Baylor History Department Lecture to Analyze Relationship Between Turkey and Islamic State Group

October 2, 2015
Sinan Ciddi

Sinan Ciddi courtesy photo.

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Media contact: Terry Goodrich, (254) 710-3321

WACO, Texas (Oct. 2, 2015) – Baylor University’s department of history in the College of Arts & Sciences and the Center for Global Engagement will welcome Sinan Ciddi, Ph.D., visiting assistant professor and director of the Institute for Turkish Studies at Georgetown University, for a lecture on the relationship between Turkey and the Islamic State group at 3:30 p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 6, in the Treasury Room of Armstrong Browning Library.

Ciddi’s lecture, titled “Turkey: A Reliable Ally to Combat ISIS?,” will explore the factors that determine Turkey’s stance toward the Islamic State group and the future potential role it will play in the stability of the Middle East.

“ISIS is a major threat to peace in the Middle East and a serious concern for the United States,” said George Gawrych, Ph.D., professor of history. “The war in Syria has helped create a huge and ongoing refugee problem in Europe. Turkey is a regional power and has the potential to play an important role in dealing with ISIS. It will be very informative to gain insights into Turkey’s interests in the region and the state of Turkish-American relations.”

In addition to his lecture, Ciddi, an expert on Turkish politics, will meet with university officials to discuss funding available for study in Turkey.

“The Middle East is a region of vital interest to the United States, and ISIS poses a very serious threat to regional stability and adds fuel to the refugee crisis plaguing Europe,” Gawrych said. “Turkey, a democratic country, is an important regional power and has been undergoing major transformation under the controversial leadership of Recep Tayyip Erdogan. We need to be better informed about the role that Turkey has played and is playing today in the evolving crisis in Syria. Dr. Ciddi will provide useful insights into Erdogan's domestic politics in shaping the country's foreign policy toward ISIS, the United States and Syria.”

Ciddi obtained his Ph.D. from the School of Oriental and African Studies at the University of London in 2007 with a concentration in political science. He is the author of several books, including “Kemalism in Turkish Politics: The Republican People’s Party: Secularism and Nationalism,” which focuses on the electoral weaknesses of the Republican People’s Party.

“Dr. Ciddi is an expert on Turkish domestic politics and foreign policy and can provide a critical, balanced and informative lecture on ISIS and Turkey,” Gawrych said.

This event is free and open to the public.

Armstrong Browning Library is located at 710 Speight Ave.

For more information, contact the department of history at 254-710-2667.

by Ashton Brown, student newswriter, (254) 710-6805

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