ICAR's Relationship With Turkey
Recently, I spent two weeks as a Fulbright Senior Specialist in Conflict Resolution with the M.A. Program in Conflict Analysis and Resolution (CAR) at Sabanci University in Istanbul, Turkey. Sabanci is located on the Asian side of the Bosphorus, approximately one hour driving time from "downtown" Istanbul.
Sabanci's CAR Program was established in Fall 2000—exactly one year prior to 9/11—by the Institute for Conflict Analysis and Resolution's (ICAR) first international Ph.D. graduate, Dr. Nimet Beriker, in consultation with former ICAR professor Dr. Daniel Druckman and myself. Over the years since the program's inception, a number of ICAR faculty (including Drs. Dean Pruitt, Daniel Druckman, Christopher Mitchell, Kevin Avruch and myself ) have visited the university as guest lecturers.
During my recent visit to Sabanci, I gave lectures for Dr. Beriker's integration class, Dr. Betul Celik's course on culture and conflict and Dr. Riva Kantowitz's introductory course. In addition, I gave a University wide lecture on "Turkey's Unique Role in Nipping in the Bud the 'Clash of Civilizations'."
Sabanci is one of a growing number of private universities in Turkey in which all courses (with the possible exception of Ottoman History) are taught in English, primarily by Turkish professors with doctoral degrees from Western (usually American) universities.
English language primacy allows graduates of these institutions, who tend to be outstanding, to be globally competitive. It also allows Sabanci's CAR Program—the only one of its kind in Turkey and the region—to be attractive to potential students from other countries. Hence, Sabanci's CAR Program has included students from Afghanistan, Albania, Argentina, Azerbaijan, Denmark, Germany, Greece, Iran, Israel, Kenya, Poland, Romania, the UK and the U.S.
Two of Dr. Beriker's former students are currently completing their Ph.D. work at ICAR: Ulas Doga Eralp and Talha Kose (both from Turkey). A third, Athanasios Gatsias (from Greece), recently joined ICAR's Ph.D. Program. This, plus my visit, indicates that the ICAR-Sabanci relationship continues to thrive.
As so it should, given Turkey's unique multi-level positioning as (a) a long-time NATO member currently negotiating entry into the European Union; (b) a cultural bridge between Europe, Asia, and the Middle East; (c) a Muslim, but secular, country with a well-established Jewish community and a positive relationship with Israel, currently acting as a mediator between Israel and Syria on the issue of the Golan Heights; (d) a model for other Muslim states, especially in Central Asia; (e) a source of positive initiatives toward Armenia (and vice versa) in finally dealing resolutely with Turkey's historical conflict with Armenians worldwide, as exemplified by Turkish President Abdullah Gul's recent visit to Armenia; and finally (f ) an engine for the transmission of EU values and norms into the South Caucasus, site of Russia's recent war with Georgia over South Ossetia.
Indeed, for these and other reasons, Turkey is well poised to advance the goals of national, regional, and global peacemaking and peacebuilding. Sabanci's CAR Program can play a meaningful role in this regard and, through its continuing relationship with Sabanci's CAR program, so can ICAR.