Policy Conference on Turkey University of California, Washington Center 1608 Rhode Island Ave, NW Tuesday, October 28, 2008
SETA CONFERENCE By Adam Luedtke Assistant Professor, University of Utah Date: May 7, 2008 Wednesday Time: 17.00 - 19.00 Venue: SETA Foundation, Ankara
Turkey has a growing economy demanding about 7% more energy each year. It's electric power generation capacity (approx. 41,000 MW) must be doubled in the next 10 years to meet the demand. Natural gas has a significant share in electricity production, which should be reduced. Domestic and renewable energies should be employed in meeting the demand. Turkey took major steps toward liberalization of its energy market. Private enterprises are expected to invest in the energy market in a timely manner. Turkey has an “energy corridor” position between the gas and oil producing countries and the importing countries. Turkey’s efforts to actualize the use of renewable and domestic sources should be supported.
SETA CONFERENCE By Kim Beng Phar Visiting Scholar, Waseda University, Organization of Asian Studies / SETA Research Fellow Date: November 15, 2007 Thursday Time: 15.00 - 16.30 Venue: SETA Foundation, Ankara The Impact and Implication of East Asia as a Global Political Actor: The Risk/Perils of Indifference In, and by Turkey
SETA CONFERENCE By Dr. Kamran Bokhari Strategic Forecasting Inc. (Stratfor), Director of Middle East Analysis Date: November 8, 2007 Thursday Time: 15.00 - 16.30 Venue: SETA Foundation, Ankara
SETA CONFERENCE By Kim Beng Phar Visiting Fellow, Waseda University, Organization of Asian Studies Date: August 27, 2007 Monday Time: 17.00 - 19.00 Venue: SETA Foundation, Ankara
SETA KONFERANS Konuşmacılar: Ömer Taşpınar National Defense University Tarih: 10 Nisan 2007 Salı Saat: 16.00 – 18.00 Yer: SETA, Ankara
CONFERENCE February 8, 2007 German Marshall Fund, Washington DC
