Welcome!

I am a Ph.D. candidate in the Department of Political Science at Binghamton University. My major is comparative politics, and my minor is international relations. I expect to complete my doctorate by June 2025. 

My research interests include politics of recognition, state minority policies, ethnic politics, democratization, human rights, and conflict management. Regionally, I focus on post-Communist Europe, Southern Europe, and the Middle East.

My research is grounded in normative political theory and focuses on the institutional and political challenges of managing diversity in multiethnic states. I examine the conditions under which ethnic minorities are recognized by the state. Through both theoretical and empirical analysis, I explore how these mechanisms can reduce conflict, enhance democratic resilience, and promote inclusive governance. By contributing to debates on institutional reform, minority rights, and conflict prevention, my work offers insights for scholars and practitioners concerned with building stable and inclusive democracies in divided societies.

Methodologically, I employ a mixed-methods approach that combines quantitative techniques—such as machine learning models, computer-assisted text analysis, and geospatial data analysis—with qualitative methods including process tracing, historical institutionalism, and comparative case studies. As part of my dissertation research, I conducted fieldwork in Turkey (2022) and Bulgaria (2023). A native speaker of Turkish and Kurdish, I bring both linguistic fluency and cultural familiarity to my work in the Balkans and the Middle East.

My research has been published in Nationalism and Ethnic Politics and accepted for publication in Nations and Nationalism. Several additional manuscripts are currently under review or in preparation for submission to peer-reviewed political science journals.

For more information, see my CV.