I am an Associate Professor of International Relations, Vice Dean of Faculty of Economics, Administrative, and Social Sciences at Bilkent University, and the PI of ERC Consolidator Grant project COUNSTER (2026-2031). My research examines the impact of strategic actions taken by states and non-state armed actors (NSAAs) on acquiring the allegiance of individuals as well as behavioral and attitudinal responses of individuals to these strategies. Particularly, I address to the peace and conflict studies by offering a triadic and dynamic approach in investigating government-NSAA-constituency relations, as well as to the foreign policy and public opinion literature by assessing the externalities of macro-level policies (i.e., soft power and public diplomacy strategies, use of force abroad) on micro-level. My research contributes to diverse literatures including political violence, terrorism, foreign policy and public opinion from a behavioral perspective by utilizing a multi-method approach. It also offers important policy implications for foreign policy analysis, and conflict prevention and resolution efforts.
Short Biography: Following my graduation from Galatasaray Lisesi in 2007, I pursued my B.A. in Political Science and International Relations at Boğaziçi University in Istanbul, Türkiye (2008-2012). Then I have been accepted for PhD program, and received my MA (2015) and Ph.D. (2017) in Political Science from Binghamton University, SUNY defending my disseration titled "Losing By Winning Hearts And Minds Abroad: Essays On Impacts Of Foreign Policies On Foreign Public Opinion". I joined Bilkent University Department of International Relations as an Assistant Prof. on September 2018. I have previously been a postdoctoral fellow of ISA James N. Rosenau Fellowship (2017-2018), visiting fellow at The Ohio State University's Mershon Center for International Security Studies (2016-2018) and visiting scholar at The University of Chicago’s CPOST program (2024-2025).
My works have so far appeared in leading journals of the field, among others, such as Journal of Peace Research, Journal of Conflict Resolution, Political Behavior, Conflict Management and Peace Science, Defence and Peace Economics, International Interactions. My book “Battle for Allegiance Governments, Terrorist Groups, and Constituencies in Conflict” has been published by University of Michigan Press in 2020, and examines non-violent tactics employed by state and non-state armed groups during conflict. In 2019, I received Young Scientist Award (BAGEP) from The Science Academy, Türkiye (Bilim Akademisi) in 2019; Outstanding Young Scientist Award (GEBIP), from Turkish Academy of Sciences (TUBA) in 2020, The Sakip Sabanci International Research Award in 2021, TUBITAK Incentive Award in 2023, and International Relations Council of Turkey Young Scholars Award in 2024. I am also serving as the Director of Research at Center for Foreign Policy and Peace Research.