Research Interests
My current research focuses broadly on Turkey's domestic and foreign policies. In the realm of foreign policy, this includes Turkey's regional role, uses of soft power and resulting identity shifts. In the domestic arena, my research has been related to the Kurdish issue and political Islam. In addtion, I maintain my interest in civil-military relations in transitional democracies.
A related secondary theme using Turkey as a case is the role of rising powers in peacebuilding and humanitarianism.
Background
Languages spoken:
English, Norwegian, Turkish, French, Spanish
Working experience:
1998–Present: Peace Research Institute Oslo (PRIO)
Aug 2013 - Present: Senior Researcher, based in Brazil
2011–Aug 2013: Research Director, Dimensions of Security
2010–2011: Programme Leader, Conflict Resolution and Peace Building
2009–2010: Senior Researcher
1998–2009: Research, Security Programme
1995–1997: Reseacher, Center for European and Asian Studies, Norwegian School of Management, BI.
1993–1995: Various positions including Teaching, translation and personal assistance.
Academic visitorships:
2003 - Fulbright research scholarship, Georgetown University, Washington.
2001 (October) - Visiting Research fellow at Centre for Eurasian Strategic Studies (ASAM) in Ankara, Turkey.
Education:
2009 - Dr. Philos. in Political Science, University of Oslo/PRIO.
Dissertation title: Turkey's military élite at a crossroad: Paths to desecuritisation?"
1993 - Master of Philosophy in International Relations - Security Studies, University of St. Andrews, Scotland.
M.Phil thesis: “Ecofeminism: Critique or critical theory?”
1990 - Bachelor of Arts Honours in French and Politics (including one year spent at Literature Faculty of Université de Nantes, France as part of French language degree). University of Keele, England.
Blog Posts
Posted by Pinar Tank on Monday, 29 May 2017
Despite tensions over Syria, Turkey is increasingly turning to Russia to secure its foreign and domestic policy needs. Though anticipated, the May 9 announcement by the Donald Trump administration that the United States would arm fighters of the Kurdish People’s Protection Units (YPG) in preparation for an advance on the Islamic State stronghold of Raqqa in Syria brought a swift and angry response from Turkey. Demanding a policy reversal, Minister of Foreign Affairs Mevlut Cavusoglu noted ominously that any arms obtained by the YPG were a direct threat to Turkey — strong words from one NATO ally to another. This ...
The agreement reflects the EU’s self-interest just as much as Turkey’s, but takes little account of the interests and rights of the refugees. On Friday 18 March, Turkey and the EU concluded a deal designed to put an end to refugees’ use of the sea route to travel from Turkey to Greece, because the route is costing too many lives, and because the EU and Turkey want to get the flood of refugees under control. The majority of the refugees and migrants who have arrived in Europe in recent months have travelled via this route. The EU’s website claims that ...
Posted by Pinar Tank on Monday, 17 August 2015
Two months is a long time in politics – even more so in Turkish politics. At the beginning of June, the Turkish election brought a wave of hope across the country with results that broke the majoritarian (and authoritarian) rule of the reigning Justice and Development Party (AKP). The pro-Kurdish People´s Democratic Party (HDP), winning 13% of the vote, managed to cross the 10% threshold so gaining representation in mainstream politics for Kurds – as well as liberals desperate for a new democratic force in Turkey´s staid political landscape. It was a political victory that promised a continued normalization in ...
Posted by Pinar Tank on Friday, 5 June 2015
With only days to go before legislative elections in Turkey on Sunday, 7 June, the political uncertainty of its possible outcomes are filling newspaper columns. This is a change from the past two elections where a victory for the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) was almost a foregone conclusion. As Turkey goes to the polls, two issues dominate. The first is the question of changes to Turkey´s constitutional order, replacing the present parliamentary system with a presidential one. Official polls closed ten days prior to the election (as is custom) and predictions indicated that while the ruling Justice and ...
Posted by Pinar Tank on Friday, 20 March 2015
In Rio de Janeiro, when the going gets tough, the tough… often go to the beach. The expanse of blue shoreline lined with small botecos (bars) is a sanctuary from the troubles of everyday life and according to some Cariocas – natives of Rio – the explanation for their relaxed attitude. On 15 March, they turned up – in droves – at Copacabana beach. Cariocas came dressed in the national colors green and yellow with some sporting the slogan “Basta” (Enough). The same scene was repeated in 160 towns across Brazil with numbers said to be as high as 1.5 ...
Posted by Pinar Tank on Thursday, 5 June 2014
In August 2011 Turkish Prime Minister Erdoğan took his family, his foreign minister, and an entourage of cabinet members to visit Somalia as part of a humanitarian mission to highlight the plight of 12 million Somali victims of drought. The visit was symbolically important, as Erdoğan travelled to Mogadishu, the first visit to the Somali capital by a leader from outside Africa in 20 years. Also symbolic was the timing, coming as it did during the holy month of Ramadan in which Turkey alone raised 201 million USD in humanitarian relief. The magnitude of the Somali tragedy – with the ...
Posted by Pinar Tank on Friday, 23 May 2014
As the rescue operation into Turkey´s worst industrial accident came to end on Saturday, 17 May, the number of dead was confirmed at 301 (of 787) with scores still unaccounted for. PRIO researcher Pinar Tank has published a post the New Middle East Blog 23 May 2014.
Posted by Pinar Tank on Friday, 7 March 2014
One of the foundational concepts of good democratic governance is that of a separation of powers. French Enlightenment philosopher Baron de Montesquieu´s argument for the separation of political power between the three branches – executive, legislative and judiciary – hinges on the notion that power should not be centralized in a single sovereign to prevent rulers from usurping complete control. To these three branches can be added the Fourth Estate, the media. Independent from the state, it serves as a watchdog over the three branches. Finally, there is what Yochai Benkler (2006) refers to as the “Networked Fourth Estate” which ...