Congrats Bulent Aras and Ali Balcı

Excited to share our latest publication on leader visits! In this forum article, we introduce high-level leader visits as a distinct field of study within IR. I hope this contribution serves as a small but meaningful step forward. doi.org/10.1093/isp/ek…

Excited to contribute to this forum with a great group of scholars on how and why high-level diplomatic visits matter in IR. My chapter offers a conceptual framework to understand the determinants of such visits, drawing on insights from the existing literature. Check it out!

Last week was an exceptionally busy one for high-level leader visits across Europe and the Middle East. In my short piece for E-International Relations, I reflect on what these visits tell us about the enduring significance of leader-level interactions. e-ir.info/2025/05/26/do-…

Open-access journals often inflate their impact factors, yet institutions in Turkey continue to rely heavily on WoS impact factors and quartiles. Here are my thoughts and a proposal for a better way to assess journal quality abalci.com/2025/05/26/aya… (in Turkish)

Excited to share that our article with Rumeysa Köktaş, "Beyond Direct Contact: Reconceptualizing ‘Acculturation’ in Postcolonial Tunisia," has been accepted for publication in thirdworldq! Delighted to see her concept of "postcolonial acculturation" find the right platform.

Happy to share our new article published in thirdworldq! It builds on Rumeysa’s PhD research, which I’m proud to have supervised. doi.org/10.1080/014365…

I wrote a short commentary on why Turkish universities lack research centers focused on #classicaldiplomacy. Read it here: e-ir.info/2025/07/23/too…

This is a very important step that will significantly impact the IR discipline in Turkey. Although my data and lists differ slightly, here is my brief take on this critical development: abalci.com/2025/07/31/202…

Our #JeanMonnetChair project “The EU and Turkey in a Turbulent Era” has been selected for funding under the Erasmus+ programme! We’re ready to explore EU-Turkey relations amidst global crises over the next 3 years.