Welcome! I am a Ph.D. candidate at the Department of Political Science of the University of Minnesota, specializing in comparative politics and political methodology. My research broadly focuses on government-business relations, cronyism, and corruption. In my doctoral dissertation, I ask why and how some businesses without government connections can wield political influence over economic policies and public resources while others can not. I consider both government and businesses' motivations and relative bargaining power while explaining the variations in these interactions. My research incorporates both large-N firm-level data and qualitative evidence. In this project, I focus on Turkey as the primary case. I am also interested in i) the electoral fortunes of corrupt politicians and ii) public opinion on FDI flows.

Educational Background & Specialties
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Educational Background

  • MA: Political Science, University of Minnesota, 2019-2022
  • MA: International Relations, Koc University, 2017-2019
  • BA (Double Major): Political Science & International Relations and Sociology, Bogazici University, 2012-2017

Specialties

  • Comparative Political Economy
  • Government-Business Relations
  • Corruption and Accountability
  • Foreign Direct Investment Inflows