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İrfan Önürmen, Pose (detail), 2016. Textile materials, acrylic About the London Middle East Institute (LMEI) and layers of tulle on stretcher bar, 225 X 160cm. Courtesy of C24 Gallery and the artist Th e London Middle East Institute (LMEI) draws upon the resources of London and SOAS to provide teaching, training, research, publication, consultancy, outreach and other services related to the Middle East. It serves as a neutral forum for Middle East studies broadly defi ned and helps to create links between Volume 13 – Number 4 individuals and institutions with academic, commercial, diplomatic, media or other specialisations. June – July 2017 With its own professional staff of Middle East experts, the LMEI is further strengthened by its academic membership – the largest concentration of Middle East expertise in any institution in Europe. Th e LMEI also has access to the SOAS Library, which houses over 150,000 volumes dealing with all aspects of the Middle Editorial Board East. LMEI’s Advisory Council is the driving force behind the Institute’s fundraising programme, for which Professor Nadje Al-Ali it takes primary responsibility. It seeks support for the LMEI generally and for specifi c components of its SOAS programme of activities. Dr Hadi Enayat LMEI is a Registered Charity in the UK wholly owned by SOAS, University of London (Charity AKU Registration Number: 1103017). Ms Narguess Farzad SOAS Mrs Nevsal Hughes Association of European Journalists Mission Statement: Professor George Joff é Cambridge University Th e aim of the LMEI, through education and research, is to promote knowledge of all aspects of the Middle Ms Janet Rady Janet Rady Fine Art East including its complexities, problems, achievements and assets, both among the general public and with Mr Barnaby Rogerson those who have a special interest in the region. In this task it builds on two essential assets. First, it is based in Dr Sarah Stewart London, a city which has unrivalled contemporary and historical connections and communications with the SOAS Middle East including political, social, cultural, commercial and educational aspects. Secondly, the LMEI is Dr Shelagh Weir at SOAS, the only tertiary educational institution in the world whose explicit purpose is to provide education Independent Researcher and scholarship on the whole Middle East from prehistory until today. Professor Sami Zubaida Birkbeck College Coordinating Editor Megan Wang LMEI Staff : SSubscriptions:ubscriptions: Listings Vincenzo Paci Director Dr Hassan Hakimian To subscribe to Th e Middle East in London, please visit: Designer Executive Offi cer Louise Hosking www.soas.ac.uk/lmei/affi liation/ or contact the Shahla Geramipour Events and Magazine Coordinator Vincenzo Paci LMEI offi ce. Th e Middle East in London is published Administrative Assistant Aki Elborzi fi ve times a year by the London Middle East Institute at SOAS Letters to the Editor:

Publisher and Please send your letters to the editor at Editorial Offi ce Disclaimer: the LMEI address provided (see left panel) Th e London Middle East Institute or email [email protected] SOAS University of London Opinions and views expressed in the Middle East MBI Al Jaber Building, in London are, unless otherwise stated, personal 21 Russell Square, London WC1B 5EA United Kingdom views of authors and do not refl ect the views of their T: +44 (0)20 7898 4330 organisations nor those of the LMEI and the MEL's E: [email protected] Editorial Board. Although all advertising in the www.soas.ac.uk/lmei/ magazine is carefully vetted prior to publication, the ISSN 1743-7598 LMEI does not accept responsibility for the accuracy of claims made by advertisers. Contents

LMEI Board of Trustees 4 17

Baroness Valerie Amos (Chair) EDITORIAL Turkey’s new dynamics in Director, SOAS global energy and geopolitics Professor Richard Black, SOAS 5 Mehmet Öğütçü Dr John Curtis Iran Heritage Foundation INSIGHT Dr Nelida Fuccaro, SOAS A president in control of the 19

Dr Dina Matar, SOAS executive, legislature and Istanbul Film Festival: a life- Dr Hanan Morsy judiciary long companion for fi lmmakers European Bank for Reconstruction and Development Gamon McLellan in Turkey Professor Scott Redford, SOAS Hülya Uçansu Dr Barbara Zollner Birkbeck College 7 TURKEY 21 Erdoğan’s victory and the REVIEWS LMEI Advisory Council unravelling of political Islam in RESTAURANT

Lady Barbara Judge (Chair) Turkey Turkish eating in London Professor Muhammad A. S. Abdel Haleem Karabekir Akkoyunlu Sami Zubaida H E Khalid Al-Duwaisan GVCO Ambassador, Embassy of the State of Kuwait Mrs Haifa Al Kaylani 9 23 Arab International Women’s Forum Turkey’s institutional fragility BOOKS Dr Khalid Bin Mohammed Al Khalifa President, University College of Bahrain Simon A. Waldman and Emre Th e Gülen Movement in Professor Tony Allan King’s College and SOAS Caliskan Turkey: Th e Politics of Islam Dr Alanoud Alsharekh and Modernity Senior Fellow for Regional Politics, IISS 11 Gamon McLellan Mr Farad Azima NetScientifi c Plc Yellow tulips and green bulbs: Dr Noel Brehony the future of Turkey’s Kurds? 24 MENAS Associates Ltd. Professor Magdy Ishak Hanna Amberin Zaman Istanbul: A Tale of Th ree Cities British Egyptian Society Peter Clark HE Mr Mazen Kemal Homoud Ambassador, Embassy of the Hashemite 13 Kingdom of Jordan Mr Paul Smith Turkey’s journalists in a battle 25 Chairman, Eversheds International for survival BOOKS IN BRIEF Founding Patron and Firdevs Robinson Donor of the LMEI 27 Sheikh Mohamed Bin Issa Al Jaber MBI Al Jaber Foundation 15 EVENTS IN LONDON Th e Turkish economy struggling with political volatility Mina Toksöz

June – July 2017 The Middle East in London 3 EEDITORIALDITORIAL

DDearear RReadereader

Work derived from ‘Broken glass’ on Wikimedia Commons (originally posted to Flickr as ‘smash’) by Jef Poskanzer under the following license: CC BY 2.0

Nevsâl Hughes, MEL Editorial Board

ow, more than ever, it is diffi cult Istanbul airports may be busier, but few country to the core. Next, Amberin Zaman to predict the direction in which Western tourists are seen in the city’s writes about Turkey’s treatment of Kurds NTurkey is heading. Th e recent Grand Bazaar where 600 of the 2,000 shops since Erdoğan came to power; the latest referendum on presidential powers have been forced to close since last year. stage of fi ghting erupted aft er the two- held on 16 April was a game changer. Th e Turkish economic miracle is no more, and-a-half-year ceasefi re collapsed in the Th e referendum sought approval for 18 yet the country somehow maintains its summer of 2015. With over 160 journalists proposed amendments to the Turkish momentum. Relations between Turkey remaining in custody, some for more than constitution. Yet many people had no and the EU, though icy, are not yet frozen. six months, Firdevs Robinson details how idea what these amendments were. Foreign relations and policy, economics the crackdown on the media in Turkey has Nevertheless, the ‘yes’ campaign won with and a deteriorating image abroad are just reached alarming proportions. 51.4 per cent of the vote; ‘no’ received 48.6 some of the topics touched upon here. Mina Toksöz analyses the Turkish per cent. In Insight, Gamon McLellan assesses economy’s resilience to volatility and Amidst widespread complaints of blatant the referendum, describing how the explains why Turkey’s economic policy-mix electoral fraud, President Erdoğan is now campaigns were aff ected by the continuing is untenable in the long term. Turkey’s new set to control the executive, the legislature state of emergency – which Erdoğan used dynamics in global energy and geopolitics and the judiciary without checks and to his advantage; currently there is no is the subject of an article by Mehmet balances, such as those seen in the USA indication that he will soft en his approach Öğütçü. Hülya Uçansu writes about the or France. No leader has divided Turkish to his critics. Karabekir Akkoyunlu, who history of the Istanbul Film Festival, which society the way Erdoğan has. Th e articles describes Erdoğan as a leader who invokes began 35 years ago thanks to a handful of in this issue of the magazine analyse some nostalgia for an imagined Ottoman past, idealist cineastes. Sami Zubaida reviews of the various elements that will determine traces the transformation of the party in a new Turkish restaurant in London and the future course of events in the country. power, focussing specifi cally on its foreign provides a wider overview of Turkish eats In late April, I made a short visit to policy orientation. Turning inward, Simon in the city. Last, but not least, two recently- Western Turkey. What was once a very A. Waldman and Emre Caliskan look at published books about Turkey are reviewed busy airport serving Bodrum and the how factionalism and identity politics by Gamon McLellan and Peter Clark. surrounding area was almost empty. within Turkey’s institutions have shaken the

4 The Middle East in London June – July 2017 IINSIGHTNSIGHT © MHIRM, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0 Gamon McLellan assesses April’s referendum in Turkey and the powers President Erdoğan will now wield A presidentpresident iinn ccontrolontrol ooff tthehe eexecutive,xecutive, llegislatureegislature aandnd

jjudiciaryudiciary ’No for my future’ campaign banner on display in Beşiktaş, Istanbul in late March 2017, prior to the vote on the constitutional referendum. Photograph by MHIRM

ecep Tayyip Erdoğan had long of 154 MPs lift ed. Politicians from the but this triggers simultaneous presidential aspired to become executive Peoples’ Democratic Party (HDP – the and parliamentary elections. Th e president Rpresident. Such a presidency was Kurdish party), including the two joint directly appoints 6 of the 13 members of the discussed but rejected in 1982 when the leaders, were remanded in custody and body which selects judges and prosecutors, present Turkish constitution was draft ed, charged with terrorism-related off ences. and he can be a member of a political party. but later attracted support from President Eff orts were then made to secure Nationalist Th ese changes were criticised in January Turgut Özal, and even, in 1997, from Action Party (MHP) support for the by the Venice Commission (the Council Fethullah Gülen, the preacher accused of constitutional change, and to the fury of of Europe constitutional law specialists). master-minding the July 2016 failed coup. many MHP members the party leader Th e president, they said, would have It has now been adopted by referendum in Devlet Bahçeli was persuaded to drop unsupervised powers to appoint and dismiss the 15th year in offi ce of Turkey’s strongest his opposition. Parliament duly voted in ministers and vice presidents, with the latter, governing party since the end of the single January this year to hold the referendum on in the absence of the president, having full party era in the 1940s. the executive presidency, which the voters presidential power without any democratic Direct popular election of the president ratifi ed on 16 April. legitimacy. Th e only parliamentary control was introduced in 2007, and Erdoğan Under the new system, president and over the executive would be impeachment. was elected in 2014, but he resented the parliament are elected for a fi ve-year term. A presidential system, the Commission said, requirement to renounce party affi liation, Th e president becomes chief executive requires a vigorous, independent judiciary and the clamour for an executive presidency and appoints vice presidents and ministers – but these changes weakened rather became louder. His chosen prime minister, (there is no prime minister). Parliament than strengthened the judges and lacked Ahmet Davutoğlu, declined to give this cannot remove the government, censure a checks and balances to safeguard against priority, and in May 2016 he was dropped minister or vice president, or question them authoritarian rule. as party leader. A cabinet minister declared orally. Th e president can only be impeached Th e referendum campaign was aff ected the party had ‘one leader, President Recep for treason if 75 per cent of MPs vote for by the continuing state of emergency. Tayyip Erdoğan’, and that that would this. He/she can dissolve Parliament at will, While the President and ministers appeared continue ‘as long as the AK Party exists’. For a referendum to change the constitution, 331 votes in parliament were Th e referendum campaign was aff ected by the continuing needed. Th is governed the AK Party’s state of emergency. While the President and ministers political strategy running up to the crucial parliamentary votes in January this year. appeared extensively on television, opponents of the May 2016 saw the parliamentary immunity constitutional changes had very little broadcast time

June – July 2017 The Middle East in London 5 extensively on television, opponents of Th e Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of the constitutional changes had very little broadcast time. ‘No’ campaigners were Europe resolved to reopen its monitoring procedure stigmatised as terrorism supporters and on Turkey, expressing ‘serious concerns’ about respect were arrested by police and in some cases attacked or threatened by thugs. Th e for human rights, democracy and the rule of law Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe identifi ed ‘unbalanced media while denying democratic leaders the right Th ey also warned that reintroducing the coverage, misuse of administrative to speak. Erdoğan raised the temperature by death penalty – Erdoğan has indicated he procedures’ and complained that saying he ‘had thought Nazism had ended may submit a proposal to referendum – ‘fundamental freedoms were restricted and in Germany,’ yet ‘it is still alive’. was incompatible with Council of Europe populations displaced in south-east Turkey’. Some had hoped that aft er the membership. European governments Nevertheless, opposition circles were referendum, Erdoğan and the AK Party reiterated that the death penalty would end optimistic that the ‘no’ vote could prevail. So might soft en their approach to their critics. Turkey’s EU aspirations. there was fury on the day of the referendum Th ere is no indication of this. Th e state Th e fi rst presidential and parliamentary when the Supreme Election Authority of emergency was renewed for a third elections will be on 3 November announced that votes in envelopes lacking time just aft er the referendum, enabling 2019, unless parliament votes for an the offi cial seal would be counted. Th is the government to rule by decree, as the earlier dissolution. Some changes start decision contravened electoral law and president will do under the new system. It immediately: Erdoğan was re-elected AK infuriated the opposition, who contested its will not be lift ed, Erdoğan has said, until Party leader on 21 May and will now select validity. Th e Supreme Election Authority ‘calm and prosperity have been restored to the party’s parliamentary candidates, thus heard their complaint and dismissed it: the nation.’ Th e leaders of the Kurdish HDP gaining eff ective control over the legislature there is no provision for appeal and large numbers of local politicians in as well as the judiciary. Yet he does face According to the offi cial result, the ‘yes’ the south-east remain in custody, together challenges ahead: to win a presidential vote was 51.41 per cent, while 48.59 per cent with over 160 journalists, including many election on the fi rst round requires 50 per voted ‘no’, with turnout 85 per cent. Despite of the editorial teams of the opposition cent +1. Th at may not be easy, even with celebrating the victory, the AK Party was Cumhuriyet and Sözcü newspapers. Purges the kind of electoral administration seen concerned: the major cities, including of anyone suspected of involvement with during the referendum and an ineff ective Istanbul (where Erdoğan had been mayor in the exiled preacher Fethullah Gülen have opposition. the 1990s), Ankara and Izmir voted ‘no’. resumed: on 29 April nearly 4,000 more President Erdoğan sees himself as heir to Th ere was better news for Erdoğan from offi cials were dismissed from judicial bodies three former conservative leaders, Turgut votes cast abroad (principally Europe), and various ministries, as well as academics Özal (Prime Minister 1983-89, President where the ‘yes’ votes led by 59.46 per cent and military personnel. Some 9,000 police 1989-93), Adnan Menderes (Prime Minister to 40.54 per cent. Attempts during the have been suspended, and several thousand 1950-1960) and Necmettin Erbakan campaign to address voters in European face arrest. An administrative order also (Prime Minister 1996-97). Th e day aft er cities had triggered a major international blocked access in Turkey to Wikipedia. the referendum, he visited their graves. row. Foreign Minister Mevlût Çavuşoğlu Th e war of words with Europe has He then went to the mosques and tombs was denied permission to address a rally in continued. Th e Parliamentary Assembly of of Eyüp Sultan (Abu Ayyub al-Ansari, the Germany, and the Minister for the Family the Council of Europe resolved to reopen Prophet’s standard-bearer), Sultan Mehmet and Social Policy was deported from the its monitoring procedure on Turkey, II and Sultan Selim I (by tradition the fi rst Netherlands when she arrived to address expressing ‘serious concerns’ about respect Ottoman Caliph). Eyüp Sultan is the most a meeting. Th e Justice Minister accused for human rights, democracy and the rule sacred mosque in Istanbul, where Ottoman Germany of becoming a haven for terrorists of law – in eff ect downgrading Turkey. Sultans went to be girded with the sword of Osman, the ceremony corresponding to coronation. Th e new Sultan would then proceed in turn to the mosques and tombs of his predecessors. Th e message was not missed in Turkey.

Gamon McLellan was Head of the BBC Turkish Service (1979-1988). He later became Head of the BBC Arabic Service and now teaches a postgraduate course on Turkey at SOAS

Voting on the constitutional referendum in Diyarbakır on 16 April 2017. Photograph by

© Public Domain, Wikimedia Commons Wikimedia © Public Domain, Mahmut Bozarslan, Voice of America (VOA)

6 The Middle East in London June – July 2017 TTURKEYURKEY

Karabekir Akkoyunlu breaks down the AKP’s transformation into fi ve distinct phases, spanning from 2002 to the present day EErdordoğaan’sn’s vvictoryictory aandnd tthehe uunravellingnravelling ooff ppoliticalolitical IIslamslam inin TurkeyTurkey © World Economic Forum, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 2.0

Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, then Prime Minister of Turkey, leaves the session ‘Gaza: the Case for Middle East Peace’ at the annual meeting of the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland on 29 January 2009. Photograph by World Economic Forum. Originally posted to Flickr as WORLD ECONOMIC FORUM ANNUAL MEETING 2009 - Recep Tayyip Erdoğan

n 16 April, upon declaring a narrow comes with a bittersweet aft ertaste for is when the AKP was at its institutionally victory in a contested referendum many of his erstwhile supporters. On the weakest point and the party leadership Oover expanding his powers, one hand, here is a leader hailing from found it wiser to refashion themselves President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan received the ranks of Turkey’s political Islamist as conservative democrats rather than two notable, congratulatory telephone movement, a leader who invokes nostalgia as Islamists, who were overthrown by calls. One came from the Russian President for an imagined Ottoman past and whose the military only in 1997. Th is was also Vladimir Putin and the other from the power and infl uence can only be compared a period of global liquidity boom and US President Donald Trump; neither of to those of secular Turkey’s founder, European Union expansionism. Backed whom is a beacon of democratic values Kemal Atatürk. Yet on the other, it is abroad by the EU and at home by a nor a friend of political Islam. Shortly increasingly evident that his spectacular coalition of conservative entrepreneurs aft erwards, Cem Küçük, an infl uential pro- ascent is coming at the cost not only of – many of them supporters of Fethullah government media personality known for Turkey’s democracy but also of its Islamist Gülen’s Hizmet movement – and the issuing threats to critical journalists on live movement. Let me unpack this observation liberal intelligentsia, a market-friendly TV, declared that it was time for Erdoğan by tracing the transformation of the Justice pro-western AKP led by Foreign Minister to mend ties with the US by cutting loose and Development Party (AKP) and its Abdullah Gül and Economy Minister Ali ‘those radical Islamists and the maniacs on foreign policy orientation from its early Babacan oversaw Turkey’s remarkable board the Mavi Marmara’, the aid fl otilla days until today through fi ve phases; economic recovery. It was also in that attempted to break the blockade of each phase refl ects the party leadership’s these early years that the government Gaza in 2010, triggering a diplomatic crisis strategic interests and vision, its shift ing implemented many of the liberal between Turkey and Israel. coalitions and wider geopolitical trends. democratic reforms for which it was widely It is no surprise that Erdoğan’s victory Th e fi rst phase, between 2002 and 2007, praised – and which it would later roll back. Th e second phase, between 2007 and Th e fi rst phase, between 2002 and 2007, is when the 2011, saw an emboldened AKP survive a AKP was at its institutionally weakest point and the military intervention and a closure case, secure parliamentary and presidential party leadership found it wiser to refashion themselves election victories, and take a more as conservative democrats rather than as Islamists pro-active stance at home and abroad.

June – July 2017 The Middle East in London 7 Th e most recent phase is shaped by the survival instincts of a year. Meanwhile, the Turkish government is lobbying the Trump administration man who is insecure in his position, surrounded by sycophants against the Gülenists, so not a word of and opportunists, and reliant upon the state’s coercive criticism is uttered on pro-Erdoğan media about Trump’s Islamophobic discourse and mechanism and his religious-nationalist rhetoric policies. Th e outcome of the referendum, which Domestically, it went on to fundamentally existential power struggle, culminating strengthens Erdoğan constitutionally restructure the judiciary and the military in far-reaching purges – not only of but also exposes the fragility of his with the support of Gülen-affi liated supporters of Fethullah Gülen but also of support base, is almost certain to deepen prosecutors, police offi cers and journalists. Davutoğlu – and the attempted coup of the prevailing sense of insecurity and Abroad, it moved into the void left by July 2016. Although Erdoğan succeeded in intensify the power struggles around a United States in retreat and a Europe securing his grip on power, this has come the president. Th e disarray of Turkey’s in economic crisis by mending fences at the expense of Turkey’s democracy, state fratricidal Islamists may create a sense of with neighbours such as Iran, Syria and institutions and economic prosperity, its schadenfreude among their many victims (almost) Armenia, deepening ties with peace process with the Kurds, most of its and secular rivals. Yet the challenges China and Russia, and playing the role of international alliances, and, indeed, the awaiting Turkey are grim. Th e absence of mediator in regional and global disputes. AKP’s very own Islamist cause. a coherent opposition and reports of the Th is was when Prime Minister And so we arrive at the most recent growing appeal of the Salafi st and jihadist Erdoğan emerged as a champion of the phase, which is shaped neither by networks across the country highlight the Muslim cause as he publicly chastised ideology nor strategy, but the survival perils of Erdoğan’s latest, and so far most Israel’s ‘murderous policies’ in Gaza. Yet, instincts of a man who is insecure in audacious, attempt at a power grab. Now, more than anyone else this period was his position, surrounded by sycophants more than ever, Turkey’s decline into an defi ned by Ahmet Davutoğlu who, fi rst and opportunists, and reliant upon the insecure authoritarian regime seems to be as advisor to President Gül and then as state’s coercive mechanism and the mass nearing completion. foreign minister, imagined Turkey as the mobilisation sustained by his religious- ‘order setting agent’ in a wide geography nationalist rhetoric. Th is populist rhetoric Karabekir Akkoyunlu is Assistant Professor overlapping with the former territories of conceals the brutal realpolitik that is of modern Turkey at the Centre for the Ottoman Empire. dictating Turkish decision making, such Southeast European Studies, University of Th e third phase corresponded with the as threatening to unleash destitute Muslim Graz outbreak of the Arab Spring uprisings refugees upon Europe to extract favours and the AKP’s third general election from the EU, or abandoning its Islamist victory in 2011. Th is is when the party allies in Aleppo to comply with Russia’s fi nally came to dominate the Turkish state, redlines in Syria. Erdoğan is beholden while Erdoğan, together with Davutoğlu, to Putin, who fi rst became his most Turkish president Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and US dominated the party. Th e ambitious duo formidable adversary aft er the downing of president Donald Trump give a joint statement in the Roosevelt Room at the White House on 16 saw the propitious turn of events as signs a Russian jet in 2015, and then, shrewdly, May 2017. Offi cial White House photo by Shealah of Turkey’s manifest destiny to reclaim his saviour during the coup attempt last Craighead its Ottoman-era glory, and as such they became avid supporters of rising, Muslim © Public Domain, Flickr Brotherhood-linked movements from Tunisia to Syria. Although the explicit articulation of a hegemonic Sunni Islamist discourse provoked unresolved socio- political tensions at home and drew Turkey deeper into the unfolding sectarian crisis abroad, in this period western leaders continued to praise Turkey as a model to the region and a ‘champion of the Arab Spring’. Th e fourth phase saw the dramatic collapse of Turkey’s hegemonic ambitions from mid-2013 onwards, as the tide turned decisively against the AKP’s allies in Syria and Egypt, while its international image moved from being a regional model to an oppressor of pluralism at home and facilitator of jihadism abroad. A profound sense of betrayal, resentment and personal insecurity beset Erdoğan as Turkey’s ruling Islamists were plunged into an

8 The Middle East in London June – July 2017 TTURKEYURKEY If current government practices continue, Turkey is at risk of imploding. Simon A. Waldman and Emre Caliskan on the factionalism, cronyism and identity politics that are tearing the country apart TTurkey’surkey’s iinstitutionalnstitutional ffragilityragility

After the failed coup attempt in July 2016, supporters of President Erdoğan held nightly demonstrations on the streets of Istanbul, Turkey. Photograph by

© Mstyslav Chernov, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0 Commons, CC BY-SA Wikimedia © Mstyslav Chernov, Mstyslav Chernov

actionalism and identity politics Turkey’s state institutions are in a the vestiges of military tutelage, including within Turkey’s institutions have chaotic state. Last July a faction within the so-called ‘deep state’, an instrument Fshaken the country to the core, the military made an unsuccessful coup of the military and Kemalist elite created leaving Turkey vulnerable and unstable attempt; the ringleaders were allegedly to maintain the secularist nature of the at a time when it faces an unprecedented members of the Gülen movement. Republic. In other words, a nefarious terrorist threat and a separatist President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and organisation was allowed to penetrate the insurgency. Turkey is a fragile state in an his Justice and Development Party country’s institutions to uproot another age of turmoil. (AKP) government allege that followers reprehensible group lodged within the Turkey’s security climate is deteriorating of the exiled Gülen infi ltrated the state country’s state apparatus. as evidenced in a spate of recent apparatus where they then formed a Aft er the coup attempt, the Gülen terrorist attacks: the New Year shooting ‘parallel structure’ within the military, the movement and its suspected sympathisers at Istanbul’s Reina nightclub that was police force, the judiciary and educational have been targeted regardless of whether claimed by the so-called Islamic State, the institutions. or not they were actually involved in assassination of the Russian ambassador Th e existence of a parallel structure the coup attempt. But the subsequent in Ankara, and the Beşiktaş football suggests that Turkey’s institutions were in arrests and suspensions have extended far stadium attack in Istanbul, claimed by a dire state and represents a threat to the beyond the Gülen movement, reaching an off shoot of the Kurdistan Workers’ state itself; it means that state employees so far as to include anyone opposed Party (PKK). All of the outrages took were not acting in the interests of the to Erdoğan and the AKP. During the place within a period of four weeks, state, but rather in the interest of an state of emergency – which has been highlighting how Turkey seems exiled religious preacher. To make matters extended three times so far – hundreds increasingly unable to protect its own worse, the infi ltration of Gülen followers of thousands of public sector workers, citizens. Over 400 Turks have been killed into Turkey’s state apparatus was formerly including university rectors, high school in such terrorist attacks over the past 18 encouraged by the AKP itself as a means teachers, police offi cers and rank and months. to counter the secular establishment and fi le members of the institutions and ministries of state, have lost their jobs. In Identity-based appointments actually an eff ort to strengthen the state apparatus, those purged are being replaced by weaken the state; it was this practice that got government supporters with factional ties the AKP in the current mess in the fi rst place and affi liations. However, such identity-

June – July 2017 The Middle East in London 9 based appointments actually weaken the Th e failed coup attempt, subsequent purges, regular terrorist state; it was this practice that got the AKP in the current mess in the fi rst place. attacks, crippled military and growing factionalism within state Regardless, now followers of the institutions all have Turkey looking increasingly fragile controversial secular-nationalist Doğu Perinçek have increased their infl uence in it has arrested leading members and weakened and unable to perform at their the upper echelons of the state’s security parliamentarians of the non-violent HDP full capacity. Counterterrorism requires and intelligence services with the blessing on spurious terrorism charges, crippling inter-department cooperation and of President Erdoğan, who sees the the possibility of non-violent Kurdish individual contacts, which take time, trust ‘Perinçek Group’ as a means to fi ght the engagement with the state. and confi dence to mature. Intelligence Gülen movement. As the confl ict with Kurdish separatists operatives also need to develop good According to a former parliamentary continues to heat up, that part of the personal relationships with their sources deputy and advisor to Erdoğan, Hüseyin country is once again starting to resemble and informants. However, with such Besli, another religious group, the a war-zone. Th ere exists a humanitarian purges and rotations of personnel, much Menzil, a sub-branch of the Nakşibendi disaster with many civilian deaths of this has inevitably been lost, as has the order (of which Erdoğan is close to), and hundreds of thousands of citizens experience possessed by senior offi cers. is also replacing Gülenists in almost internally displaced. During the 1980s Th e failed coup attempt, subsequent all posts in one particular, undisclosed and 1990s, the confl ict in the Kurdish purges, regular terrorist attacks, crippled ministry fi lled by Menzil followers. Also south-east claimed the lives of around military and growing factionalism replacing Gülenists are supporters of the 40,000 people. Without a solution in within state institutions all have Turkey Islamist Milli Görüş (National Outlook sight, Turkey risks plunging into a looking increasingly fragile. Unless the Movement) from where Erdoğan started prolonged confl ict, only this time it would state’s institutions are strengthened, de- his political career, especially through its do so without a capable fi ghting force. factionalised and depoliticised, it risks Birlik Vakfı (Unity Foundation), whose Following the Ergenekon and Balyoz shattering. Th e stakes are increasingly former president is the current speaker cases – both alleged ‘deep state’ plots to high, especially now aft er April’s disputed of parliament, İsmail Kahraman. So just overthrow the AKP government from referendum result. Th e narrow ‘yes’ as the Gülen movement was used against around 2008 onwards – many military victory will give President Erdoğan the the ‘deep state’ ten years ago, the same commanders were tried and prosecuted additional powers that he so desires, but thing is happening again today. Instead of only to be released aft er it was later ruled with half of the population against this, using this opportunity to base appointees that the cases were fraudulent creations and with many claiming the vote was on merit, identity, political affi liation and of the Gülen movement. Regardless, the unfair from the start, the divisions that idiosyncratic notions of loyalty are the damage had been done and hundreds of are seemingly permeating every layer in unfortunate standard-bearers. offi cers resigned. Turkey’s state apparatus risk tearing it Th is institutional mayhem is taking Following the 2016 attempted coup, the apart. place while the Kurdish-populated south- military has been subjected to additional east is once again in chaos following the purges, suspensions and arrests. Not Simon A. Waldman is Visiting Research breakdown of the ceasefi re and peace only is morale at an all-time low, but the Fellow at King’s College London and process with the PKK. Turkey is also military along with the security services, Emre Caliskan is a DPhil candidate at the targeting peaceful Kurdish movements: which are also being purged, are severely University of Oxford. Th ey are the authors of the recently published Th e New Turkey and Its Discontents (Hurst 2016)

2017 Turkish constitutional referendum ballot

© Nub Cake, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0 Commons, CC BY-SA Wikimedia © Nub Cake, and envelope. Photograph by Nub Cake

10 The Middle East in London June – July 2017 TTURKEYURKEY

Amberin Zaman looks at how Turkey’s treatment of Kurds has evolved since Erdoğan’s rise to power YYellowellow tulipstulips andand ggreenreen bbulbs:ulbs: tthehe futurefuture ofof Turkey’sTurkey’s KKurds?urds? © Public Domain, Wikimedia Commons

Peoples’ Democratic Party celebration in Istanbul, Turkey after the 2015 general election. Photograph by Salih Turan, Voice of America (VOA)

n today’s Turkey, yellow tulips – when villages, not to mention the routine reports largest pro-Kurdish bloc known as the juxtaposed with red tulips and green of torture, arbitrary detentions, extra-judicial Peoples’ Democratic Party (HDP). Igrass – can once again be construed as killings and mass disappearances of Kurds. Th at’s all history now. Over the past a symbol of terrorism. Why? Because red, Th ose hellish days drew to a close (or year, thousands of Kurdish politicians and green and yellow are the colours of the so it seemed) when Erdoğan’s Justice and activists, including the HDP co-chairs, Kurdish fl ag used by the outlawed Kurdistan Development Party (AKP) shot to power Selahattin Demirtaş and Figen Yüksekdağ, Workers’ Party (PKK). Hence, when the in 2002 and introduced a mind-spinning have been jailed on thinly supported country’s president Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, array of reforms tailored to win European terror charges. At least 80 mayors elected visited Diyarbakır, the unoffi cial capital Union membership. Gradually, Kurds on the ticket of the HDP’s sister party, the of Turkey’s estimated 16 million Kurds, were permitted to broadcast and publish in Democratic Regions Party (DBP) are also to drum up support for constitutional their long proscribed language and teach behind bars, and 83 DBP municipalities changes that were later approved in a it in private language courses, all without have been taken over by government stained referendum on 16 April, the local risking imprisonment. More critically still, administrators. municipality felt compelled to dig up for the fi rst time a Turkish government Worst of all, fi ghting between the security hundreds of yellow tulips planted along the initiated peace talks with the PKK and it’s forces and the PKK resumed in July 2015, road his convoy would traverse. leader, Abdullah Öcalan. A constructively ending a two-and-a-half-year ceasefi re Th e vignette is reminiscent of the 1990’s ambiguous draft roadmap for peace was that was meant to smooth the path for when the PKK led insurgency soared to its unveiled in February 2015 by senior AKP peace talks. Entire neighbourhoods – most bloodiest heights, bringing Turkish paranoia offi cials and parliamentarians from the irreversibly the ancient walled enclave of Sur and state brutality along with it. In the city of Batman, the green bulbs of traffi c In 2002, aft er Erdoğan shot to power, Kurds were lights’ were replaced with blue ones to avert the Kurdish tricolour eff ect. Yet the move gradually permitted to broadcast and publish in their seemed harmless when set against the forced displacement of well over a million Kurds long proscribed language and teach it in private and the destruction of some 3,000 Kurdish language courses, all without risking imprisonment

June – July 2017 The Middle East in London 11 Th e situation has sharply deteriorated since the failed July 2016 little time for them to get their Special Forces on the ground out of harm’s way. coup. Using the state of emergency for cover, the government Th e Americans were outraged by Turkey’s has continued to lock up HDP members and its supporters audacity. But then so was Turkey when US military offi cials were photographed with a PKK commander on Turkey’s wanted list at in Diyarbakır – were pulverised aft er the outraged Erdoğan made sure that all eff orts the site of the bombings the following day. army moved in with tanks in response to the at building a governing coalition failed, re- All of this is sharpening anti-American PKK’s decision to carry its fi ght to the heart igniting the war and nationalist fervour, and and anti-Kurdish feelings inside Turkey. Th e of towns and cities across the south-east and recapturing a majority in snap elections held PKK’s infl ammatory rhetoric hasn’t helped, put civilians at risk. More than 2,000 people in November. to say little of the resentment swelling have died since the war was re-ignited. In Th e situation has sharply deteriorated among Turks and Sunni Arabs alike over Cizre, a poor and dusty cauldron of Kurdish since the failed July 2016 coup. Using the America’s perceived pro-Kurdish bent. nationalism on the banks of the Tigris, at state of emergency for cover, the government Hopes that Erdoğan’s referendum win least 189 people who were marooned for has continued to lock up HDP members would soft en his attitude have proven weeks in basements with no food, water and its supporters. And much of the alleged empty so far. He has displayed no interest or electricity, burned to death as a result of misconduct during the 16 April referendum in reviving peace talks. On the contrary, fi res started by artillery shelling by security is believed to have occurred in the mainly he remains very much on the warpath forces. Allegations of torture have again Kurdish-populated provinces. against the PKK and appears determined become routine, and a growing number More recently, Turkey has widened its war to establish a rival Kurdish constituency of younger Kurds no longer contemplate a against the PKK beyond its own borders. drawn from religious conservatives and a future in Turkey. Over the past year it has been intermittently newly enfranchised Kurdish bourgeoisie Th e reasons for the reversal are multiple shelling YPG-held territory in Syria. Turkey’s fed through patronage networks, which the and complex, but three stand out. For one, escalating hostility against the Syrian Kurds AKP excels at. Erdoğan’s idea of peace is not one agreed places it at odds with the United States; the But the PKK is not going to disappear between equals but one that is imposed YPG and its Arab partners, operating under any time soon, nor will Turkey’s Kurdish by the government. It’s no coincidence, the fl ag of the Syrian Democratic Forces, are problem. And the longer it remains therefore, that the government did not the US-led coalition’s most capable allies in unaddressed the more likely it will become off er the Kurds a single constitutional the fi ght to defeat the Islamic State. that Turkey’s Kurds will want to go their change, which would have been an obvious Relations between the NATO allies own separate way. confi dence building measure during the are at their lowest ebb since the 2003 US latest round of peace talks that began in late occupation of Iraq. Turkey’s increasingly Amberin Zaman is a Public Policy Fellow at 2012. shrill demands for the United States to the Woodrow Wilson International Center Secondly, the incentive for restarting the abandon its partnership with the Syrian for Scholars and a Columnist for Al-Monitor talks arose from the confl ict in neighbouring Kurds are falling on deaf ears. On 25 April and the independent Turkish news portal Syria, where a Kurdish group allied with Turkey bombed YPG targets near the Syrian Diken. She was the Economist’s Turkey the PKK declared autonomy in an ever- town of Derik, killing 28 militants and Correspondent from 1999-2016 expanding swath of territory along the destroying a local radio station. Th e United Turkish border. Erdoğan seemed to assume States military was given only 52 minutes that the PKK would withdraw all its men advance warning of the strikes, leaving from Turkey, join the Syrian franchise of © Public Domain, Wikimedia Commons their movement, known as the People’s Protection Units (YPG), and fi ght in the rebel campaign to overthrow Syrian President Bashar al-Assad. It’s unclear what the PKK leader was off ered in exchange, but he apparently said ‘No deal.’ Th e fi nal nail in the coffi n was the HDP rejection of Erdoğan’s demands that they back his now approved super presidency; instead they noisily campaigned against it in the run up to the June 2015 parliamentary elections. In the event, the HDP won seats in parliament for the fi rst time, denying the AKP a majority – another fi rst. An

Old city walls of Diyarbakır, Turkey in 2010, prior to their recent destruction. Photograph by Brian Dell

12 The Middle East in London June – July 2017 TTURKEYURKEY After the failed coup attempt in July 2016, the media crackdown in Turkey escalated rapidly. Firdevs Robinson explains the situation, cautioning that the silencing of dissent is a thing to fear TTurkey’surkey’s jjournalistsournalists iinn a bbattleattle fforor ssurvivalurvival © Public Domain, Wikimedia Commons

Erdoğan's censorship of the media. Political cartoon by Carlos Latuff

ndependent journalism has never been restart monitoring procedures on Turkey. freedoms of expression and assembly an easy profession in Turkey. Today, with Expressing ‘serious concerns’ about were further curtailed. Media was Ione-third of all imprisoned journalists in rights violations, erosion of democracy dominated by pro-government voices. the world being held in the country’s prisons, and the rule of law, the resolution called Th ere was very little public discussion it has never been more dangerous to be a on Turkey to lift the state of emergency, of the proposed amendments. When media worker in Turkey. adhere to the principles of the rule of law the country’s top leaders began equating Th e crackdown on media to silence and human rights standards, release all the dissent with treason, self-censorship dissenting voices has been ongoing in parliamentarians and journalists detained reached unprecedented levels. Th e recent years, but the state of emergency, pending trial and take urgent measures Organization for Security and Co-operation declared in the wake of the failed 15 July to restore freedom of expression and the in Europe’s (OSCE) Observation Mission 2016 coup attempt, has resulted in an media. said that the referendum took place on alarming deterioration in media freedom While the world may well be looking at an unlevel playing fi eld; as such, the two in the country. Th e post-coup measures Turkey closer and more critically than ever, sides of the campaign did not have equal and the emergency decree laws, leading the country’s government has become visibly opportunities. A signifi cant portion of the to widespread arrests, investigations and bolder. Less than a year aft er the violent coup OSCE’s preliminary report was dedicated closures, have practically destroyed the attempt and under a state of emergency, to the media coverage of the campaign, few remaining spaces for any kind of the ruling Justice and Development Party highlighting practices that are contrary to independent, critical journalism. (AKP) held a referendum on 16 April the OSCE commitments, the Council of Two media rights groups, Freedom 2017 on a constitutional amendment that Europe standards and other international House and Reporters Without Borders would change the parliamentary system to obligations. (RSF), have listed Turkey as the country a presidential one, giving President Recep Aft er a narrow and bitterly contested with the sharpest decline in press freedoms Tayyip Erdoğan extensive executive powers. victory, tainted by allegations of during the past year. RSF says Turkey has In the run up to the referendum, irregularities, the newly-empowered become ‘the world’s biggest prison for media personnel’. On 25 April 2017, the Parliamentary While the world may well be looking at Assembly of the Council of Europe, an international body of which Turkey is a Turkey closer and more critically than ever, founding member, passed a resolution to the country’s government has become visibly bolder

June – July 2017 The Middle East in London 13 president extended the state of emergency ‘Th ere is only one diff erence between now and then. and escalated the crackdown on his opponents, including those in the media: When the Gülenist judges prosecuted you, they fabricated nearly 4,000 more public offi cials and evidence. Now, they do not even bother to do that’ – Ahmet Şık academics were purged, two more media outlets were closed and some popular independent journalists already feel the Şık, who had spent 13 months in pre-trial television dating shows faced new chilling eff ects of the arbitrariness, insecurity detention in 2011 while investigating the restrictions on moral grounds. and repression all around them. Fearing that Gülen movement’s infi ltration in the state Moreover, in a mind-boggling decision, they could be sacked, labelled as ‘traitors’ administration, was released when the and without prior court order, the Turkish or worse, prosecuted and arrested at any evidence was proven to be fabricated. He Ministry of Transport, Maritime Aff airs moment, many reluctantly exercise self- was recently quoted as saying, ‘Th ere is and Communications has blocked access censorship. Th e mainstream media, by and only one diff erence between now and then. to the free online encyclopaedia, Wikipedia large, chooses to become an enthusiastic When the Gülenist judges prosecuted you, in all languages. Turkish offi cials have accomplice of the all-powerful government they fabricated evidence. Now, they do not claimed that the site’s content was used in a and the state. As totally absurd and false as even bother to do that’. smear campaign against Turkey. Wikipedia it is, when the justice minister claims that Th e inability to seek redress from the founder, Jimmy Wales, responded with a journalists in jail are there because they are justice system, here and now, has serious tweet, saying ‘Access to information is a murderers, drug dealers or child abusers, consequences, not only for the individuals fundamental right. Turkish people, I will it gets reported and heartily endorsed by in question, but also for their families. On always stand with you and fi ght for this conventional pro-government outlets and 15 July 2016, Turkey faced a massive threat right.’ social media accounts. A strong chorus and the government had every right to It is not as if the travails of the Turkish of offi cial and media voices targeting a take extraordinary measures to re-establish media are ignored. Th ere is a strong journalist is rarely ignored by prosecutors. public order. Th e Turkish authorities argue international solidarity in support of Knowing that Turkey must comply with that the infi ltration of state institutions is Turkey’s journalists. Campaigns, run by the European Convention on Human real and must be dealt with. Yet, the extent the Association of European Journalists Rights, even under a state of emergency, of the measures taken so far not only (AEJ), Reporters Without Borders (RSF), and that the European Court of Human raises questions of proportionality, but also the Index on Censorship, the International Rights remains competent enough to rule on transparency and accountability. Press Institute (IPI), International PEN, individual cases eventually, does not make As the Council of Europe Commissioner Amnesty International and numerous the abuses suff ered (such as the denial of the for Human Rights, Nils Muižnieks puts other organisations, highlight the plight most basic right to mount a legal defence or it, ‘deviations from the rule of law and of more than 160 journalists behind bars to avoid a prolonged pre-trial detention) any human rights principles may expedite and hundreds more unable to work. more bearable for a journalist. Many have the punishment of the guilty. But such an International organisations warn that been in detention for more than fi ve months approach will leave indelible scars and be Turkey is on a very dangerous path. without any indictment. immensely detrimental in the long run’. ‘Without legitimate dissent and criticism Th e prominent investigative journalist Th e Council of Europe warns that the sense of government policy, there can be no Ahmet Şık’s case is symptomatic. He was of injustice and victimhood created by democratic public debate,’ they say. Th ey arrested at the end of December 2016, disproportionate measures may amount to caution against hatred and violence taking for ‘support to the FETÖ’, the Gülenist a ‘civilian death’ and its eff ects on Turkish hold in an increasingly polarised society. network accused of plotting the coup, and society will be dramatic and long-lasting. Even without taking these gloomy ‘propaganda in favour of the PKK’, the It is a warning that Turkey’s international predictions into account, Turkey’s outlawed Kurdistan Workers’ Party. Ahmet partners, presently seeking to establish a new relationship based on their economic, security and migration interests, would do well to take heed.

Firdevs Robinson is a London-based journalist and blogger. A former BBC World Service editor, she has been covering international aff airs for three decades, focussing on Turkey, Cyprus, the Middle East, Central Asia, the Caucasus and Europe. Her blog can be found at http://www. fi rdevstalkturkey.com/

Press conference of six media watchdogs (including the Association of European Journalists) at the end of February in Istanbul.

© Otmar Lahodynsky Photograph by Otmar Lahodynsky

14 The Middle East in London June – July 2017 TTURKEYURKEY

Mina Toksöz explains why Turkey’s current economic policy-mix is untenable in the long term TThehe TTurkishurkish eeconomyconomy sstrugglingtruggling wwithith ppoliticalolitical vvolatilityolatility

© LWYang, Flickr.com, CC BY 2.0 CC BY Flickr.com, © LWYang, Turkish Airlines fl ying over Istanbul. Photograph by LWYang

ince 2015, the Turkish economy real appreciation during 2003-2010. Th us, economic policy is forced to be reactive has had to cope with two general barring a major global fi nancial crisis, the to try to overcome domestic and regional Selections in rapid succession, the short-term outlook seems positive. shocks and the frequent crises with trading 2016 attempted coup in July and its However, as seen in previous years, partners. Th is was amply demonstrated fraught aft ermath, and multiple terrorist Turkey’s geography and internal tensions aft er a Russian fi ghter jet was shot down threats. Yet, according to the latest data, pose risks to this benign outlook. in 2015; as a response Russia temporarily the Turkish economy achieved a 2.9 per Externally, potential mismanagement of banned tourist charter fl ights to Turkey. cent real GDP growth in 2016. According the Syrian crisis, a sharp break in political Th is negatively aff ected the tourism sector, to the government, prospects in 2017 are relations with the EU or the unpredictable which accounts for 13 per cent of export positive: the recovery seen at the end of nature of the Trump administration in the receipts. Macro-economic policy has 2016 from the third quarter contraction US could all negatively impact the Turkish mostly aimed to off set shocks to growth is expected to continue with stronger EU economy. Internally, political volatility was and to buy votes by off ering consumer, growth supporting exports. Despite the set to persist irrespective of the outcome credit and investment incentives. Th e damaging anti-EU political rhetoric from of the April referendum on presidential downside of this policy stance includes some Turkish ministers, the economic powers. Th is is due to a constant ‘election chronic currency depreciation and rising team has pledged to deepen economic mode’ mentality and the entrenched infl ation. relations with the renegotiation of the political rhetoric against common internal Political risk and a large foreign Turkey-EU Customs Union. Meanwhile, and external enemies – a feature of the payments gap (around 25 per cent of low international oil prices and a slow Justice and Development Party (AKP) GDP) keep the Turkish lira under pressure. rise in US interest rates are expected to strategy designed to ensure the party Despite the tightening of monetary help manage foreign payments pressures remains in power. Another two referenda, policy, infl ation topped 10 per cent – especially corporate debt repayments. one on the EU and another on capital for the second month in March due to Moreover, business mostly welcomed the punishment, are already being discussed. depreciation (its eff ects on import prices depreciation of the lira for reversing its In the face of this political instability, and hence on overall prices) and periodic fi scal stimulus. Monetary policy is caught between international markets seeking Economic policy is forced to be reactive to try to overcome domestic more decisive action and domestic political and regional shocks and frequent crises with trading partners pressures to maintain growth. Th e central

June – July 2017 The Middle East in London 15 In the long term, a growth model less reliant With per capita income stagnating at around $10,000 for the last decade, the on domestic demand and, given the low savings government has taken these suggestions on rate, less reliant on capital infl ows is necessary board. Using extra powers available under Emergency Rule in the fraught political atmosphere of 2016, the government of bank seems to be trying to dampen and the provision of credit incentives via Prime Minister Binali Yıldırım managed speculative volatility while accepting lira the newly established Credit Guarantee to pass a number of diffi cult structural depreciation caused by global forces, such Fund. Th ese are policies that are found in reforms to convert Foreign Direct as fl uctuations in the US and capital fl ows. the agendas of Asian-style developmental Investment (FDI) into GVCs. In December Meanwhile macro-prudential policy is states. However in Turkey, as seen in Asia, 2016 this included intellectual property used to manage the domestic impact of the where the state steps in business circles rights legislation that had languished in weaker currency. Given Turkey’s limited which are close associates of the AKP Meclis committees since 2013. But passing foreign currency reserves, this is not an follow – bringing with them increased legislation is one thing; implementing unreasonable position. However, in order governance problems and corruption. it is another. Technological upgrading to work, rather than repeatedly resorting to exit the middle-income trap is not to a populist fi scal stimulus to overcome …and needing a new growth model merely a technical matter. It requires political shocks, it needs a tighter fi scal Th e Turkish economy’s resilience to a complex combination of conditions, stance to contain the pass-through of volatility is based on several structural including improved competition and currency depreciation on infl ation. strengths. Th ese include its large internal macro-economic stability. Yet Turkey faces Th e other weakness of the current market, diversifi ed economy, relatively well persistent political and policy instability, policy-mix is that growth has been driven regulated banking sector, and low public and deteriorating trends in political by domestic demand since the global debt. Growth will also be supported by the accountability and the rule of law hamper fi nancial crisis. Th is has been accentuated large infrastructure investments in energy, competition. Under these conditions, by the slowdown in the global economy transport and health that are expected to upgrading to higher productivity is likely and the negative impact on Turkish be funded by PPP-type project fi nance, to be intermittently pursued and only exports of regional confl icts. Th is has led Islamic fi nance and the new Turkish partially achieved, even if the structural to an accumulation of potential fi nancial Wealth Fund. strengths of the Turkish economy support imbalances. Credit has grown rapidly; Yet, in the long term, a growth model modest growth in the coming years. relative to GDP it has almost doubled in less reliant on domestic demand and, given the past decade to around 80 per cent. the low savings rate, less reliant on capital Dr Mina Toksöz is an Honorary Lecturer Th ere is more scope for credit growth in an infl ows is necessary. Drivers of growth at the University of Manchester Business economy the size of Turkey’s, but its rapid need to change from extensive growth School and an Associate Fellow of pace holds risks in cyclical sectors such as (more resources used in the same way) International Economics at Chatham construction and property. Although the to higher productivity/higher technology House. She is a specialist in country risk public debt is low, the increasing state- growth, possibly led by strategic sectors analysis. Her book Th e Economist Guide to investment guarantees associated with the such as the defence, automotive, transport, Country Risk was published in November long list of mega-infrastructure projects telecoms, engineering and logistics 2014 suggest that contingent liabilities need industries. One way of achieving this, as monitoring. Downgrades of Turkey’s hard- suggested by a recent OECD report on won investment grade sovereign ratings the Turkish economy, is via increased in 2016 cited weakened institutions and global integration with global value chains policy eff ectiveness as risks. (GVCs) to overcome the ‘middle income trap’. …taking a leaf out of China’s book © BERKAYSNKLF, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0 More broadly, economic policy seems likely to follow the new global trends – more statism, crony capitalism and selective protectionism – while politics continue in an authoritarian direction. Taking a leaf out of China’s book, there is more emphasis on import substitution through domestic content rules, pressure on foreign investors to share technology,

Planned construction line for the North Marmara Motorway (Kınalı-Tekirdağ-Çanakkale-Balıkesir) and Çanakkale 1915 Bridge which will connect Europe and Asia. Image by BERKAYSNKLF

16 The Middle East in London June – July 2017 TTURKEYURKEY

Mehmet Öğütçü on how Turkey’s domestic market and its location at the crossroads between east and west could be translated into economic, foreign policy and security gains TTurkey’surkey’s nnewew ddynamicsynamics iinn ggloballobal energyenergy aandnd ggeopoliticseopolitics © Public Domain, www.eia.gov

Turkey's major oil and gas pipelines. Source: U.S. Energy Information Administration and IHS EDIN

lobal energy markets are energy mix an imperative. At the same (the botched coup attempt, subsequent transforming rapidly, with time, energy remains heavily subsidised government purges and the controversial Gsignifi cant consequences across the across the region. However, voices are constitutional referendum which have Middle East and Turkey. Uncertainties of rising saying that these subsidies are not caused serious setbacks in its march daunting magnitude exist on many levels: sustainable. Today, Asia is the principal towards greater democracy), this is unlikely the pace of climate change policy, the customer for the region’s energy supply, to occur in such a short timeframe, but growth of renewables, the apparent demise with as much as 70 per cent of its exports because of Turkey’s strong standing this of coal, falling energy prices, the increasing now being consumed in India, China, achievement is not inconceivable further role of natural gas in the energy mix, and Japan and Korea. down the road. It is not without reason that the likely impact of energy effi ciency on Europe is looking for new sources of major energy producers and traders are demand growth. energy to reduce its dependence on Russia, knocking at Ankara’s door to either sell to Th e Middle East and Gulf States are with Turkey sitting at the crossroads to its attractive domestic market or use the not just among the world’s largest energy be a conduit for much needed oil and gas Turkish territory/infrastructure as transit to exporters; they are also emerging as major looking for exit routes from Iraq, Iran and reach high-value international markets. energy consumers in their own right, eating Central Asia. Th us decisions and choices in Turkey has a young and increasingly into their oil export capacities. OPEC’s Riyadh, Beijing, Tehran, Moscow, Brussels well-educated population; its middle-class domestic oil consumption has increased and Washington DC will have direct is gaining in importance; it is able to realise seven fold in 40 years, with the largest consequences for Ankara. large-scale infrastructure projects; and member Saudi Arabia now consuming 2.5 As a major economic and geopolitical it is carrying out urban transformation million barrels of oil per day, or some 25 power, Turkey has high ambitions for with incredible speed. All these factors per cent of her current production; at this the future, aspiring to become one of the have generated strong energy demand rate of growth energy consumption in the world’s top ten economies (it is currently growth, well above the world average, Kingdom is forecast to double by 2030. 17th) by 2023. Given current circumstances second to China, and will continue to do Power demand in the Middle East is set to increase by 76 per cent between 2010 Major energy producers and traders are knocking at and 2040, the US Energy Information Administration (EIA) estimates, thus Ankara’s door to either sell to its attractive domestic market making the diversifi cation of the region’s or use the Turkish territory/infrastructure as transit

June – July 2017 The Middle East in London 17 so – provided that the country retains its Turkey needs to clarify whether its long-term ambition is to political cohesion, national security and sustainable development. become a regional gas hub or a simple transit country Turkey is not blessed with domestic energy resources. Its own oil and gas (billion cubic metres) of gas from Russia, to become a regional ‘hub,’ extracting reserves account for only a tiny fraction of 3.5 bcm from Azerbaijan, 9.5 bcm from greater value for the oil, gas pipelines and its rapidly rising demand and consumption. Iran, and the remainder of almost 50 bcm power interconnections that criss-cross Th e country’s soft underbelly is its heavy from LNG (liquefi ed natural gas) imports their country, and to turn this role into dependence on imports, amounting to and some minor domestic production. economic, foreign or security policy gains. more than 60 per cent of all the energy it Depending on the competitiveness of Th erefore, Turkey needs to clarify consumes. Th is fi gure rises to 98 per cent pricing vs alternative suppliers, and the whether its long-term ambition is, as for natural gas and 93 per cent for oil. fl exibility of Turkish infrastructure and oft en stated, to become a regional gas Added to this is the need for international contractual commitments, Turkey could hub or a simple transit country. A hub fi nance for all these investments, take 10 bcm of Kurdish gas from the is a competitive market place where gas technology imports and know-how early 2020s, increasing to 20 bcm by the from multiple sources is stored and traded demand, investment requirements, Turkey’s mid-2020s – partly to meet new demand at spot prices. In order to encourage the role as a major east-west corridor within to displace some LNG and Iranian (or high level of investment needed (around the region, its geopolitical position and Russian) gas. $12 billion each year), Turkey should also long-term ambitions. Despite diffi culties in sustainable supply, make further eff orts to create a stable Energy is not simply a commercial Turkey is also the only market for Iranian business environment, including a policy commodity for Turkey to fuel the ever- gas exports to date. It is the major outlet framework which helps companies take demanding machines of its economy; it for Azerbaijani oil via the Baku–Tbilisi– on and manage risk, incentivise effi ciency represents a vital national security matter. Ceyhan (BTC) pipeline, and for gas via the and innovation, and ease key infrastructure Turkey strives to achieve this security by South Caucasus Pipeline and future Trans- decisions. Business and government drawing on multiple fuels and sources Anatolian Natural Gas Pipeline (TANAP) leaders should view Turkey’s energy and by attracting signifi cant international pipeline. policy as a sub-set of a wider government capital and technology for major energy Access for Iraq and its autonomous vision, incorporating the environment, and associated infrastructure projects. Kurdish region to the Mediterranean taxation, competition, investment, trading, Turkey is not only a signifi cant energy markets is through Turkey’s Yumurtalık commerce and foreign policy into the consumer. It is also geographically close to deep-sea port. Accessing Kurdish gas may energy calculus. Further steps should be 72 per cent of the world’s proven oil and be less urgent for Turkey today than it taken to create competitive energy markets gas resources, and thus commands major appeared a year ago. Th e threat to a new gas by restraining increases in energy prices, chokepoints and transit routes for energy pipeline posed by the PKK, and the slowing facilitating switching between suppliers shipments between key energy-producing Turkish economy combined with lower and reforming electricity trading platforms areas in Russia, the Caspian Sea basin, international oil and gas prices have eased while investing more in green energy the Middle East and European consumer the burden of expensive energy imports. technology and human capital. markets. Turkey could thus become the Generally, Turks are becoming less ‘Silk Road of the 21st century. content to be a simple ‘bridge’ over Mehmet Öğütçü is Chairman of the Turkey currently receives about 28 bcm which energy fl ows. Rather, they aspire Bosphorus Energy Club, a former Turkish diplomat, IEA and OECD executive, BG Group director, board member at Genel Energy, Şişecam Group, Saudi Crown Investment Holding and chairman, Global Resources Partnership. He is an internationally recognised authority on energy, investment, fi nance and geopolitics

Wind turbines on the route from Bursa to Efes,

© Karelj, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0 Commons, CC BY-SA Wikimedia © Karelj, Turkey. Photograph by Karelj

18 The Middle East in London June – July 2017 TTURKEYURKEY

Hülya Uçansu on the history of the Istanbul Film Festival and its impact on fi lmmakers in Turkey and abroad IIstanbulstanbul FFilmilm FFestival:estival: a llife-longife-long ccompanionompanion fforor fi lmmakerslmmakers inin TurkeyTurkey

© Istanbul Foundation for Culture and Arts (IFCA) © Istanbul Foundation for Culture and Hülya Uçansu with Jeanne Moreau in 2006

‘ hen spring comes the sun Since then it has been the leading Associations) as a ‘specialised competitive shines, the weather gets cinematographic platform not only for festival’ since 1989, what originally began Wbeautiful and all of a sudden fi lmmakers in Istanbul, but also for as a ‘fi lm week’ became the Istanbul Film starts Istanbul Film Festival. We all used fi lm lovers from all over Turkey. It was Festival. IFF has, over the past 35 years, to wait for the Festival just as we were fi rst presented as ‘Art Film Week’ in the presented Istanbul audiences with a total waiting for spring to come. I might summer of 1982, within the framework of more than 5,000 fi lms and attracted not have decided to be a fi lm director of the International Istanbul Festival. almost 4 million people with fi lms from if there had been no festival giving us Th e following summer, it was named over one hundred countries. that motivation.’ Th is is how Nuri Bilge ‘International Istanbul Film Days’ and 36 Th e promoters of the Film Festival Ceylan, the internationally renowned fi lms were shown in one month. In 1985, were the same people who had worked Turkish fi lm director, expressed his a national and an international section for Turkish Cinematheque, founded in feelings. His name is fi rmly in the annals were established in the festival program. 1965 by Onat Kutlar and his colleagues. I of world cinema; he has created a special Th at same year, the fi rst ever Golden worked as his assistant during that period. cinematographic language in his fi lms, Tulip, the grand prize of the festival, Aft er directing the Cinematheque for 11 which have received numerous awards at was given to English fi lm director and years Kutlar again became the leading Cannes Film Festival over the years. screenwriter Michael Radford for his fi lm fi gure when launching the Istanbul Film Th e Istanbul Film Festival (IFF) began 1984, a George Orwell adaptation. Festival in 1982 with the same team he 35 years ago in 1982, organised by a Accredited by FIAPF (International worked with before. Being one of the handful of idealist intellectual cineastes. Federation of Film Producers founders of the event, I was nominated as its fi rst director. I served there for a quarter of a century until 2006, the 25th Since 1989, what originally began as a year of its foundation. ‘fi lm week’ became the Istanbul Film Festival Th e main aim of IFF has been to

June – July 2017 The Middle East in London 19 ‘Istanbul Festival is the one which I admire the most. Toronto Ian McKellen, the English actor and the winner of numerous prestigious awards Festival comes next. Yet my favourite is Istanbul because of the during his illustrious acting career, was great love of cinema of your audience’ – Gillo Pontecorvo invited as Th e Guest of Honour to the 36th Istanbul Film Festival, which took place present recent productions of world Gillo Pontecorvo, the Italian director between 5 and 15 April 2017. McKellen cinema, together with rich retrospectives of the legendary fi lm Th e Battle of Algiers, attended the screening of his fi lm Richard of directors from cinema history, to said at the opening ceremony of the III – directed by Richard Loncraine – the enthusiastic young fi lm lovers of Festival in 1996: ‘Istanbul Festival is the where a full house of spectators saluted Istanbul. Th e second goal of the event is one which I admire the most. Toronto him with great enthusiasm. He delivered to create a cultural bridge between the Festival comes next. Yet my favourite a talk to a large number of university representatives of national cinema and is Istanbul because of the great love of students about his fi lm career. international cineastes. To achieve this, cinema of your audience.’ Th e IFF, ever since its inception, has the Festival invited directors and fi lm Th eo Angelopoulos, the master of been organised under the umbrella of critics from all over the world to Istanbul. the Greek Cinema who has visited the the Istanbul Foundation for Culture Th is mutual and prolifi c cooperation Istanbul Film Festival in the past either and Arts, and is still dedicated to its eventually gave rise in the 1990s to the to preside over the Golden Tulip Jury, original mission as a source of inspiration birth of a new, energetic wave in the or to teach a master-class or to attend for future generations of many young young Turkish Cinema. the screening of his fi lms, expressed his fi lmmakers who will leave their mark on Yeşim Ustaoğlu, one of its pleasure at being with us, saying, ‘Each Turkish Cinema. representatives says: ‘Our generation time I feel at home at this festival.’ is certainly grateful to the Festival. We Bernardo Bertolucci, the creator of Hülya Uçansu, former director of Istanbul came to know the names and started Th e Last Emperor started his 1989 speech Film Festival (1983-2006), is a university to follow the fi lms of certain directors on the stage in Istanbul addressing the lecturer and an author of several books. such as Bresson, Antonioni, Tarkovski audience as follows: ‘Looking at this Her books include: Memories of a Long and Angelopoulos at the Istanbul Film crowded audience I feel as if I were in a Distance Festival Runner; April, the Most Festival.’ Ustaoğlu is an award-winner in temple. I have never experienced such an Beautiful Month; and Letters to Onat the international festival circuit with her atmosphere elsewhere.’ Kutlar challenging, daring fi lms mainly depicting the worlds of women. © Hülya Uçansu Zeki Demirkubuz, another well-known director of Turkish cinema of the same generation, expresses his gratitude to the Istanbul Film Festival: ‘I became aware of making cinema especially aft er my second fi lm… Th e contribution of the Istanbul Film Festival to my fi lm career is greater than my own experiences, aims and knowledge of cinema as a whole.’ In the words of Michel Ciment, the eminent fi lm-critic of French Cinema, who very oft en visited Istanbul Festival: ‘It is very important to present the yearly panorama of the world cinema to a young audience and to future promising fi lm directors… I can never forget what the outstanding directors of the Indian cinema like Satyajit Ray and Mrinal Sen had told me about the great impact of the festival in Calcutta on their career in cinema.’ Th e Festival gained a reputation quite rapidly in the international, world festivals platform. Our guests appreciated the high quality of the festival programmes and also the excellent Sir Ian McKellen receiving the Lifetime hospitality of the organisation, which was Achievement Award enhanced by the beauty of Istanbul. Th is at the opening gala admiration prompted some of our guests of the 36th Istanbul Film Festival on 4 April to volunteer as ambassadors of the festival 2017. Photograph by all over the world. Hülya Uçansu

20 The Middle East in London June – July 2017 RREVIEWS:EVIEWS: RESTAURANTRESTAURANT

Sami Zubaida on Yosma, a relatively new Turkish restaurant, and how it fi ts into to the wider Turkish restaurant scene in London TurkishTurkish eeatingating iinn LLondonondon Yosma, 50 Baker Street, W1U 7BT

frequent a Chinese restaurant on Baker restaurant on the next block, Yosma, which nice, large venue with well-spaced tables, Street, Royal China, which has very proclaimed itself, intriguingly, ‘A Turkish which is particularly attractive in London Igood Dim Sum. On one of my trips Meyhane, Mangal and Rakı Bar, Inspired nowadays, when so many restaurants are there some months back I noticed a new by the Streets of Istanbul’. It seemed a cramped and noisy. I made a mental note to visit, which was reinforced some time later when I read very positive reviews by famous restaurant critics. So when Nevsâl Hughes, editor of this issue, suggested that we visit Yosma and I write a review, I readily concurred. We went there for lunch. It was, indeed, a pleasant, spacious venue, with colourful tiles lining the walls, an open kitchen on one side and an imposing bar on the other. Th e front of house staff , receptionist and waiters were cosmopolitan, not specifi cally Turkish, but all pleasant and helpful, and we were served by a Chinese waiter. Th e menu was extensive, with sections on cold then hot mezze, Mangal (charcoal grills), clay oven (baked items) and a dessert menu. Th e wine list featured a good and reasonable selection of Turkish wines and of Rakı brands. Both Nevsâl and I, however, had limited appetites at lunch and elected not to drink alcohol on this occasion, which limited the range of our consumption. We ordered two items of mezze, one hot, one cold and a salad: a patlıcan (aubergine) mezze consisted of a whole roasted and peeled aubergine, plainly dressed in oil and garlic, unlike the more usual garnish of other salad elements of tomato, onion and herbs. Th e hot mezze was mantı, the ravioli-like meat dumplings (thought to be of Chinese origin) dressed in a yogurt sauce with mint. It was acceptable but not

Sami Zubaida in front of Yosma on 50 Baker Street in London

June – July 2017 The Middle East in London 21 exciting. Th e Gavurdağ salad (tomato, the menu, which is short but included the meat dumplings, the Arab kebbe), ezme walnut, pomegranate, parsley and mint) iconic Künefe: hot shredded wheat pastry salad (fi nely chopped tomatoes, onions was good, all vivid tastes. Th e mezze list enclosing white cheese, lemon syrup and and chilli), among others. Lahmacun, included familiar items, such as haydari pistachio. Th is item was highly praised by ‘meat dough’, a pizza-like crust with a spicy (thick yogurt with garlic), pastırma (spicy other reviewers. Another item was Tahini ground meat fi lling, is another common cured meat), and the inevitable hummus, Cake, familiar to me from Cypriot bakers item. Th e original Mangal restaurant not so common in Turkey until its recent and usually delicious. remains popular, and a Mangal 2 was globalisation but now a compulsory item opened nearby, so popular that it was later on all menus. Unusual items included Th e Turkish Restaurant Scene in London expanded with closely packed tables and marinated sea-bass in grapefruit! Prices of While kebab shops are now ubiquitous a noisy clientele. Th ere are many others in mezze items ranged from £5 to £8. in all London boroughs, the real ‘heart’ of the same mould and some have acquired For mains we ordered a lamb köft e Turkish London is comprised of the north- high reputations, such as Gökyüzü on (minced meat patties) from the grill eastern suburbs of Stoke Newington, Green Lanes, winner of the 2017 Best section and a cheese/spinach börek Dalston and Hackney. For many years Kebab Awards for North and West (fi lo pastry wraps) from the clay oven these have been well supplied with Turkish London. Most of these eateries concentrate section. Th e köft e came with a garnish eateries and groceries, many run by people on mezze and grills with little in the way of potatoes and grilled tomatoes and a from Southeast Anatolia, including Kurds. of soups, stews, pilafs and pies, the kind of muhammara sauce. Th is latter is usually Some are grill restaurants, a genre called repertoire you get in popular restaurants a salad/dip of walnuts, sweet peppers and Ocakbaşı, ‘fi reside’. One of the earliest in Turkey, known as Esnaf Lokantası pomegranate molasses, with some hot and continuing favourites is Mangal 1 (10 (market restaurants). In the London pepper and various herbs, all pounded or Arcola Rd, E8). Th e word means ‘brazier’, Turkish districts there are restaurants blitzed together. At its best it is one of the referring to the centrepiece, a panel of catering for local working people at lunch, stars of the Levantine kitchen and into charcoal embers on which skewers of which display trays of the cooked food in southern Anatolia, notably Gaziantep. Th e meat and vegetables are grilled. Alongside their windows. I recall eating in some of muhammara sauce in this dish did not live many other similar eateries in the area, these on Green Lanes some years back and up to that image: more a paste resembling it features a repertoire of grills including enjoying a kelle-paça soup (sheep’s head a spicy ketchup with a piece of walnut. Th e shish kebab, pieces of lamb on skewer, and feet), rice with a choice of stews, meat köft e, though, was good meat, nice texture köft e in various combinations, and organ and fasulye (white beans), bamya (okra) or and seasoning. Th e börek was also good. meats, liver, kidney, sweetbread, and courgette, with a salad and pickles on the Other grill items included kaburga (lamb less usually, testicles. Tomatoes, onions side. ribs – I was tempted), chops and the less and peppers, grilled on skewers, are Turkish restaurants and chains of usual Ali Nazik, which is described as lamb commonly served as garnish to the meat, restaurants have, of course, featured in rump over grilled aubergine and yogurt with fl at bread (pide or lavaş) heated on many parts of London, and Yosma is (more usually minced lamb on aubergine/ the mangal. A meal there would consist of one of many in the West End. One, Tas, yogurt). A vegetarian grill was sebze şiş, a selection of meats, preceded by mezze, near the British Museum, is familiar to vegetables grilled on skewer. Th ere were from a common repertoire: cacık (yogurt, many of us in the Bloomsbury academic two items of fi sh: stone bass and fi sh of the cucumber, garlic), haydari (thick yogurt), community, venue to some conference day. Prices ranged from £9 to £18, but £35 various aubergine mixes including imam dinners and examiners lunches. It is part for fi sh of the day. I drank ayran (yogurt bayıldı (stuff ed with tomato, onion, of a chain by that name. It maintains a drink), like the Indian lassi. raisins and spices and baked), tarama, good standard with a well-balanced menu We did not order desserts but examined hummus, cheese börek, içli köft e (bulgar/ and reasonable prices for the area. Middle Eastern food is currently in the limelight, with diverse eateries, books and newspaper columns, recipes and reviews. We should expect some new Turkish off erings. 0

Sami Zubaida is Emeritus Professor of Politics and Sociology at Birkbeck, University of London and a member of the Editorial Board. His most recent book is Beyond Islam: A New Understanding of the Middle East (2011)

An example of esnaf lokantası. Photograph

© PEK - Sulu Yemek © Matt @ PEK, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 2. Commons, CC BY-SA Wikimedia © Matt @ PEK, Yemek © PEK - Sulu by Matt

22 The Middle East in London June – July 2017 RREVIEWS:EVIEWS: BOOKSBOOKS TThehe GGülenülen MMovementovement iinn TTurkey:urkey: TThehe PPoliticsolitics ooff IIslamslam aandnd MModernityodernity

By Caroline Tee

IB Tauris, August 2016, £20.00

Reviewed by Gamon McLellan

ethullahthllh Gülen,Gül the th TurkishT ki hh preacher failed coup to Gülen indicates the extreme students for ‘successful engagement in a hailed in 2008 as the world’s leading toxicity of the latter’s reputation now in rationalist and technological world order’. It F‘public intellectual’ in a western Turkey.’ was not, though, aimed to further scientifi c magazine readers’ poll, had already become Given that toxicity, it is remarkable knowledge per se, and students were not chief public villain in Turkey even before that she could obtain extensive, revealing trained to think critically. Evolution was a President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan accused interviews with teachers, students, parents red line. Tee explains that Gülen regards him of masterminding the July 2016 coup and others in Gülen schools and universities. evolutionary theory as an atheistic ideology attempt; a charge Gülen rejected, but which Strict gender segregation meant that her threatening religion. is the prevailing wisdom in Turkey, if not most fruitful research was conducted in Until the split with Erdoğan, Gülen abroad. Despite extradition eff orts, he girls’ high schools. But discovering how the was best known in the West for interfaith remains in Pennsylvania, while his followers movement really functioned was harder. dialogue, featuring high profi le meetings in Turkey have paid the price of his feud She describes its ‘true scope and operational with Pope John Paul II, the Oecumenical with Erdoğan. Th e two were once close structure as peculiarly opaque, with neither Patriarch and Jewish leaders. But Tee collaborators: Gülenist prosecutors had Gülen nor his followers admitting to its argues convincingly that Gülenist dialogue spearheaded the notorious Ergenekon and existence as an organised entity’. At its avoids exploring the doctrinal peculiarities Balyoz prosecutions of military offi cers, heart, she explains, is a group of dedicated of diff erent confessions. It is intercultural debilitating the Turkish offi cer corps as followers, men only, some of whom reside dialogue, avoiding controversy and a potential threat to the AK Party. Now with Gülen in Pennsylvania and rotate emphasising commonality between the those identifi ed as members of the Hizmet periodically to leadership roles in a complex Abrahamic religions. Th e movement strives (‘service’) movement are dubbed FETÖCÜ organisation operating in 120 countries to portray Islam internationally in a positive (‘members of the Fethullah terrorist worldwide. Th is gender segregation in light and to promote Turkish culture, organisation’), and have faced summary Pennsylvania excludes women structurally Turkishness being ‘absolutely foundational dismissal, seizure of assets and jail. from top-level leadership in the movement. to the Gülen discourse.’ Caroline Tee’s Th e Gülen Movement in One chapter analyses Gülen’s teaching and Th e Gülenist establishments in Turkey Turkey: Th e Politics of Islam and Modernity his debt to the spiritual leader, Bediüzzaman are no more, and the movement’s future came out two months aft er the failed coup. Said Nursi (1876-1960), whose followers worldwide is in doubt, but it did play a Her research in Turkey was conducted (Nurcular) form another powerful Sunni central role in Erdoğan’s consolidation of between 2014 and 2015 – when the Gülen- Muslim grouping within Turkey. Gülen’s power. Tee’s book is invaluable in helping Erdoğan feud had intensifi ed, following the writings and sermons, Tee observes, ‘refl ect the reader understand how the movement 17 December 2013 corruption allegations. and develop themes that are conceptually operated at the grassroots level, particularly Senior fi gures close to the leadership were Nursian in origin,’ but Gülen emphasises in its network of educational institutions. detained, four ministers resigned, and action: hence his insistence on hizmet recordings emerged apparently of Erdoğan (‘service’), and on ensuring that his followers Gamon McLellan was Head of the BBC telling his son to dispose of nearly a billion attain positions of infl uence. From Nursi, Turkish Service (1979-1988). He later became US dollars. Erdoğan described this also as Gülen derived his commitment to science Head of the BBC Arabic Service and now an attempted coup by the Gülenists. As Tee education, the dominant element in his high teaches a postgraduate course on Turkey at explains, the fact that the president in 2016 schools. Tee queries the motivation for this, SOAS ‘so rapidly and confi dently attributed the concluding that it equipped pious Muslim

June – July 2017 The Middle East in London 23 RREVIEWS:EVIEWS: BOOKSBOOKS IIstanbul:stanbul: A TaleTale ofof TThreehree CCitiesities

By Bettany Hughes

Weidenfeld & Nicolson, March 2017, £25.00

Reviewed by Peter Clark

his is a beautifully produced book Scandinavia and England. At all times it was Empire with God on their side. Th e capital and the author, Bettany Hughes, the major trading centre of the world – with continued to be multi-religious and multi- Ttells a riveting story. Th e three links to China, Russia, Western Europe and ethnic and there were many continuities. cities are Byzantium, Constantinople and North Africa. Bettany Hughes stresses the global Istanbul. She calls the fi rst city, Byzantion, Hughes is at her most assured in writing reach of the city, and draws on evidence a transliteration of the Greek. Unlike on Byzantium (or Byzantion), the later from archaeological excavations of the many writers on the city she has time for Roman Empire. Th e opening chapter – or last few years, from China to Britain. Th e the prehistoric and earliest city, of which prologue – tells the story of the unsuccessful recent construction of tunnels under the there are very few physical traces though it 8th-century siege by Umayyad-led Muslims Bosphorus to extend transport links has featured much in Greek literature. on the city. In the fi rst century of Islam, unearthed much that has shed light on the Hughes sweeps through the centuries Byzantium (sorry, old habits die hard) lost city’s history. with ease. She emphasises the way Istanbul control of its territories in Greater Syria Her story ends with the emergence has represented the world west of China. and North Africa. As a consequence, she of Mustafa Kemal aft er WWI, during Napoleon is supposed to have said that if observes, the city turned northwards. Th e which the Ottoman Empire imploded. there was one global state then Istanbul city’s political and economic, and especially She treads carefully on modern political should be the capital. Istanbul has always her religious, infl uence penetrated the lands times. Istanbul in the last half century been multicultural, having been founded of Ukraine and Russia, an impact that has has witnessed demographic changes as a city by Greek migrants. When long survived the passing of the Byzantine comparable to the times of Constantine and Constantine made it the capital of the Empire. of Mehmet. Since the 1960s the population Roman Empire in the early 4th century, Th e city was an essay in globalism, and has increased tenfold, which means that he drew in thousands of immigrants remained so aft er it fell to the Turks in most of the people of the city today – as in from Italy. Two centuries later, under the 1453. Mehmet the Conqueror took over a those earlier times – are not from the city. Emperor Justinian, its leading citizens were much-depleted city, abandoned by allies, Bettany Hughes writes in a contemporary not from the city but from the provinces depopulated, falling into ruin, sustained chatty English style. Th is refl ects her work hundreds of miles away. Justinian himself only by memories and mystique. He sought as a broadcaster and television presenter but was from a Balkan peasant family. His to revive the city’s past glories, albeit with an it may not be most appropriate for a book. wife, Th eodora, possibly came from Syria. Islamic stamp. Like Constantine, Mehmet In ten or twenty years the style may seem Th e general, Belisarius, was from Th race. encouraged migration into the city. At very dated. Th at would be a pity. Th e court chamberlain, Narses, was an the end of the century, Jews and Muslims Armenian. So was the architect of Hagia expelled aft er the Christian reconquest Peter Clark is the author of Istanbul in the Sophia. Justinian’s principal legal adviser, of Spain found a warm welcome in the series ‘Cities of the Imagination’, published by responsible for drawing up the Institutes Ottoman Empire and especially Istanbul. Signal Books, Oxford, 2010 that have had an infl uence on all subsequent Th e Ottoman Empire had much in European law, was from southern Anatolia. common with the Byzantine Empire. Both Th e historian, Procopius, fi rst a panegyrist, at their zenith covered much the same later a muckraker, was a Palestinian. In territory and ruled through delegation. later centuries mercenaries came from Both built up an aura of being a universal

24 The Middle East in London June – July 2017 BBOOKSOOKS ININ BRIEFBRIEF DDepictingepicting tthehe LLateate OOttomanttoman EEmpirempire iinn TTurkishurkish AAutobiographies:utobiographies: IImagesmages ooff a PPastast WWorldorld By Philipp Wirtz Th e period between the 1880s and the 1920s was a time of momentous changes in the Ottoman Empire. It was also an age of literary experiments, of which autobiography forms a part. Th is book analyses Turkish autobiographical narratives describing the part of their authors’ lives that was spent while the Ottoman Empire still existed. Th e texts studied in this book were written in the cultural context of the Turkish Republic, which went to great lengths to disassociate itself from the empire and its legacy. Th is process has only been criticised and partially reversed in very recent times, the resurging interest in autobiographical texts dealing with the ‘old days’ by the Turkish reading public being part of a wider, renewed regard for Ottoman legacies.

2017, Routledge, £76.00 DDeclineecline aandnd FFallall ooff tthehe SSasanianasanian EEmpire:mpire: TThehe SSasanian-Parthianasanian-Parthian CConfederacyonfederacy aandnd tthehe AArabrab CConquestonquest ooff IIranran By Parvaneh Pourshariati Th is book proposes a convincing contemporary answer to an ages-old mystery and conundrum: why, in the 7th century CE, did the seemingly powerful and secure Sasanian empire of Persia succumb so quickly and disastrously to the Arab armies of Islam? Th e author suggests a bold solution to the enigma. On the face of it, the collapse of the Sasanians – given their strength and imperial power in the earlier part of the century – looks startling and inexplicable. But Professor Pourshariati explains their fall in terms of an earlier corrosion and decline, and as a result of their own internal weaknesses. Th e decentralised dynastic system of the Sasanian empire, whose backbone was a Sasanian-Parthian alliance, contained the seeds of its own destruction.

March 2017, IB Tauris, £15.99 OOrientalismrientalism VVersusersus OOccidentalism:ccidentalism: LLiteraryiterary aandnd CCulturalultural IImagingmaging BBetweenetween FFrancerance aandnd IIranran SSinceince tthehe IIslamicslamic RRevolutionevolution By Laetitia Nanquette Th is book highlights the role of cultural representations and perceptions, such as when Iran is represented in the French media as a rogue state obsessed with its nuclear programme, and when France is portrayed in the Iranian media as a decadent and imperialist country. Here, Laetitia Nanquette examines the functions, processes, and mechanisms of stereotyping and imagining the ‘other’ that have pervaded the literary traditions of France and Iran. She analyses Franco-Iranian relations by exploring the literary traditions of this relationship, the ways in which these have aff ected individual authors, and how they refl ect socio-political realities. Th e themes presented feed into popular debates about the nature of Orientalism and Occidentalism, and how the two interact.

March 2017, IB Tauris, £25.00

June – July 2017 The Middle East in London 25 BBOOKSOOKS ININ BRIEFBRIEF TThehe IIslamicslamic EEnlightenment:nlightenment: TThehe MModernodern SStruggletruggle BBetweenetween FFaithaith aandnd RReasoneason

By Christopher de Bellaigue

Th e Muslim world has oft en been accused of a failure to modernise, reform and adapt. But, from the beginning of the 19th century to the present day, Islamic society in its Middle Eastern heartlands has in fact been transformed by modern ideals and practices, including the adoption of modern medicine, the emergence of women from purdah and the development of democracy. Who were the scholars and scientists, writers and politicians that brought about these remarkable changes? And why is their legacy now under threat? Th is book tells the forgotten story of the Islamic Enlightenment. It shows us how to look beyond sensationalist headlines to foster a genuine understanding of modern Islam and Muslim culture.

February 2017, Bodley Head, £25.00

TThehe BBattleattlefi eeld:ld: AAlgerialgeria 11988-2002:988-2002: SStudiestudies iinn a BBrokenroken PPolityolity By Hugh Roberts

Th e violence that has ravaged Algeria in recent years has oft en defi ed explanation. Regularly invoked in debates about political Islam, transitions to democracy, globalisation, and humanitarian intervention, Algeria’s tragedy has been reduced to a clash of stereotypes: Islamists vs secularists, terrorists vs innocent civilians, or generals vs a defenceless society. Th e prevalence of such simplistic representations has disabled public opinion inside as well as outside the country and contributed to the intractability of the confl ict. Th is book off ers a corrective to Western misconceptions. Rejecting the usual tautological approaches of inherent, predetermined confl ict, Hugh Roberts explores the outlook and evolution of the various forces as they emerged: the Islamists; the Berberists; the factions within the army; the regime in general; and external actors.

April 2017, Verso Books, £19.95 TThehe MModernodern HHistoryistory ooff IIraqraq By Phebe Marr with Ibrahim al-Marashi

Th e Modern History of Iraq provides an account contemporary Iraq, placing in historical perspective the crises and upheavals that continue to affl ict the country. Th is text weaves together several important themes, including the search for a national identity, the struggle to achieve social and economic development, the changes in political dynamics, and the impact of foreign interventions, to give readers with a holistic understanding of modern Iraq. Revised and updated throughout, this fourth edition features more discussion of cultural identity and media and society. It also includes two new chapters on the events and shift s in the country of the early 21st century – the US intervention and withdrawal, the stabilisation and subsequent unravelling of the Maliki government, the eff ects of the Arab uprisings, and the rise of ISIS – and their political, economic, and social consequences.

February 2017, Westview Press, £40.00

26 The Middle East in London June – July 2017 LISTINGS EEventsvents iinn LLondonondon

HE EVENTS and SOAS –SOAS, University of (2009), tracing the history of the SOAS. T 020 7898 4330 E vp6@ organisations listed London, Th ornhaugh Street, Th e Palestinian Film Archive. soas.ac.uk W www.soas.ac.uk/ Tbelow are not necessarily Russell Square, London WC1H Admission free. Pre-registration lmei-cis/events/ endorsed or supported by 0XG required. Th e Mosaic Rooms, The Middle East in London. LSE – London School of A.M. Qattan Foundation, Tower 1:15 pm | Th e Splendour The accompanying texts and Economics and Political Science, House, 226 Cromwell Road, of Ancient Iran (Gallery images are based primarily Houghton Street, London WC2 London SW5 0SW. T 020 7370 Talk) Carolyn Perry (British on information provided by 2AE 9990 E [email protected] W Foundation for the Study of the organisers and do not http://mosaicrooms.org/ Arabia). Organised by: BM. necessarily reflect the views of the Admission free. Room 52, compilers or publishers. While JUNE EVENTS Friday 2 June BM. T 020 7323 8181 W www. every possible effort is made to britishmuseum.org ascertain the accuracy of these 6:30 pm | Disturbing the Peace listings, readers are advised to Th ursday 1 June (Documentary) Organised by: Monday 5 June seek confirmation of all events Bertha DocHouse. Dirs Stephen using the contact details provided 6:30 pm | Unscene (Film/Talk) Apkon and Andrew Young. 5:00 pm | Th e Global Settler for each event. Organised by: Th e Mosaic Documenting the transition of Colonial Present (Talk) Lorenzo Submitting entries and Rooms. Artists Judy Price, Sarah enemy soldier into nonviolent Veracini (Swinburne University updates: please send all updates Wood and Oraib Toukan discuss peace activists, the fi lm follows of Technology, Melbourne). and submissions for entries their work with archival fi lm, in ‘Th e Combatants for Peace’, an Organised by: Centre for related to future events via e-mail conversation with Eugene Rogan. activist group made up of both Palestine Studies and the London to [email protected] Includes a screening of fi lms Israeli soldiers and Palestinian Middle East Institute, SOAS from Price’s research into fi lm fi ghters, as they campaign (LMEI). Lorenzo Veracini in BM – British Museum, Great archives of the British Mandate together in an attempt to fi nd conversation with Magid Shihade. Russell Street, London WC1B period and Sarah Wood’s short a resolution for the Israeli- Veracini's paper focuses on a 3DG fi lm For Cultural Purposes Only Palestinian confl ict. Tickets: specifi c mode of domination and £9/£7 conc./£5 Off -Peak. Curzon its contemporary manifestations. Bloomsbury, Th e Brunswick, It outlines the global settler Fahrelnissa Zeid Untitled c.1950s Oil paint on canvas. Tate © The Raad London WC1N 1AW. T 0330 500 colonial present: a predicament Zeid Al-Hussein Collection. Fahrelnissa Zeid. (see Exhibitions p. 34) 1331 W www.dochouse.org fundamentally characterised by a logic of elimination and Saturday 3 June containment rather than exploitation. Admission free. 1:00 pm | SOAS Centenary Event Wolfson Lecture Th eatre, Paul - Youth, Cinema and War in Iran Webley Wing (Senate House), Organised by: Centre for Iranian SOAS. T 020 7898 4330 E vp6@ Studies, SOAS and Roya Arab. soas.ac.uk W www.soas.ac.uk/ Iranian cinema has been making lmei-cps/events/ its mark on the international scene for over two decades. Th e 5:30 pm | Fift y years of Survey majority of Iran's award winning and Excavation in the UAE fi lmmakers were in their youth and Oman; Beatrice de Cardi’s during the Iranian revolution of Background and Legacy 1979 and the Iran/Iraq war (1980- (Lecture) Carl Phillips (CNRS, 87), both remarkably defi ning Paris). Organised by: British moments for Iranian history, Foundation for the Study of identity and creatively. Th is day Arabia (BFSA). Inaugural Beatrice explores themes of youth, cinema de Cardi Lecture. Preceded by the and war in Iran. Admission free. BFSA's AGM at 5:15pm. Followed Brunei Gallery Lecture Th eatre, by a reception. Admission free.

June – July 2017 The Middle East in London 27 Robert Lecture Th eatre, Roberts Navid Hamzavi. Open Mic. Host: Th ursday 8 June Modernist Project (Lecture) Building, UCL, Torrington Place, Amir Darwish (poet). £5/£3 EWI Hadani Ditmars. Organised by: London WC1E 7JE. E contact@ members and asylum Seekers. 4:00 pm | Twenty Years of Survey London Middle East Institute, thebfsa.org W www.thebfsa.org Betsey Trotwood, 56 Farringdon and Excavation at Zoara, Ghor SOAS (LMEI). In the early 80’s, Road, London EC1R 3BL. E es-Safi , Jordan 1997 - 2017 the Baghdad neighbourhood 6:00 pm | Th e Emergence [email protected]. (Lecture) Konstantinos D Politis of Abu Nuwas was the site of a of Ancient Israel and its co.uk W www.exiledwriters.co.uk (Hellenic Society of the Ancient project designed by Canadian Neighbours: Archaeology, Near East). Organised by: Th e architect Arthur Erickson, and History and Bible (Lecture) Wednesday 7 June Palestine Exploration Fund (PEF) inspired by Frank Lloyd Wright Ayelet Gilboa (University of and the Middle East Department, drawings from the 50’s. In the Haifa). Organised by: Anglo- 9:00 am | Re-Th inking Politics BM. AGM Lecture. Politis looks at end, Erickson’s designs for Israel Archaeological Society in Asia, Africa and the Middle the archaeological record at Zoara the Abu Nuwas project were (AIAS) and the Institute of East (Conference) Organised – one of the famed fi ve ‘Cities of never realized. Join the writer Archaeology, UCL. Admission by: Department of Politics and the Plain’ (Genesis 13), which, and critic Hadani Ditmars for free. Lecture Th eatre G6, International Studies, SOAS. according to the Bible, survived a special London Festival of Isntitute of Archaeology, UCL, MPhil/PhD Conference which the wrath of God while others Architecture presentation on a 31-34 Gordon Square, London will include panels on Foreign such as Sodom and Gomorrah new initiative to revive the project WC1H OPY. T 020 8349 5754 E Policy and Negotiation Processes were destroyed. Admission as a way to reintegrate Baghdad’s [email protected] W www. in International Relations; free. Pre-registration required. sectarianized neighbourhoods. aias.org.uk Structure and Agency in the T 020 7323 8181 W www. Chair: Charles Tripp (SOAS). Study of Development; and britishmuseum.org BP Lecture Admission free. Khalili Lecture 7:30 pm | Under an Idyllic Democracy, Participation and Th eatre, Clore Education Centre, Th eatre, SOAS. T 020 7898 4330 English Sky? Writing Britain Contestation. Admission free. BM. T 020 7935 5379 E execsec@ E [email protected] W www. Now (Reading) Organised by: Alumni Lecture Th eatre, Paul pef.org.uk W www.pef.org.uk soas.ac.uk/lmei/events/ / http:// Exiled Writers Ink. Exiled Lit Webley Wing (Senate House), londonfestivalofarchitecture.org/ Cafe. With Elaine Feinstein, Mir SOAS. E [email protected] W 6:00 pm | Baghdad Dreaming: / www.hadaniditmars.com Mahfuz Ali, Anthony Howell, www.soas.ac.uk Architecture, Memory, and the

THE NEW SULTAN Erdogan and the Crisis of Modern Turkey Soner Cagaptay

In a world of rising tensions between Russia and the United States, the Middle East and Europe, Sunnis and Shiites, Islamism and liberalism, Turkey is at the epicentre. And at the heart of Turkey is its right-wing populist president, Recep Tayyip Erdogan. Since 2002, Erdogan has consolidated his hold on domestic politics while using military and diplomatic means to solidify Turkey as a regional power. His crackdown has been brutal and consistent - scores of journalists EVVIWXIHEGEHIQMGWSJ½GMEPP]FERRIHJVSQPIEZMRKXLIGSYRXV] YRMZIVWMX]HIERW½VIHERHQER]SJXLILMKLIWXVEROMRKQMPMXEV] SJ½GIVWEVVIWXIH Here, leading Turkish expert Soner Cagaptay will look at Erdogan’s VSSXWMR8YVOMWLLMWXSV][LEXLIFIPMIZIWMRERHLS[LILEW cemented his rule, as well as what this means for the world. The book will also unpick the ‘threats’ Erdogan has worked to combat - JVSQXLIPMFIVEP8YVOWXSXLI+YPIRQSZIQIRXJVSQGSYTTPSXXIVW Hardback Available Now XS/YVHMWLREXMSREPMWXWEPPSJ[LMGLLEZIGYPQMREXIHMRXLIGVMWMWSJ 224 pgs | 216 x 135 mm modern Turkey. £17.99 | 9781784538262 www.ibtauris.com ‘Nobody tells Erdogan’s story better’ – Washington Post

28 The Middle East in London June – July 2017 7:00 pm | Seeds From Th e Zoo human rights abuses when they (Talk) Organised by: Th e Mosaic were kidnapped and endured 40 Rooms. Irish-artist based in Cairo days imprisonment and torture Bryony Dunne in conversation in cage cells in Khartoum. Th e with Shela Sheikh (Centre for documentary comprises footage Cultural Studies, Goldsmiths) shot during their captivity that about her fi lm, Bring Th em was smuggled out of the country. Back Alive, and photographic Followed by Q&A with fi lmmaker exploration, Seeds From Th e Zoo, Phil Cox and others. Tickets: of the history of Egypt’s Giza Zoo. £10/£8 conc. Frontline Club, Admission free. Pre-registration 13 Norfolk Place, London W2 required. Th e Mosaic Rooms, 1QJ. T 020 7479 8940 E events@ A.M. Qattan Foundation, Tower frontlineclub.com W www. House, 226 Cromwell Road, frontlineclub.com London SW5 0SW. T 020 7370 9990 E [email protected] W Saturday 10 June http://mosaicrooms.org/ 1:15 pm | Art for Eternity: Sergey Ponomarev, Damascus, Syria, 24 August 2013, Assad’s Syria (2013- 2014) © Sergey Ponomarev. Syria: A Confl ict Explored (see Exhibitions p. 34) 7:30 pm | Downstairs at the Paintings from the Tomb of Kings's Head Comedy Night Nebamun (Gallery Talk) George (Performance) Comedy with Hart (independent speaker). dates the Safavid period, refl ecting Square, London WC1B 5EA. E Jenan Younis, a London based Organised by: BM. Admission the status and relative importance [email protected] W comedian of Iraqi and Palestinian free. Room 61, BM. T 020 7323 that these disciplines had at both www.mbifoundation.com descent. Tickets: £4 on the door. 8181 W www.britishmuseum.org scholarly and courtly levels. Downstairs at the Kings Head, Building on the recent exhibition Friday 16 June 2 Crouch End Hill, London N8 4:30 pm | Palfest Comes to Power and Protection: Islamic Art 8AA. E [email protected] Balham (Reading) Organised by: and the Supernatural this lecture 6:00 pm | Music of Iraq Dulwich Books. Jeremy Harding, will use a selection of fi ne objects (Performance) Organised by: BM Friday 9 June Rachel Holmes, Sabrina Mahfouz, and works of art to comment in association with the Embassy Ahdaf Soueif. Part of the Balham on the cultural signifi cance of of the Republic of Iraq. An 6:30 pm | Iraq: Th e Cost of War Literary Festival (8-11 June). prophecy. Tickets: £10. Asia informal concert of Iraqi music (Talk) Sir Jeremy Greenstock, Palfest’s founder, Ahdaf Soueif, House, 63 New Cavendish Street, in the galleries. Admission free. former UK Special Envoy for Iraq introduces four of the writers who London W1G 7LP. T 020 3651 Room 23, BM. T 020 7323 8181 (September 2003-March 2004) have taken part over the years 2121 E [email protected] W www.britishmuseum.org in conversation with Patrick and who have contributed to a W www.iranheritage.org/2017. Wintour of the Guardian. Part of powerful new anthology – Th is Is html 6:00 pm | Over the Hills the Balham Literary Festival (8-11 Not a Border - of pieces from and and Far Away: Interaction June). Scheduled for publication about the festival, providing an 7:00 pm | Th e Buildings of Sultan Across Southern Iran in Late in 2005, Sir Jeremy Greenstock’s understanding of how refugees, Qalawun and the Image of the Prehistory (Lecture) Cameron incendiary Iraq: Th e Cost of War displaced people, those whose Mamluk Sultanate (Lecture) Petrie (Cambridge University). is one of the most important lives are disrupted daily by politics Doris Behrens-Abouseif (SOAS). Organised by: BM. Twenty-fi ft h books ever to be postponed by the and those whose country appears Organised by: Islamic Art Circle Vladimir G Lukonin Memorial British government. It describes on few maps can celebrate and at SOAS. Chair: Scott Redford Lecture. From prehistory onwards the role of Britain in the Iraq create a home through words. (SOAS). Admission free. Khalili the Iranian plateau connected the War from the point of view of Tickets: £10/£20 with a copy of Lecture Th eatre, SOAS. T Middle East with Central and an insider. Tickets: £10/£25 with the book Th is is Not a Border. 07714087480 E rosalindhaddon@ South Asia. Th is lecture looks a copy of Iraq: Th e Cost of War. Th e Ballroom, Th e Bedford, 77 gmail.com W www.soas.ac.uk/ at how people moved across the Th e Ballroom, Th e Bedford, 77 Bedford Hill, Balham, London art/islac/ Iranian plateau and examines Bedford Hill, Balham, London SW12 9HD. T 020 8670 1920 E the relationship between SW12 9HD. T 020 8670 1920 E [email protected] W Th ursday 15 June landscapes, routes, settlements [email protected] W https://balhamliteraryfestival. and the dynamics of human https://balhamliteraryfestival. co.uk/ 5:45 pm | Th e Social and Cultural interconnection. Admission co.uk/ History of the Oil Industry: free. Pre-registration required Wednesday 14 June Current Research (Lecture) Nelida T 020 7323 8181 BP Lecture 7:00 pm | Screening: Hunted in Fuccaro (SOAS). Organised by: Th eatre, BM. T 020 7323 8315 E Sudan + Q&A (Documentary) 6:30 pm | Portents, Presages and MBI Al Jaber Foundation. Part [email protected] Organised by: Frontline Club. Predictions: Art and Divination of the MBI Al Jaber Foundation W www.britishmuseum.org Phil Cox, the fi rst fi lmmaker to in Pre-Modern Iran (Lecture) Lecture Series. Admission free. cover the Darfur confl ict in 2004, Francesca Leoni (Ashmolean Pre-registration required. MBI 6:30 pm | Gholam (Film) Dir and his old friend and Darfuri Museum). Organised by: Iran Al Jaber Seminar Room, London Mitra Tabrizian (2017), UK/Iran, fi xer Daoud Hari decided to go Heritage Foundation. Iran’s Middle East Institute, SOAS, 94 min. A rare cinematic delve back into Darfur to investigate pursuit of divinatory sciences pre- MBI Al Jaber Building, 21 Russell into Britain’s Iranian diaspora

June – July 2017 The Middle East in London 29 Middle East Summer School y 192423 June-20JuneJune-24 – 26July July July 2017 2014 2013

AnAn intensive intensive five-week five-week programme programme which which includes includes a two choice courses: of two courses: a language one (Persian or Arabic, the latter at two levels) andan Arabicanother Language on the 'Government Course (introductory and Politics or ofintermediate) the Middle East'and or 'Cultureanother and on Society‘Government in the andMiddle Politics East'. of the Middle East.

Beginners Persian (Level 1) Government and Politics of the Middle East Th is is an introductory course which aims to give the students a reasonable grounding in the basics of Persian grammar and syntax Th is course provides an introduction to the politics of the Middle as well as to enable them to understand simple and frequently used East and North Africa (MENA) region. It gives on a country by expressions related to basic language use. Th ey will be able to hold country basis, an overview of the major political uncomplicated conversations on topics such as personal and family issues and developments in the region since the end of the First information, shopping, hobbies, employment as well as simple and World War and addresses key themes in the study of contemporary direct exchanges of information related to familiar topics. By the Middle East politics, including: the role of the military, social and end of the course they will also progress to read simple short texts. economic development, political Islam, and the recent uprisings (the ‘Arab Spring’). Beginners Arabic (Level 1) Culture and Society in the Middle East

Th is is an introductory course in Modern Standard Arabic. It Th is course examines the major cultural patterns and institutions teaches students the Arabic script and provides basic grounding in of the MENA region. It is taught through a study of some lively Arabic grammar and syntax. On completing the course, students topics such as religious and ethnic diversity, impact of the West, should be able to read, write, listen to and understand simple Arabic stereotyping, the role of tradition, education (traditional and sentences and passages. Th is course is for complete beginners and modern), family structure and value, gender politics, media, life in does not require any prior knowledge or study of Arabic. city, town and village, labour and labour migration, the Palestinian refugee problem and Arab exile communities, culinary cultures, music and media, etc. Beginners Arabic (Level 2)

Th is course is a continuation of Beginners Arabic Level 1. It completes the coverage of the grammar and syntax of Modern Standard Arabic and trains students in reading, comprehending and writing with the help of a dictionary more complex Arabic Timetable sentences and passages. Courses are taught Mon-Th u each week. Language courses are taught To qualify for entry into this course, students should have in the morning (10am-1pm) and the Politics and Culture Courses are already completed at least one introductory course in taught in two slots in the aft ernoon Arabic. (2:00-3:20 and 3:40-5:00pm).

FEES Session (5 weeks) Programme fee* Accommodation fee** 1924 June-20June–26 July July 2017 2013 (two (two courses) courses) £2,700 £2,500 from £300/week (one course) £1,400 * An Early early bird bird discounts discount of 10%10% applyapplies to to course course fees fees before before 1 March15 April 2013. 2014. * An early bird discount of 10% applies to course fees before 30 April 2017. A** discount Accommodation of 15% applies fees mustto SOAS be paid alumni by 1and March 20% 2013 to SOAS to secure students. accommodation. ** Rooms Please cancheck be ourbooked website at the from Intercollegiate mid-October Halls 2012 which for confiare located rmed prices. in the heart of Bloomsbury: www.halls.london.ac.uk. A limited number of partial tuition fee waivers of up to 50% off the fee are available to SOAS’s current students on a fi rst come, fi rst serve basis (please enquire).

For more information, please contact Louise Hosking on

30 [email protected]. Middle East in London JuneOr – checkJuly 2017 our website www.soas.ac.uk/lmei February-March 2014 The Middle East in London 35 with Shahab Hosseini in the 7:30 pm | Kamilya Jubran/Wasl Monday 26 June ox.ac.uk W http://cbrl.org.uk / lead as an enigmatic taxi driver, + Two or Th e Dragon + Nadah www.eventbrite.com working every hour that God El Shazly + Khyam Allami 6:00 pm | Light on the Jews of sends, but to what end? Part (Performance) Organised by: Ptolemaic Egypt (Lecture) AGM of the East End Film Festival. Marsm, Supersonic & Nawa Lecture. Preceded by the Society’s Saturday 10 June Tickets: Various ticket prices. Recordings. With Palestinian AGM at 5:00pm. James Aitken Hackney Picturehouse, 270 vocalist and oud player Kamilya (University of Cambridge). 9:00 am | Women Writers of Mare Street, London E8 1HE. W Jubran, Lebanese electro-acoustic/ Organised by: Anglo-Israel the Two Sudans (Conference) www.eastendfilmfestival.com/ noise Two or Th e Dragon, Archaeological Society (AIAS) Organised by: Middle East programme-archive/gholam-2/ Egyptian vocalist and composer and the Institute of Archaeology, Centre, Oxford and the African Nadah El Shazly and Iraqi-British UCL. Admission free. Lecture Studies Centre.Stella Gaitano, 7:30 pm | Comedy Night at TONE multi-instrumentalist musician/ Th eatre G6, Isntitute of Sara Hamza Aljack, Najat Idris Coff ee Shop (Performance) composer Khyam Allami. Tickets: Archaeology, UCL, 31-34 Gordon Ismail Adam and Najlaa Osman Comedy with Jenan Younis, See website below. Cafe OTO, Square, London WC1H OPY. T Mohammed. Admission free. a London based comedian of 18-22 Ashwin Street, London E8 020 8349 5754 E sheilarford1@ Nissan Lecture Th eatre, St Iraqi and Palestinian descent. 3DL. W http://marsm.co.uk sky.com W www.aias.org.uk Antony's College, 68 Woodstock Admission free. TONE, 5 Walm Road, Oxford OX2 6JF. T 01865 Lane, Wilsden Green NW2 5HT. 284780 E [email protected] E [email protected] Wednesday 21 June EVENTS OUTSIDE W www.sant.ox.ac.uk/research- LONDON centres/middle-east-centre Sunday 18 June 1:15 pm | Islam Expressed in Art (Gallery Talk) Hilary Lewis- 3:30 pm | Gholam (Film) Curzon Ruttley (independent speaker). Th ursday 8 June Th ursday 15 June Aldgate, Goodman's Fields, 2 Organised by: BM. Admission Canter Way, London E1 8PS. See free. Room 34, BM. T 020 7323 11:00 am | Heritage: Rebuilding 5:00 pm | Th e Iraq Invasion above event listing on Friday 16 8181 W www.britishmuseum.org the Future from the Past and Aft ermath: Lessons for June for more information. (Conference) Organised by: Arab World Reform (Lecture) Council for British Research in Organised by: Middle East Th ursday 22 June the Levant (CBRL) and Oxford Centre, Oxford. George Antonius Monday 19 June University’s Humanities Division, Memorial Lecture. A lecture by Sir 1:15 pm | Th e Ancient Egyptians Manar al-Athar, Endangered Jeremy Greenstock, former UK 6:00 pm | Unpacking Israel's and History (Gallery Talk) Carol Archaeology of the Middle East Special Envoy for Iraq (September Public Media Relations in the US Andrews (independent speaker). and North Africa (EAMENA), 2003-March 2004). Convenor: (Documentary/Panel Discussion) Organised by: BM. Admission and ERC project Th e Monumental Eugene Rogan (St Antony's Organised by: Centre for Media free. Room 4, BM. T 020 7323 Art of the Late Antique Christian College). Investcorp Auditorium, Studies and Centre for Palestine 8181 W www.britishmuseum.org and Early Islamic East. Admission Middle East Centre, St Antony's Studies, SOAS. Screening of the free. Pre-registration required. College, 68 Woodstock Road, powerful new documentary Th e Ioannou Centre for Classical and Oxford OX2 6JF. T 01865 284780 Occupation of the American Mind: Sunday 25 June Byzantine Studies, 66 St Giles’ E [email protected] W www. Israel’s Public Relations War in the Oxford OX1 3LU. T 01865 610 sant.ox.ac.uk/research-centres/ United States, narrated by Roger 9:30 am | Iran: Sports Symposium 236 E miranda.williams@classics. middle-east-centre Waters, which explores how Organised by: Iran Heritage the Israeli government, the US Foundation. Sports and athletic government, and the pro-Israel exercises were fundamental to Zahra Al Ghamdi, An Inanimate Village, 2015. Survival of the Artist (see July Events p. 32) lobby have joined forces, oft en the daily pursuits of the people with very diff erent motives, to of Ancient Iran. Th e tradition shape American media coverage has survived to the present day of the Israel-Palestine confl ict with Iranian sportsmen/women in Israel’s favour. Th e screening achieving signifi cant victories of the fi lm will be followed by in the Olympics. At this one- a panel discussion on media day symposium, historians and coverage of the confl ict featuring practitioners of Iranian sports independent journalist and come together to explore the fi lmmaker John Pilger, Dina history and the achievements of Matar (SOAS) and Sut Jhally Iranian sportsmen/women, past (University of Massachusetts at and present. Tickets: £50/£15 full- Amherst). Admission free. Brunei time students (including lunch). Gallery Lecture Th eatre, SOAS. T Royal College of Physicians, 11 020 7898 4330 E [email protected] St Andrews Place, Regent’s Park, W www.soas.ac.uk/lmei-cps/ / London N1 4LE. T 020 3651 2121 www.soas.ac.uk/media-studies/ E [email protected] W www. events/ iranheritage.org/2017

June – July 2017 The Middle East in London 31 Wednesday 5 July Saturday 8 July

7.45 pm | Taha (Performance) 7:00 pm | Dar Al Sulh-Domain Until 15 July. Saturday matinees of Conciliation Evening III at 2:45pm. A lyrical story of See above event listing for more the life of Palestinian poet Taha information. Muhammad Ali, written and performed by Amer Hlehel. Part of the Shubbak Festival. Tickets: Tuesday 11 July £20/£10 (Previews: 5 - 6 July). Th e Maria, Young Vic, 66 Th e Cut, Time TBC | Reconnect Waterloo, London SE1 8LZ. T 020 Population to Urban Heritage 7922 2922 E boxoffi ce@youngvic. in the Middle East & Central org W www.youngvic.org Asia (Th ree-day Conference: Tuesday 11 - Th ursday 13 July) Th ursday 6 July Organised by: Silk Cities and Th e Bartlett Development Planning 7:00 pm | Dar Al Sulh-Domain Unit, UCL with the support of of Conciliation Evening I Oxford Brookes University and I AM Exhibition Jordan. (see Exhibitions p. 34) Organised by: Th e Mosaic Rooms. Urban Design Group. Second Silk Supper club by the artist Michael Cities International Conference. Rakowitz, in collaboration with Urban historic characteristics JULY EVENTS of talks and performance divided Regine Basha and Ella Habiba such as historical city centres still into three sessions, looking at Shohat (New York University). exist in many cities in particularly the themes of censorship, artists Join them in Th e Mosaic Rooms those along the historic trade Saturday 1 July at risk and heritage destruction, gardens for an al-fresco three- routes across the region beside which asks how art can survive course meal featuring the artist contemporary exercises of city Until 16 July | Shubbak and respond in times of civil Michael Rakowitz’s Iraqi-Jewish formation. Taking a forward- Festival 2017 - A Window on and political confl ict. Part of the grandmother’s recipes. Tickets: looking approach, the conference Contemporary Arab Culture Shubbak Festival. Tickets: £15. £35. Th e Mosaic Rooms, A.M. takes both cross disciplinary and Founded in 2011 Subbak is Pre-registration required. BP Qattan Foundation, Tower House, cross sectoral perspectives to London's largest biennial festival Lecture Th eatre, BM. T 020 7370 226 Cromwell Road, London examine contemporary historic of contemporary Arab culture. 9990 E [email protected] W SW5 0SW. T 020 7370 9990 E cities in the region. Tickets: £50- Various venues across London. http://mosaicrooms.org/ [email protected] W http:// £180. Pre-registration required. W www.shubbak.co.uk/shubbak- mosaicrooms.org/ UCL, Gower Street, London festival-2017/ WC1E 6BT. T 0770 1066 917 Tuesday 4 July 8:00 pm | Mithkal Alzghair — E [email protected] W www. 7:30 pm | Cairokee / Tania Displacement (Performance) silkcities.org / www.ucl.ac.uk/ Saleh (Concert) Egyptian band 7:00 pm | Screening: City of By deconstructing Syrian bartlett/development/ Cairokee and Lebanon’s Tania Ghosts + Q&A (Documentary) traditional dances Syrian dancer Saleh perform back-to-back Organised by: Frontline Club. and choreographer Mithkal sets. Tania Saleh brings marries City of Ghosts exposes a new type Alzghair brings to the surface Wednesday 12 July traditional styles tarab, mawwal of warfare: a battle over ideas, the paradox of a deeply rooted and dabke with folk, alternative a fi ght for hearts and minds, a culture and its current experience Time TBC | Reconnect rock, bossa nova and jazz. confl ict over clicks and views. It of displacement. Part of the Population to Urban Heritage Cairokee sing for Cairo, mixing follows the journey of “Raqqa is Shubbak Festival. Tickets: £17. in the Middle East & Central rock, rap and traditional Egyptian Being Slaughtered Silently” — a Lilian Baylis Studio, Sadler's Asia (Th ree-day Conference: sounds. Part of the Shubbak handful of anonymous activists Wells, Rosebery Avenue, London Tuesday 11 - Th ursday 13 July) Festival. Tickets: £17.50–£30 who banded together aft er their EC1R 4TN. T 020 7863 8000 W See above event listing for more plus booking fee. Hall, Barbican homeland was taken over by ISIS www.sadlerswells.com information. Centre, Silk Street, London in 2014. Th is is the story of a EC2Y 8DS. T 020 7638 8891 E brave group of citizen journalists Friday 7 July Th ursday 13 July [email protected] W www. as they face the realities of life barbican.org.uk undercover, on the run, and in 7:00 pm | Dar Al Sulh-Domain Time TBC | Reconnect exile. Screening followed by Q&A of Conciliation Evening II See Population to Urban Heritage Sunday 2 July with director Matthew Heineman above event listing for more in the Middle East & Central moderated by journalist Paul information. Asia (Th ree-day Conference: 10:00 am | Survival of the Artist Conroy. Tickets: £10/£8 conc. Tuesday 11 - Th ursday 13 July) (Conference) Organised by: Th e Frontline Club, 13 Norfolk Place, 8:00 pm | Mithkal Alzghair — See above event listing for more Mosaic Rooms. Supported by London W2 1QJ. T 020 7479 8940 Displacement (Performance) information. Atassi Foundation and Al Mawred E [email protected] W See above event listing for more Al Th aqafy. One-day conference www.frontlineclub.com information. 6:30 pm | Egyptian Museums:

32 The Middle East in London June – July 2017 Past, Present and Future Th ursday 20 July gateway to important trade routes (1974–1981), Vol. II of Mahfouz's (Lecture) Organised by: BM. leading to the oases of Dakhla non-fi ction essays. Introduction As the Egyptian Museum in 10:00 am | Asyut Th rough Time: and Kharga, and on to Darfur by Rasheed El-Nany (Doha Cairo reaches its 115th birthday Confl ict and Culture in Middle in present-day Sudan. Tickets: Institute). Followed by Q&A with former director Mohamed Saleh Egypt (Two-Day Colloquium: £25/£20 BM members/£10 conc. the guest speaker. Admission free. will present the history of the Th ursday 20 - Friday 21 July) Pre-registration required. BP Khalili Lecture Th eatre, SOAS. collection and displays, and Organised by: BM. Annual Lecture Th eatre, BM. T 020 7323 T 020 7838 9055 E gingko@ an insight into the day-to-day Egyptological colloquium. 8181 W www.britishmuseum.org gingkolibrary.com W www. work of the museum and its Renewed fi eldwork focuses on gingkolibrary.com staff . Together with Fathi Saleh, Asyut’s necropolis as well as the Friday 21 July founder of CULTNAT, he will city (ancient and modern) and showcase the ways in which new the relationship with its suburbs 10:00 am | Asyut Th rough Time: EXHIBITIONS technologies are being used to and smaller settlements in the Confl ict and Culture in Middle enhance the museum experience. vicinity. Th e colloquium will Egypt (Two-Day Colloquium: Admission free. Pre-registration look at the deep history of this Th ursday 20 - Friday 21 July) Until 17 June | Still UK based required. BP Lecture Th eatre, region – from 2500 BC up to the See above event listing for more artist Judy Price presents a BM. T 020 7323 8181 W www. present day, including the varied information. unique and complex body of britishmuseum.org responses of local communities work focused on Palestine. Two who live atop the layers of history Th ursday 27 July multi-screen installations and below. Tickets: £50/£35 conc. Pre- a photographic piece refl ect in Monday 17 July registration required. BP Lecture 6:30 pm | Naguib Mahfouz: very diff erent ways on Palestine’s Th eatre, BM. T 020 7323 8181 W Between Fiction and History colonial past and the current 7:30 pm | Happiness Principle www.britishmuseum.org (Lecture) Samia Mehrez (AUC). lived experience of occupation. Comedy Night (Performance) Organised by: Gingko with the Admission free. Th e Mosaic Comedy with Jenan Younis, 6:00 pm | Asyut: Capital that support of the British Council Rooms, A.M. Qattan Foundation, a London based comedian of Never Was (Lecture) Jochem and in association with Th e Arab Tower House, 226 Cromwell Iraqi and Palestinian descent. Kahl (Free University Berlin). British Centre and the London Road, London SW5 0SW. T 020 Admission free. Simmons Organised by: BM. Th e Raymond Middle East Institute, SOAS 7370 9990 E info@mosaicrooms. Euston Square Pub (formerly and Beverly Sackler Foundation (LMEI). Exploring the legacy of org W http://mosaicrooms.org/ the Jeremy Bentham), University Distinguished Lecture in Nobel Literature Laureate Naguib Street, London WC1E 6JL. E Egyptology. Located 375km south Mahfouz on the occasion of the Until 18 June | Photographic [email protected] of Cairo, the city of Asyut was a launch of Essays of the Sadat Era Exhibition: Th e Spring Th at Naguib Mahfouz Between Fiction and History Exploring the legacy of Nobel Literature Laureate Naguib Mahfouz on the occasion of the launch of Essays of the Sadat Era (1974–1981), Vol. II of Mahfouz's non-fiction essays Thursday 27th July 2017, 6.30pm, Khalili Lecture Theatre, SOAS Free admission In association with The Arab British Centre and the Organised by With support from London Middle East Institute, SOAS University of London Guest speaker: Professor Samia Mehrez (AUC) Introduction by Rasheed El-Nany (Doha Institute) www.gingkolibrary.com

June – July 2017 The Middle East in London 33 Never Came Images from the history, fact and national identity. SE1 6HZ. T 020 7416 5000 W amidst rapid cultural change in Syrian Revolution by Maciej Admission free. Bluecoat, School www.iwm.org.uk their country. Part of the Shubbak Moskwa. A few months before Lane, Liverpool L1 3BX. T 0151 Festival. Admission free. Th e the violence became prohibitively 702 5324 E [email protected]. Tuesday 13 June Mosaic Rooms, A.M. Qattan dangerous inside the rebel- uk W www.thebluecoat.org.uk Foundation, Tower House, 226 held provinces of Idlib and Until 8 October | Fahrelnissa Cromwell Road, London SW5 Hama the Polish documentary Until 3 September | Syria: A Zeid Th e UK’s fi rst retrospective 0SW. T 020 7370 9990 E info@ photographer Maciej Moskwa Confl ict Explored Gain an of Fahrelnissa Zeid, one of the mosaicrooms.org W http:// made two trips to the areas understanding of the origins, fi rst women to receive formal mosaicrooms.org/ occupied by the Free Syrian escalations and human impact training as an artist in Istanbul, Army. Some of the photographs of the ongoing Syria confl ict bringing together paintings, Monday 3 July exhibited here were taken during in a season of exhibitions drawings and sculptures spanning those visits; others come from and events including Sergey over 40 years – from expressionist Until 20 August | I AM Th e I AM the very beginning of the Syrian Ponomarev: A Lens on Syria, works made in Istanbul in the exhibition under the patronage revolution in 2011. Admission the fi rst UK exhibition by award- early 1940s, to immersive abstract of Her Majesty Queen Rania Al free. Investcorp Lower Gallery, winning Russian documentary canvases exhibited in London, Abdullah premiered in Amman, Middle East Centre, St Antony's photographer Sergey Ponomarev, Paris and New York in the 1950s Jordan at the National Gallery College, 68 Woodstock Road, featuring more than 60 and 1960s, fi nishing with her of Fine Arts on May 3, and now Oxford OX2 6JF. T 01865 284780 unforgettable colour photographs return to portraiture later in continues its global tour, opening E [email protected] W www. from two recent bodies of work life. Tickets: £10-£12.50. Tate in London. Involving 31 of the sant.ox.ac.uk/research-centres/ and Syria: Story of a Confl ict Modern, Bankside, London, SE1 Middle East's contemporary middle-east-centre which explores the causes and 9TG. T 020 7887 8888 W www. women artists the exhibition aims eff ects of the confl ict through a tate.org.uk to challenge existing stereotypes Until 24 June 2017 | Larissa collection of objects, personal and misconceptions about Middle Sansour: In the Future, Th ey stories and an installation fi lm Saturday 1 July Eastern women. Admission free. Ate from the Finest Porcelain experience, all considering St Martin-in-the-Fields, Trafalgar Solo exhibition of new work by how a country, once known for Until 2 September | Shift Th e UK’s Square, London WC2N 4JJ. T Palestinian artist Larissa Sansour its relative stability, has been fi rst all women show of artists 020 7766 1100 E [email protected] drawing on themes of science shattered by confl ict. IWM will from Saudi Arabia featuring / [email protected] W www. fi ction, archaeology and politics also host a series of associated Dana Awartani, Reem al-Nasser stmartin-in-the-fi elds.org / www. which includes her award winning debates and tours which question and Zahra Al-Ghamdi, the artists oncaravan.org/i-am-exhibition fi lm combining live motion and our understanding of the Syria present work which contemplates computer generated imagery confl ict. Admission free. IWM the place for memory and heritage Th ursday 13 July that explores the role of myth in London, Lambeth Road, London as they negotiate their position Until 23 September | "Buildings Th at Fill My Eye" Architectural Insatallation View, Sergey Ponomarev: A Lense on Syria Photo © IWM London. Syria: A Confl ict Explored (see Exhibitions p. 34) Heritage of Yemen Yemen possesses one of the world’s fi nest treasure-troves of architecture. Th ree of its ancient cities – Shibam, Ṣanaa and Zabid – are UNESCO World Heritage sites, and a number of other towns and building complexes around the country await inclusion. Th e exhibition and its planned public talks and educational events will explore the astonishing variety of building styles and traditions that have evolved over millennia in a region of diverse terrains, extreme climates and distinctive local histories. Admission free. Brunei Gallery, SOAS. T 020 7898 4023/4026 E [email protected] W www.soas.ac.uk/gallery/

34 The Middle East in London June – July 2017 CENTRE FOR IRANIAN STUDIES – SCHOLARSHIPS

SOAS, University of London, is pleased to announce the availability of several scholarships in its Centre for Iranian Studies (CIS). The Centre, established in 2010, draws upon the range of academic research and teaching across the disciplines of SOAS, including Languages and Literature, the Study of Religions, History, Economics, Politics, International Relations, Music, Art and Media and Film Studies. It aims to

build close relations with likeminded p 25 . of the School Oriental and African Studies, London, 2007, Treasures institutions and to showcase and foster the best of contemporary Iranian talent in art and culture. MA in Iranian Studies *O

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2016/17. Thanks to the generosity of the Fereydoun Djam Charitable Trust, a number of Kamran Djam scholarships are available for BA, MA and MPhil/PhD studies. MA in Iranian Studies For further details, please contact: Dr Nima Mina (Department of the Languages and Culture of the Middle East) Scholarships Offi cer E: [email protected] E: [email protected] T: +44 (0)20 7898 4315 T: +44 (0)20 7074 5091/ 5094 W: www.soas.ac.uk/nme/programmes/ W: www.soas.ac.uk/scholarships ma-in-iranian-studies Centre for Iranian Studies Student Recruitment Dr Arshin Adib-Moghaddam (Chair) T: +44(0)20 7898 4034 E: [email protected] E: [email protected] T: +44 (0)20 7898 4747 W: www.soas.ac.uk/lmei-cis

June – July 2017 The Middle East in London 35 Photograph © Iselin-Shaw

NEW MA PALESTINE STUDIES Ŕ
Develop an understanding of the complexities of modern and contemporary Palestine

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Explore history, political structure, development, culture and society

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Obtain a multi-disciplinary overview

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Enrol on a flexible, inter-disciplinary study programme For further details, please contact: Dr Adam Hanieh E: [email protected] www.soas.ac.uk 36 The Middle East in London June – July 2017