Mensur Akgün
Encyclopedia
Mensur Akgün is a Turkish scholar, political analyst, columnist
in Turkish daily Referans and civil society
activist. Together with his colleague Sylvia Tiryaki
he founded the Global Political Trends Center
, an Istanbul
based research institution
, which is operating under the auspices of Istanbul Kültür University
. He has also been the Director of the Foreign Policy
Program at the Turkish Economic and Social Studies Foundation
and the editor of an analytical magazine published by the Turkish Industrialists' and Businessmen's Association
and of the News Perspectives Quarterly. Mensur Akgün teaches courses on international relations
and Turkish foreign policy at the Faculty of Economic and Administrative Sciences of Istanbul Kültür University
.
He finished his bachelor
studies at the Middle Eastern Technical University in Turkey
and got his Master degree from the University of Oslo
in Norway
. After finishing his doctoral studies at the Bosphorus University in Turkey, Mensur Akgün started publishing widely in national and international journals and newspapers. In addition to that, he has published a couple of own monographs and co-authored books. He has traveled extensively and participated in various international conferences
as a speaker representing both academia
and civil society
.
His geographic areas on interest include the Middle East
, Cyprus
, Turkey
and Armenia
.
Columnist
A columnist is a journalist who writes for publication in a series, creating an article that usually offers commentary and opinions. Columns appear in newspapers, magazines and other publications, including blogs....
in Turkish daily Referans and civil society
Civil society
Civil society is composed of the totality of many voluntary social relationships, civic and social organizations, and institutions that form the basis of a functioning society, as distinct from the force-backed structures of a state , the commercial institutions of the market, and private criminal...
activist. Together with his colleague Sylvia Tiryaki
Sylvia Tiryaki
Sylvia Tiryaki is a scholar, political analyst and civil society activist of Slovak origin, who founded the Global Political Trends Center with her colleague Mensur Akgun in 2008, a policy oriented research institution under the auspices of Istanbul Kültür University.Tiryaki was a regular columnist...
he founded the Global Political Trends Center
GPoT Center
GPoT Center officially the Global Political Trends Center is a research unit, which was established by Mensur Akgun and Sylvia Tiryaki at the Istanbul Kültür University in Turkey in 2008...
, an Istanbul
Istanbul
Istanbul , historically known as Byzantium and Constantinople , is the largest city of Turkey. Istanbul metropolitan province had 13.26 million people living in it as of December, 2010, which is 18% of Turkey's population and the 3rd largest metropolitan area in Europe after London and...
based research institution
Research center
A research center is a facility or building dedicated to research, commonly with the focus on a specific area. There are over 14,000 research centers in the United States...
, which is operating under the auspices of Istanbul Kültür University
Istanbul Kültür University
- About İKÜ :İstanbul Kültür University is a private university located in İstanbul, Turkey. It has three campuses, Ataköy, Bahçelievler and İncirli. The University was founded in 1997 and has five schools and two vocational schools...
. He has also been the Director of the Foreign Policy
Foreign Policy
Foreign Policy is a bimonthly American magazine founded in 1970 by Samuel P. Huntington and Warren Demian Manshel.Originally, the magazine was a quarterly...
Program at the Turkish Economic and Social Studies Foundation
Turkish Economic and Social Studies Foundation
The Turkish Economic and Social Studies Foundation , based in Istanbul, is Turkey's leading think tank. Its core program areas are democratization, good governance, and foreign policy....
and the editor of an analytical magazine published by the Turkish Industrialists' and Businessmen's Association
Turkish Industrialists' and Businessmen's Association
Turkish Industrialists' and Businessmen's Association is the top business association of Turkey. The current head is Ümit Boyner.The association was established in 1971....
and of the News Perspectives Quarterly. Mensur Akgün teaches courses on international relations
International relations
International relations is the study of relationships between countries, including the roles of states, inter-governmental organizations , international nongovernmental organizations , non-governmental organizations and multinational corporations...
and Turkish foreign policy at the Faculty of Economic and Administrative Sciences of Istanbul Kültür University
Istanbul Kültür University
- About İKÜ :İstanbul Kültür University is a private university located in İstanbul, Turkey. It has three campuses, Ataköy, Bahçelievler and İncirli. The University was founded in 1997 and has five schools and two vocational schools...
.
He finished his bachelor
Bachelor
A bachelor is a man above the age of majority who has never been married . Unlike his female counterpart, the spinster, a bachelor may have had children...
studies at the Middle Eastern Technical University in Turkey
Turkey
Turkey , known officially as the Republic of Turkey , is a Eurasian country located in Western Asia and in East Thrace in Southeastern Europe...
and got his Master degree from the University of Oslo
University of Oslo
The University of Oslo , formerly The Royal Frederick University , is the oldest and largest university in Norway, situated in the Norwegian capital of Oslo. The university was founded in 1811 and was modelled after the recently established University of Berlin...
in Norway
Norway
Norway , officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a Nordic unitary constitutional monarchy whose territory comprises the western portion of the Scandinavian Peninsula, Jan Mayen, and the Arctic archipelago of Svalbard and Bouvet Island. Norway has a total area of and a population of about 4.9 million...
. After finishing his doctoral studies at the Bosphorus University in Turkey, Mensur Akgün started publishing widely in national and international journals and newspapers. In addition to that, he has published a couple of own monographs and co-authored books. He has traveled extensively and participated in various international conferences
Academic conference
An academic conference or symposium is a conference for researchers to present and discuss their work. Together with academic or scientific journals, conferences provide an important channel for exchange of information between researchers.-Overview:Conferences are usually composed of various...
as a speaker representing both academia
Academia
Academia is the community of students and scholars engaged in higher education and research.-Etymology:The word comes from the akademeia in ancient Greece. Outside the city walls of Athens, the gymnasium was made famous by Plato as a center of learning...
and civil society
Civil society
Civil society is composed of the totality of many voluntary social relationships, civic and social organizations, and institutions that form the basis of a functioning society, as distinct from the force-backed structures of a state , the commercial institutions of the market, and private criminal...
.
His geographic areas on interest include the Middle East
Middle East
The Middle East is a region that encompasses Western Asia and Northern Africa. It is often used as a synonym for Near East, in opposition to Far East...
, Cyprus
Cyprus
Cyprus , officially the Republic of Cyprus , is a Eurasian island country, member of the European Union, in the Eastern Mediterranean, east of Greece, south of Turkey, west of Syria and north of Egypt. It is the third largest island in the Mediterranean Sea.The earliest known human activity on the...
, Turkey
Turkey
Turkey , known officially as the Republic of Turkey , is a Eurasian country located in Western Asia and in East Thrace in Southeastern Europe...
and Armenia
Armenia
Armenia , officially the Republic of Armenia , is a landlocked mountainous country in the Caucasus region of Eurasia...
.
Publications
- Finding Common Grounds - Rediscovering the Common Narrative of Turkey and Europe, Bratislava: RC SFPA, 2009. (Edited book)
- A Promise to Keep: Time to End the International Isolation of the Turkish Cypriots, TESEV Publications, June 2008. (Edited book)
- Quo Vadis Cyprus?, TESEV Publications, April 2005. (Edited book)
- Turkey: What Axis Shift in Le Monde Diplomatique, July 9, 2010.
- Ending the Isolation of Turkish Cypriots in Insight Turkey. Istanbul: SETA Foundation, Vol. 12, No. 1/2010, February 2010.
- Turks Are Now Puzzling over the EU's Back-Handed Compliment in Europe's World, No. 14, Spring 2010.
- The Annan Plan: A Missed Opportunity. World Security Network, 14 May 2004.
- Turkey in the Middle East, Turkey Investor: Journal of International Finance, (November–December, 1998).
- Turkey and Russia: Burdened by history and myopia, Privatview, no.3 (Winter 1997).