Welcome from the Chair

Our Department is committed to the rigorous study of politics in all its dimensions, including domestic and international, theoretical and empirical, historical and contemporary. Our objective is to provide a balanced education that is grounded in intellectual, methodological and societal diversity. At the core of this objective lies a simple belief: making sense of politics, (be it in everyday life, public institutions, or global affairs), requires openness, curiosity, and respect for diverse perspectives.

Our undergraduate, MA and PhD programmes are organised around four core fields of study: comparative politics, international relations, political theory, and Turkish politics. In addition to introductory courses that aim to establish the foundations of knowledge in the discipline of Political Science, we encourage our students to undertake in-depth research on contemporary issues such as regime trajectories, socio-political movements, regional and global transformations, the political economy of development, human rights, gender (in)equality, and identity politics. These themes are examined both in relation to Türkiye and broader regional and global contexts.

We are fortunate to have a dedicated and diverse faculty, offering a wide range of elective courses. From their junior year onwards, our students can progressively specialise in areas that reflect their academic interests and career aspirations. We believe that effective learning emerges through constructive dialogue, close mentorship, and mutual respect.

It is our hope that our graduates will leave the Department not only with strong academic and professional skills, but with intellectual humility, ethical awareness and a sense of responsibility to tackle the pressing challenges facing our own domestic society and the global community. Regardless of whether they pursue careers in academia, public service, diplomacy, international organisations, civil society or the private sector, our goal is always to support them in finding, and keeping, their ideal positions.

Prof. Dr. Selver Şahin

Department Chair