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William Armstrong

@williamarmstrong.bsky.social
4.7K followers 209 following 98 posts

Istanbul-based with BBC Monitoring. Founder, presenter, hype-man with Turkey Book Talk (@turkeybooktalk.bsky.social). I have no views. turkeybooktalk.com turkeybooktalk.substack.com

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William Armstrong @williamarmstrong.bsky.social · 17h
Enjoyed this rich conversation with Dimitar Bechev on his new book. It weighs up whether Turkey can be viewed alongside China and Russia as a direct competitor/threat to the EU. Listen below 🎧👇
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Turkey Book Talk @turkeybooktalk.bsky.social · 29/09/2026
New episode 💯💯 Dimitar Bechev (@dimitarbechev.bsky.social) on “The Scramble for Europe: Russia, China, and Turkey Challenging Regional Order” (Oxford University Press) 👇👇 turkeybooktalk.com/2026/09/29/d...
turkeybooktalk.com
Dimitar Bechev on Turkey, Russia, China and the ‘scramble for Europe’
Turkey Book Talk #279 – Dimitar Bechev, Director of the Dahrendorf Programme at St Antony’s College, University Oxford and Senior Fellow at Carnegie Europe, on “The Scramble for Europe:…
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bianet English @bianet-eng.bsky.social · 17/09/2026
How Turkey’s vague obscenity law is becoming a tool to criminalize LGBTI+ visibility 🗞️ İrfan Kovankaya bianet.org/haber/how-tu...
bianet.org
How Turkey’s vague obscenity law is becoming a tool to criminalize LGBTI+ visibility
The obscenity law historically applied to pornographic content. Recently, judicial authorities have accused almost anything related to LGBTI+s of being obscene, ranging from verbal statements and phot...
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Marc Sinan Winrow @marcsinanwinrow.bsky.social · 15/09/2026
I really enjoyed speaking with William Armstrong from Turkey Book Talk about Turkey and the Liberal International Order. Many thanks for such a thoughtful and engaging conversation!
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Turkey Book Talk @turkeybooktalk.bsky.social · 15/09/2026
Latest episode 📢📢 Marc Sinan Winrow (@marcsinanwinrow.bsky.social) on his book “Turkey and the Liberal International Order: Hegemony, Contestation and the Politics of Articulation Since 1919” (Edinburgh University Press) 👇🎧 turkeybooktalk.com/2026/09/15/m...
turkeybooktalk.com
Marc Sinan Winrow on Turkey and the ‘liberal international order’
Turkey Book Talk #278 – Marc Sinan Winrow, post-doctoral research assistant at the London School of Economics, on “Turkey and the Liberal International Order: Hegemony, Contestation and the P…
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Diego Cupolo @diegocupolo.bsky.social · 15/09/2026
Turkish police detained dozens of pro-LGBT protesters tonight in central Ankara. At least 200 people were taken into custody in recent days across Turkey, where a new wave of state pressure is targeting LGBT civil society groups, activists and the media that cover them.
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William Armstrong @williamarmstrong.bsky.social · 15/09/2026
BBC Monitoring's Global Jigsaw episode from a couple of years ago on Turkey's anti-LGBTQ crackdown. Traces links between sentiment in Turkey and right-wing culture warriors in the West. Dozens of activists recently detained, groups shuttered as crackdown escalates. www.youtube.com/watch?v=wjI1...
youtube.com
What's behind the Turkish president's anti-LGBT push? - The Global Jigsaw podcast, BBC World Service
YouTube video by BBC World Service
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Emily Wither @emilywither.bsky.social · 15/09/2026
In Turkey, opposition mayors, journalists, students and even comedians are increasingly finding themselves in court. My new doc investigates the crackdown, looks at how Turkey’s justice system evolved under Erdogan, & explores what space is left for free speech: www.bbc.com/audio/play/p...
bbc.com
BBC Audio | The Documentary Podcast | Turkey on trial: Can courts control a nation?
From jailed mayors to comedians, Emily Wither investigates Turkey's crackdown
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William Armstrong @williamarmstrong.bsky.social · 01/09/2026
Splendid episode with Benjamin Fortna on his new book on Turkey and the Ottoman Empire. He talks about the challenge of trying to fit so much history into just over 200 pages, appealing to a popular readership, and recurring themes that emerge over centuries. 👇👇
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Turkey Book Talk @turkeybooktalk.bsky.social · 01/09/2026
Latest episode 📚📚 Benjamin Fortna on change and continuity in Ottoman and Turkish history. The conversation is based on his new book "The Shortest History of Turkey: From the Ottoman Empire to the Turkish Republic” (Old Street Publishing) Listen below 👇🎧 turkeybooktalk.com/2026/09/01/b...
turkeybooktalk.com
Benjamin Fortna on change and continuity in Ottoman and Turkish history
Turkey Book Talk #277 – Benjamin Fortna, professor of history at the University of Arizona, on “The Shortest History of Turkey: From the Ottoman Empire to the Turkish Republic” (Old Street Pu…
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William Armstrong @williamarmstrong.bsky.social · 01/09/2026
Splendid episode with Benjamin Fortna on his new book on Turkey and the Ottoman Empire. He talks about the challenge of trying to fit so much history into just over 200 pages, appealing to a popular readership, and recurring themes that emerge over centuries. 👇👇
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William Armstrong @williamarmstrong.bsky.social · 27/08/2026
Great article on how Erdogan has built several different narratives to reinforce his public appeal over the decades. This has now calcified into emphasis on being "the state". But that is itself a potent legitimising strategy, not a dead-end as many critics believe. www.ayrim.org/guncel/iktid...
ayrim.org
İktidardan Devlete, Siyasal Partiden İdari Merkeze: AKP’nin Bir Anlatısı Kaldı mı? - #ayrım
AKP’nin iktidardaki gücünün neye dayandığı ve ne zaman çözülmeye başlayacağı üzerine yaklaşık çeyrek asırdır yürütülen tartışmaların değişmeyen başlıklarından biri onun “anlatı kurma” becerisi oldu. A...
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William Armstrong @williamarmstrong.bsky.social · 20/08/2026
Turkey still importing hundreds of thousands of tonnes of plastic waste from European countries, including UK, every year. Dodgy practices and lax regulation have long raised alarm about the sector in Turkey, but volume of waste imports keeps rising alarmingly. www.theguardian.com/environment/...
theguardian.com
UK plastic ‘waste colonialism’ found to be polluting Turkey’s farming heartland
A Guardian investigation finds irrigation canals polluted with microplastics in Turkey, a major destination for UK waste
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Turkey Book Talk @turkeybooktalk.bsky.social · 18/08/2026
New episode ✨✨ Işılay Gürsu on the Turkish public's view of the country’s archaeological heritage, treasure hunts at historic sites, and efforts to repatriate ancient artefacts. Listen below 👇👇 turkeybooktalk.com/2026/08/18/i...
turkeybooktalk.com
Işılay Gürsu on archaeology and public perceptions in Turkey
Turkey Book Talk #276 – Işılay Gürsu, assistant director at the British Institute in Ankara, on “Public Dialogues in Archaeology: New Methodologies from Turkey” (Bloomsbury Academic).  The bo…
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06jank.bsky.social @06jank.bsky.social · 19/08/2026
Turkey's Justice Ministry has launched an AI project to automatically match suspects to the correct terrorist group.
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William Armstrong @williamarmstrong.bsky.social · 13/08/2026
The head of Turkey's large Suleymanci Islamic order was detained this morning on corruption accusations, along with dozens of others. Suleymancis are among the country's most influential religious orders, but they are rather secretive and have ambiguous politics. www.trthaber.com/haber/gundem...
trthaber.com
Alihan Kuriş suç örgütüne operasyon: 30 gözaltı
Ankara Cumhuriyet Başsavcılığı tarafından Alihan Kuriş suç örgütüne yönelik yürütülen 17 ilde operasyon başlatıldı. Aralarında Alihan Kuriş'in de olduğu 30 şüpheli gözaltına alındı, 3 şüphelinin yurt ...
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Onur Inal @onurinal.bsky.social · 04/08/2026
🎙️ Below, you can listen to the episode featuring my book on the environmental history of Ottoman Izmir. Thanks to @turkeybooktalk.bsky.social for this conversation
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Turkey Book Talk @turkeybooktalk.bsky.social · 04/08/2026
New episode 📚📚 Onur İnal (@onurinal.bsky.social) on the rise of late Ottoman İzmir. The conversation discusses his book “Gateway to the Mediterranean: An Environmental History of Late Ottoman Izmir” (Cambridge University Press) 👇👇 turkeybooktalk.com/2026/08/04/o...
turkeybooktalk.com
Onur İnal on the rise of late Ottoman İzmir
Turkey Book Talk #275 – Onur İnal of the Department of Near Eastern Studies at the University of Vienna on “Gateway to the Mediterranean: An Environmental History of Late Ottoman Izmir” (Camb…
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Jennifer Hattam @jenhattam.bsky.social · 30/07/2026
In addition to the obvious political implications, I wrote for @bloomberg.com last year about how these ongoing arrests and detentions are affecting issues critical to the city's future: bloomberg.com/news/feature...
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Jennifer Hattam @jenhattam.bsky.social · 30/07/2026
A plurality of Istanbul's district mayors are now in prison, along with the city's metropolitan mayor Ekrem İmamoğlu, who has been behind bars since last March. Image source: fatihaltayli.com.tr/yazarlar/fat...
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Sinem Adar @sinemadar.bsky.social · 23/07/2026
Enjoyed the @turkeybooktalk.bsky.social conversation on Turkish foreign policy and how it interacts with domestic politics. 👇
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William Armstrong @williamarmstrong.bsky.social · 21/07/2026
Enjoyed this conversation with @sinemadar.bsky.social on how Turkey's foreign policy trajectory is helping to reinforce Erdogan's domestic political crackdown. 🎧👇
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William Armstrong @williamarmstrong.bsky.social · 22/07/2026
Pew Research finds 13% of Turkish citizens have a positive view of the US, while 43% have a positive view of China. Just 6% say they have confidence in Trump to do the right thing in world affairs, while 32% say they have confidence in Xi Jinping. www.pewresearch.org/global/2026/...
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Sinem Adar @sinemadar.bsky.social · 22/07/2026
Thanks for the kind invitation, @williamarmstrong.bsky.social.
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Turkey Book Talk @turkeybooktalk.bsky.social · 21/07/2026
Fresh new episode 🎧🎧 Sinem Adar (@sinemadar.bsky.social) returns to the podcast. The conversation takes stock of Turkey’s geopolitical clout and its domestic political crackdown after the recent NATO summit in Ankara. 👇👇 turkeybooktalk.com/2026/07/21/s...
turkeybooktalk.com
Sinem Adar on Turkey’s role in a fracturing Western alliance
Turkey Book Talk #274 – Sinem Adar, head of the Centre for Applied Turkey Studies at the German Institute for International and Security Affairs, returns to the podcast. The conversation take…
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William Armstrong @williamarmstrong.bsky.social · 21/07/2026
Enjoyed this conversation with @sinemadar.bsky.social on how Turkey's foreign policy trajectory is helping to reinforce Erdogan's domestic political crackdown. 🎧👇
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Ayla Albayrak @aylushka.bsky.social · 21/07/2026
The ousted CHP leader Özgür Özel has now publicly announced his farewell to CHP and intention to form a new opposition party -- a long-awaited move by his supporters (BBC Türkçe) www.bbc.com/turkce/artic...
bbc.com
Özgür Özel CHP'de son grup toplantısını yaptı - BBC News Türkçe
Özgür Özel, kendisi dahil 83 milletvekilinin bulunduğu grup toplantısında Cumhuriyet Halk Partisi'ne veda konuşması yaptı ve "Yeni partimizi kuruyoruz" dedi.
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Diego Cupolo @diegocupolo.bsky.social · 15/07/2026
Since 2016, Turkish public sector jobs grew from 3.56 to 5.37M. Using these stats, @liselhintz.bsky.social and @hakkitas.bsky.social write: "Power consolidation is achieved" by restructuring jobs so that "a larger share of the population holds a direct material stake in the survival" of the regime.
giga-hamburg.de
Epic Autocratisation: Turkey’s Decade of Coup-Fuelled Transformation
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William Armstrong @williamarmstrong.bsky.social · 15/07/2026
Interesting poll from @istanpol.bsky.social finds broad general support for Turkey's Nato membership. Research conducted 22-29 June, ahead of the recent Nato summit in Ankara. istanpol.org/post-nato-ya...
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Emily Wither @emilywither.bsky.social · 15/07/2026
It is ten years since Turkey's coup attempt - when a faction of the military tried to topple Erdoğan's government. I visited the neighbourhood directly below Bosphorus Bridge, which saw some of the fiercest fighting, to hear from those that came on to the streets www.bbc.com/audio/play/w...
bbc.com
BBC Audio | Witness History | Turkey’s failed coup
On 15 July 2016, more than 300 people were killed in the coup attempt
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Jennifer Hattam @jenhattam.bsky.social · 29/06/2026
Thanks to Will for another great conversation! After listening, check out my recent newsletter for more behind-the-scenes details on how a travel guidebook gets made: istanbuletcetera.substack.com/p/how-a-trav...
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William Armstrong @williamarmstrong.bsky.social · 26/06/2026
Good article describes how Turkish govt sees upcoming NATO summit in Ankara as a platform for “interests-first” bargaining. Greater Turkish commitment to NATO doesn't mean shift to liberal/democratic values. Recent developments in fact indicate the opposite. yetkinreport.com/2026/06/26/a...
yetkinreport.com
Ankara’nın Jeopolitikası Batıyla Normalleşme mi, Çok Yönlü Pazarlık mı? - Yetkin Report - Murat Yetkin
Hepsini bir ara düşündüğümüzde Ankara’nın derdi kesinlikle Batı ile eski usul bir normalleşme değil, çok yönlü pazarlık.
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06jank.bsky.social @06jank.bsky.social · 26/06/2026
Civil society figures including gay rights group head, environmentalists detained as "armed terrorists" before Ankara NATO meeting t24.com.tr/gundem/nato-...
t24.com.tr
NATO gözaltıları: Doç. Dr. Emel Memiş, TEMA gönüllüleri ve gazeteci Yıldız Tar‘ın da olduğu 103 kişi tutuklandı | T24
Savcılık sevk yazısında "Türkiye'nin terörle anılan bir ülke olması gayreti içinde terör eylemi gerçekleştirebilirler" ifadelerini kullandı
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William Armstrong @williamarmstrong.bsky.social · 23/06/2026
Enjoyed this splendid conversation about a timely new book Listen below 📢📢
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Turkey Book Talk @turkeybooktalk.bsky.social · 23/06/2026
New episode 📚📚 Hannah Lucinda Smith on Turkey, Russia and Europe's hinterlands The conversation is based on her new book “Hinterlands: Journeys through Europe’s Unfinished Frontiers” (@profilebooks.bsky.social) 🎧👇 turkeybooktalk.com/2026/06/23/h...
turkeybooktalk.com
Hannah Lucinda Smith on Turkey, Russia and Europe’s hinterlands
Turkey Book Talk #273 – Hannah Lucinda Smith on “Hinterlands: Journeys through Europe’s Unfinished Frontiers” (Profile Books). The book is based on vivid reporting from Eastern Europe, the Ea…
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William Armstrong @williamarmstrong.bsky.social · 23/06/2026
Enjoyed this splendid conversation about a timely new book Listen below 📢📢
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Selim Koru @selimkoru.bsky.social · 12/06/2026
Everyone in Turkey talks about emigration. But the official numbers are strangely calm: in a country of 86 million, a couple hundred thousand leave per year. No great exodus. So why does it feel like everyone is leaving? Because the question isn't how many. It's who.
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William Armstrong @williamarmstrong.bsky.social · 09/06/2026
Enjoyed recording this episode. Excellent insights from Doruk Erhan on the mounting crackdown on Turkey's main opposition party and what comes next 📌📌
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Turkey Book Talk @turkeybooktalk.bsky.social · 09/06/2026
New episode 📢📢 Doruk Erhan on the limits of Turkey’s shift to autocracy. The conversation weighs up what comes next in Turkey's judicial crackdown on the main opposition CHP and how it fits into a broader global shift away from liberal democracy Listen below 👇👇 turkeybooktalk.com/2026/06/09/d...
turkeybooktalk.com
Doruk Erhan on the limits of Turkey’s shift to autocracy
Turkey Book Talk #272 – Doruk Erhan, doctoral candidate at Yale Law School and visiting researcher at the Max Planck Institute for Comparative and International Private Law, on the crackdown …
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William Armstrong @williamarmstrong.bsky.social · 09/06/2026
Enjoyed recording this episode. Excellent insights from Doruk Erhan on the mounting crackdown on Turkey's main opposition party and what comes next 📌📌
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Turkey Book Talk @turkeybooktalk.bsky.social · 03/06/2026
From last week ⌛⌛ Jennifer Hattam (@jenhattam.bsky.social) on what goes into updating the Lonely Planet travel guide to Turkey. The conversation touches on the epic work involved, her impressions of places visited, and how Turkey has changed over the years. 👇👇 turkeybooktalk.com/2026/05/26/j...
turkeybooktalk.com
Jennifer Hattam on updating the Lonely Planet guide to Turkey
Turkey Book Talk #271 – Long-time Istanbul-based journalist Jennifer Hattam on her work updating the Lonely Planet travel guide to Turkey. The conversation touches on the immense amount of wo…
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Joshua Kucera @joshuakucera.bsky.social · 03/06/2026
Armenia’s election is scheduled for Sunday, and issues of war and peace have been at the top of the campaign agendas. Candidates have debated dueling visions of Armenia’s relations with Azerbaijan, Türkiye, Russia, and the West. Our preview from @crisisgroup.org: www.crisisgroup.org/qna/europe/a...
crisisgroup.org
Issues of War and Peace Gain Top Billing in Armenia’s Election | International Crisis Group
Armenians will head to the polls on 7 June for the country’s first general election since 2021. In this Q&A, Crisis Group expert Joshua Kucera explains why foreign policy has dominated the campaign an...
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Turkey Book Talk @turkeybooktalk.bsky.social · 26/05/2026
New episode 📢📢 Jennifer Hattam (@jenhattam.bsky.social) on updating the Lonely Planet travel guide to Turkey. The conversation touches on the epic work involved, her impressions of places visited, and how Turkey has changed over the years. 👇👇 turkeybooktalk.com/2026/05/26/j...
turkeybooktalk.com
Jennifer Hattam on writing the Lonely Planet guide to Turkey
Turkey Book Talk #271 – Long-time Istanbul-based journalist Jennifer Hattam on her work updating the Lonely Planet travel guide to Turkey. The conversation touches on the immense amount of wo…
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William Armstrong @williamarmstrong.bsky.social · 26/05/2026
Enjoyed this conversation with Jeniffer Hattam on what goes into updating the Lonely Planet travel guide to Turkey. Listen below 🎧👇
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William Armstrong @williamarmstrong.bsky.social · 26/05/2026
Enjoyed this conversation with Jeniffer Hattam on what goes into updating the Lonely Planet travel guide to Turkey. Listen below 🎧👇
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Dr Balki Begum Bayhan @bbbayh.bsky.social · 24/05/2026
Scenes from Ankara. Police storm the CHP headquarters to remove Özgür Özel and his supporters from the building, following the court decision stripping him of the party leadership.
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Mert Kartal @mertkartal.bsky.social · 24/05/2026
In case anyone outside Turkey still cares, today marks another turning point for Turkish “democracy.” A major threshold has been crossed.
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Department of Historical Studies at CEU @historicalstudies.bsky.social · 13/05/2026
New podcast: Prof. Brett Wilson discussing his article on Sufi leaders in the early Turkish republic #sufism turkeybooktalk.com/2026/05/12/b...
turkeybooktalk.com
Brett Wilson on the myth and reality of modern Turkey’s religious reforms
Turkey Book Talk #270 – Brett Wilson, associate professor of history and public policy at Central European University, on his article “Sufi Leaders in the early Turkish Republic: Profes…
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Turkey Book Talk @turkeybooktalk.bsky.social · 12/05/2026
New episode 📢📢 Brett Wilson on the myth and reality of modern Turkey’s religious reforms 🎧👇 turkeybooktalk.com/2026/05/12/b...
turkeybooktalk.com
Brett Wilson on the myth and reality of modern Turkey’s religious reforms
Turkey Book Talk #270 – Brett Wilson, associate professor of history and public policy at Central European University, on his article “Sufi Leaders in the early Turkish Republic: Profes…
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Selim Koru @selimkoru.bsky.social · 05/05/2026
Erdoğan says Europe needs Turkey more than Turkey needs Europe. The real story is stranger: the two sides are building defense industries on opposite principles, and nobody in Ankara wants to admit it: kulturkampftr.substack.com/p/what-kind-...
kulturkampftr.substack.com
What Kind of Sovereignty?
Turkey, Europe, and the politics of defense industrial integration
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