ID#: 1535 Feb 6 : Houston : Turkey, the Opposition & Erdogan

World Affairs Council of Houston
Young Professionals

Turkey, the Opposition & Erdogan Yurter Özcan, Republican People’s Party - CHP Thursday, February 6th Registration & Food: 6:30 - 7:15pm Program: 7:15 - 8:30pm

With relatively stable governments and a dynamic economy, many in the Middle East see Turkey as an ideal model for countries affected by the Arab Spring. Prime Minister Erdogan is praised by many for Turkey’s notable success in the last ten years. But others claim that he: oversteps his authority; is encouraging Islamization of this notably secular nation; and is disproportionate in response to those who question his policies.

For the second year in a row, Turkey leads the world in the number of journalists in prison. And peaceful demonstrations that began last spring at Gezi Park soon turned violent and became a rallying point against political repression and corruption. What are the demands of those in opposition to the current government? Is Erdogan fostering Islamization and disregarding Turkey long history of separation between church and state? How will Turkey culturally and politically influence its neighbors?

Yurter Özcan is the U.S. Representative of the Republican People’s Party (CHP - the party founded by Ataturk) and the founder of the Turkish Policy Center in Washington D.C. He is also a member of the CHP Foreign Relations Council. Previously, Özcan worked as a researcher at the Washington Institute for Near East Policy’s Turkey Research Program. He holds a Master’s Degree in Middle East Politics from the School of Oriental and African Studies in London (SOAS) where he was a Chevening Scholar and HSBC Fellow. His thesis titled ‘The Fall and Re-birth of Kurdish Hizbullah in Turkey’ was awarded a merit degree by the university. In 2008, Ozcan received the “Assembly of Turkish American Associations (ATAA) Young Turkish Leader of the Year Award” from the Turkish Ambassador to the United States for his leadership in grassroots efforts against anti-Turkey lobby groups.

Heavy appetizers included. Please be sure to register with this link: