Selim Koru

There's a huge literature on this.

A Fictional Character Died 15 Years Ago. Millions Still Mourn Her Forbidden Love remains Turkey's best TV show—and it's not even close

Müjge and I wrote about Turkish TV:

so it sounds like Hamas' disarmament (or the perception thereof), combined with Qatari-Turkish follow-through with the White House, might actually put Israel in a difficult spot.

I wouldn't read too much into that. That's just the Ai's rendering of any bus. I don't think this kind of sentiment is specifically British, or even European. There's versions of it in places like Japan as well.

woah, you come on strong for BlueSky

All of this gets vastly worse politically if you remember all that holds Turkey's tfr at these levels is a vastly higher birthrate in Kurdish south east

Funny bcs i remember all Euro hysteria of being replaced by Turks

It's almost as if some patterns of 20th century European politics are repeating themselves (with a twist) in other countries!

Great piece, as usual

What we talk about when we talk about Turkey How English-language commentary shifted from 'Is Erdoğan democratic?' to 'Is Erdoğan necessary?'

I wrote about writing about Turkey

The Demographic Argument Erdoğan Won't Make On demographic decline, Muslim Zion, and the dangers of policy by stealth

I wrote about demographics

sağolun :)

MPR News photojournalist Kerem Yücel was hit by less-lethal munition during the operation in St. Paul today. Other photojournalists were hit as well.
More on what unfolded at the chaotic scene: www.mprnews.org/story/2025/1...

benden mi bahsediyorsunuz hocam? :)

The Demographic Argument Erdoğan Won't Make On demographic decline, Muslim Zion, and the dangers of policy by stealth

I wrote about demographics

Kılıçdaroğlu's CHP lifted Demirtaş's immunity. Still, I think the CHP is doing the right thing here.

I think going would have made the party irrelevant. If they're going to survive, they're going to need to build up a real contrast with the palace.

oh I don't think so. He wrote 2012/2013, which I take to mean before Gezi.

ha, I know about that

What we talk about when we talk about Turkey How English-language commentary shifted from 'Is Erdoğan democratic?' to 'Is Erdoğan necessary?'

I wrote about writing about Turkey

Selim Koru on Erdoğan Turkey, its Domestic and Foreign Policy Orientations, and Illiberalism illiberalism.org | Selim Koru discusses Erdoğan's New Turkey, the far-right influences and goals of him and his party in the domestic and foreign policy domains, and illiberalism.

New interview! @selimkoru.bsky.social discusses Erdoğan's New Turkey, the far-right influences and goals of him and his party in the domestic and foreign policy domains, and #illiberalism.

@ieres-gwu.bsky.social

I hear of similar things in the UK. Infusing these bureaucracies with technology is very creepy.

people ask me why I'm not going into academia...

I see what you mean. I wouldn't make a monocausal argument, but I do think smartphone-based "social" media hypercharged things. If we could experiment with alternative universes, I'd bet that removing that one thing could make things a whole lot better.
Could that have been done? Hard to imagine.

but of course we can think of the last twenty years as merely the last chapter in the collapse of authority. That's been going on forever. You could add the Protestant Reformation and secularization in the 19th century to the reasons behind the rise of the far-right today. It'd be too broad though.

Radio and TV might have had a slight effect on populations, but they weren't nearly as intrusive.
There's mounting evidence that smartphone-based social media is causing huge cognitive/psychological damage.

I know, but don't think the "similar arguments have been made" argument holds here. We have to look at the actual cognitive impact of the technology.

Making Sense of Turkish Foreign Policy #100: With Selim Koru

This week in the newsletter, I speak to @selimkoru.bsky.social to make sense of Turkey's foreign policy. It's complicated! And interesting

open.substack.com/pub/thehundr...

I think the smartphone-based technology is fundamentally different and more corrosive than anything before. Major factor in how we (all) got here.

Can't wrap my head around that one

Got a pair of Altras recently. Pretty good.