An Update on Turkey
January 30th, 2020 12:00PM -1:30PM
The United States and Turkey share an alliance dating back almost seventy years but it is a relationship under increasing strain. The Syrian refugee crisis, the U.S. withdrawal from Syria, Turkish domestic policies, and Turkey’s relationship with Russia all play a role in the uneasy dynamics between Turkey and the United States. Join the World Affairs Council and Professor Reşat Kasaba for an update on where the bilateral relationship is headed under Erdogan and Trump.
About the Speaker
Jackson School Director and Stanley D. Golub Chair in International Studies Reşat Kasaba, an expert in the history and politics of the Middle East, has taught undergraduate and graduate students at the School for over 30 years and is the recipient of a UW Distinguished Teaching Award. His courses cover a wide range of topics including economic history, state-society relations, migration, ethnicity and nationalism, urban history in the Middle East and world history.
Recently, he has been researching the role of education in the formation of modern Turkish identity in the twentieth century.
Dr. Kasaba is regularly featured in local and regional media for insights into some of the world’s most pressing issues, and is a monthly commentator on Voice of America (Turkey). He also shares his expertise at the UW, and at other universities and non-profit groups around the world.
He is currently President of the Association for Professional Schools of International Affairs, and is a board member of the Middle East Studies Association of North America. He holds a Ph.D. and M.A. in Sociology. Dr. Kasaba has written and edited seven books and over 40 articles and opinion pieces.
About the Moderator
Rebecca Yang worked on Facebook's Global Trust and Safety Operations team, where she focused on Commerce. Prior to Facebook, Rebecca served as a U.S. diplomat in Istanbul, where she covered human rights and religious freedom. Rebecca led U.S. engagement on women’s rights in Turkey and collaborated with the UN and U.S. interagency to address the unique needs of LGBTI refugees. She also led her team through unprecedented security challenges, including a coup attempt, multiple terrorist attacks, and an evacuation of Consulate family members. Her reports were featured in the President’s Daily Brief and she won a Meritorious Honor Award for her service. Rebecca is a World Economic Forum Global Shaper, a Truman National Security Fellow, and a former World Affairs Council Fellow. Rebecca has a Master in Public Policy from the Harvard Kennedy School of Government and graduated magna cum laude from Georgetown University’s School of Foreign Service. She is proficient in Turkish and Mandarin Chinese. In her free time, Rebecca enjoys food, diving, music, reading, and traveling.
Thank you to the Jackson School of International Politics for participating.
