Who AreWe
FeniksPolitik is the independent media platform of Stichting FeniksPolitik, a Netherlands-based non-profit think-tank. It publishes expert opinions on political and security developments around the world.
FeniksPolitik’s focus areas include, but aren’t limited to, the subjects of Turkey, international politics, security affairs, economics, and the social sciences. FeniksPolitik also presents analyses based on region, from Europe and the Balkans to the US and Middle East.
FeniksPolitik publishes three types of written works: analyses, interviews, and synopses. The analysis section comprises argumentative and analytical pieces. The interview section covers interviews conducted by FeniksPolitik’s team with leading experts in their field. The synopsis section presents brief comments on recent developments, reports, or events.
FeniksPod is FeniksPolitik’s official podcast, hosting a new expert each week. All episodes are part of either the Turkey Series, Middle East Series, Atlantic Series, or Balkans & EU Series.
FeniksPolitik aims to encourage and endorse critical freethinking by showcasing the thoughts and analyses of distinguished experts.
FeniksPolitikTeam
Mehmet Yeğin
Büşra Nur Özgüler Aktel
Usame Ceylan
Director
Political Analyst
Yegin holds a PhD from İhsan Doğramacı Bilkent University’s Department of Political Science. After studying American politics throughout his MA studies at the University of Cincinnati, Yegin worked at the International Strategic Research Organization (USAK) as a Researcher from 2008 to 2012 and as the Director of the Center for American Studies from 2012 to 2016. His fields of expertise include Turkish foreign policy, Turkey-US relations, American politics, alliances/coalitions, NATO, and the Kurdish issue. Yegin was a Visiting Fellow at the Americas Research Division at German Institute for International and Security Affairs (SWP) in Berlin from 2018 to 2022.
General Coordinator
Political Analyst, Researcher
Ozguler-Aktel is a graduate research assistant and PhD student at Georgia State University’s Department of Political Science, where she specializes in international relations and political methodology. Previously she was a Researcher at the International Strategic Research Organization (USAK) and Editor-in-Chief of the Organization’s Turkish and English websites. She reads, thinks, writes, and talks about peacebuilding, peace negotiations, Middle East politics, and Israeli politics.
Project Coordinator
Political Analyst
Usame Ceylan is an international law graduate whose research and study focuses on international dispute settlement and international environmental law. He is currently working for an international company in the Netherlands while continuing to pursue academic research. Prior to earning his LL.M degree in Advanced Studies in Public International Law at Leiden University (2017), Ceylan was a research assistant at an Ankara based think-tank.
Hamdi Fırat Büyük
John Dykes
Managing Editor
Political Analyst, Journalist
Büyük is a political analyst and journalist with the Balkan Investigative Reporting Network’s flagship publication Balkan Insight. Prior to this, he worked as a Political Analyst at the International Strategic Research Organization (USAK) and as the Editor-in-Chief of the Journal of Turkish Weekly. Büyük has been involved in many projects and field studies, and his research has been showcased in numerous journals, policy papers, and academic fora. His areas of interest primarily include Turkish domestic and foreign politics, the Balkans, and Europe. Büyük is pursuing his PhD in political science at the University of Sarajevo’s Faculty of Political Science
Language Editor
Political Analyst
John Dykes is an editor and analyst specializing in Turkish and EU foreign and security affairs. He has a dual MA in Comparative Social Sciences from Humboldt University of Berlin and Middle East Technical University of Ankara. Between 2014 and 2016 he was the English Language Editor at the International Strategic Research Organization (USAK). His primary areas of interest are EU-Turkey relations, Turkish and German foreign and security policies, nuclear proliferation, and EU normative power.
FeniksPolitikCrew
A. Sencer Gözübenli
A. Sencer Gözübenli, PhD(c) Åbo Akademi University, is a Balkan-based researcher who focuses on issues concerning linguistic, ethnic, national, and religious minorities and specializes in transnational identity politics and minority issues in inter-state relations in the Balkans. He is currently serving as Editor-in-Chief of The Adriatic Report.
Elif Sercen Nurcan
Elif Sercen Nurcan is a PhD student at the Graduate School of Political Science and Economics of Meiji University in Tokyo. Her primary research centers around cybersecurity and the political economy of Japan.
Fatih Çüngürlü
Fatih Çüngürlü obtained his MA in International Relations from Central European University in Budapest. He interned at the Council on Foreign Relations in New York and has taken part in various research projects, exploring topics such as populism and US-EU relations. His primary focuses are security studies, populism, and European politics. Çüngürlü earned his BA degree from Boğaziçi University’s Political Science and International Relations Department.
Yaşar Aydın
Yaşar Aydın is an affiliated senior researcher at Foreign Policy Institute (METU) and lecturer at the Hamburg Protestant University for Social Work and Deaconry Hamburg. Aydın previously worked as a senior researcher at the HWWI – Hamburg Institute of International Economics and SWP – German Institute for International and Security Affairs and taught at the Turkish-German University Istanbul.
Esra Serim
Esra Serim holds a PhD in Political Science and International Relations from Sciences Po d’Aix in France. She is interested in nuclear security, US foreign policy, disarmament, and the Middle East.
Mehmet Yeğin
Director
Political Analyst
Yegin holds a PhD from İhsan Doğramacı Bilkent University’s Department of Political Science. After studying American politics throughout his MA studies at the University of Cincinnati, Yegin worked at the International Strategic Research Organization (USAK) as a Researcher from 2008 to 2012 and as the Director of the Center for American Studies from 2012 to 2016. His fields of expertise include Turkish foreign policy, Turkey-US relations, American politics, alliances/coalitions, NATO, and the Kurdish issue.
Büşra Nur Özgüler Aktel
General Coordinator
Political Analyst
Ozguler-Aktel is a graduate research assistant and PhD student at Georgia State University’s Department of Political Science, where she specializes in international relations and political methodology. Previously she was a Researcher at the International Strategic Research Organization (USAK) and Editor-in-Chief of the Organization’s Turkish and English websites. She reads, thinks, writes, and talks about peacebuilding, peace negotiations, Middle East politics, and Israeli politics.
Usame Ceylan
Project Coordinator
Political Analyst
Usame Ceylan is an international law graduate whose research and study focuses on international dispute settlement and international environmental law. He is currently working for an international company in the Netherlands and continues his academic research. Prior to earning his LL.M degree in Advanced Studies in Public International Law at Leiden University (2017), Ceylan was working as a research assistant in an Ankara/Turkey based think tank institution.
Hamdi Fırat Büyük
Managing Editor
Political Analyst, Journalist
Büyük is a Sarajevo based journalist and political analyst while pursuing his PhD at the University of Sarajevo. Prior to this, he worked as a Political Analyst at the International Strategic Research Organization (USAK) and as the Editor-in-Chief of the Journal of Turkish Weekly. Büyük has engaged in many projects and field studies, and his research has been showcased in numerous journals, policy papers, and academic articles, primarily revolving around topics of Turkish domestic and foreign politics, the Balkans, and Europe.
John Dykes
Language Editor
Political Analyst
John Dykes is an editor and analyst specializing in Turkish and EU foreign and security affairs. He has a dual MA in Comparative Social Sciences from Humboldt University of Berlin and Middle East Technical University of Ankara. Between 2014 and 2016 he was the English Language Editor at the International Strategic Research Organization (USAK). His primary areas of interest are EU-Turkey relations, Turkish and German foreign and security policies, nuclear proliferation, and EU normative power.
A. Sencer Gözübenli
A. Sencer Gözübenli, PhD(c) Åbo Akademi University, is a Balkan-based researcher who focuses on issues concerning linguistic, ethnic, national, and religious minorities and specializes in transnational identity politics and minority issues in inter-state relations in the Balkans. He is currently serving as Editor-in-Chief of The Adriatic Report.
Elif Sercen Nurcan
Elif Sercen Nurcan is a PhD student at the Graduate School of Political Science and Economics of Meiji University in Tokyo. Her primary research centers around cybersecurity and the political economy of Japan.
Fatih Çüngürlü
Fatih Çüngürlü obtained his MA in International Relations from Central European University in Budapest. He interned at the Council on Foreign Relations in New York and has taken part in various research projects, exploring topics such as populism and US-EU relations. His primary focuses are security studies, populism, and European politics. Çüngürlü earned his BA degree from Boğaziçi University’s Political Science and International Relations Department.
Yaşar Aydın
Yaşar Aydın is an affiliated senior researcher at Foreign Policy Institute (METU) and lecturer at the Hamburg Protestant University for Social Work and Deaconry Hamburg. Aydın previously worked as a senior researcher at the HWWI – Hamburg Institute of International Economics and SWP – German Institute for International and Security Affairs and taught at the Turkish-German University Istanbul.
Esra Serim
Esra Serim holds a PhD in Political Science and International Relations from Sciences Po d’Aix in France. She is interested in nuclear security, US foreign policy, disarmament, and the Middle East.
FeniksPolitik welcomes experts, academics, journalists, and researchers to submit written analyses on topics dealing with (but not limited to) international politics, security affairs, economics, and Turkey.
Analyses should be no more than 1,000 words and should provide the context, background, and in-depth examination of the relevant issue. FeniksPolitik offers a respected platform as well as editorial and expert review and support for accepted submissions.
If you have any submissions, inquiries, or ideas you can contact us via email.
editor[at]fenikspolitik.org | info[at]fenikspolitik.org