About
Defne Over is an Assistant Professor of Sociology at Texas A&M University. Her work focuses on political institutions, human rights, and the intersections of religious/ethnic identities with state control. She holds a PhD from Cornell University (2017), MA from Humboldt University (2009), and BA from Boğaziçi University (2006).
- PhD: Sociology, Cornell University, 2017
- MA: Sociology, Humboldt University, 2009
- BA: Sociology, Boğaziçi University, 2006
Her research explores democratic backsliding, state-society interactions, and mass mobilization in authoritarian contexts. Recent work examines Turkey’s transition to personalist rule and the role of shame in protest participation. She analyzes media narratives and legal frameworks to understand how state control shapes societal responses.
Key publications include analyses of the Gezi Protests (2013) and media censorship in Turkey. Her work bridges historical-cultural analysis with contemporary sociopolitical dynamics.
- Awards: Teaching Excellence (Texas A&M, Cornell), Research Recognition (Sakıp Sabancı)
Teaching focuses on political sociology and social movements. No grants or formal advisees listed, but her research collaborations include co-authored works with scholars like Işın Tuncer-Ebetürk.
