Melek SARAL

Assoc. Prof. Dr. Melek SARAL serves as Associate Professor of Public Law at Ankara Social Sciences University's Faculty of Law, where she also holds the position of Institute Deputy Director (2022-2025). Previously, she held academic positions at Bundeswehr University Munich, University of Zurich, SOAS University of London, and İstanbul Sabahattin Zaim University.

Education:

• PhD in Political Science, Ludwig Maximilians University of Munich (2007-2012)
• Master's Degree, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München (2002-2007)
• Bachelor's Degree, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München (2002-2007)
• Additional studies at European University Institute and University of Bradford

Research Interests: Dr. Saral specializes in Public International Law with particular focus on Human Rights and Transitional Justice in the Middle East context. Her research examines post-uprising political transitions in Egypt and Tunisia, human rights discourses in Muslim-majority societies, and the interplay between international human rights norms and domestic legal systems. She has conducted extensive fieldwork on women's rights NGOs in post-revolutionary Egypt and transitional justice mechanisms in North Africa.

Her publication record reveals consistent scholarly output since 2011, with increasing focus on MENA region transitions after 2015. Recent works demonstrate methodological diversity combining legal analysis with political science frameworks, particularly examining how international human rights norms interact with local contexts in transitional societies. Her research shows particular expertise in constitutional transitions and human rights institutionalization in post-authoritarian settings.

Academic Leadership:

• Supervising 11 graduate students (7 Master's, 4 PhD) across Public Law and International Relations programs
• Teaching courses including Human Rights in World Politics, International Law, and Global Politics
• Principal investigator for four research projects including 'Interactive Role of Regional Human Rights Systems' (2024-2026) and 'Human Rights in the Post-Uprisings Middle East' (2017-2019)

Professional Development: Dr. Saral has participated in specialized training including the Human Rights in MENA Region workshop at SOAS (2018), ECPR Summer School in Methods (2008), and International Summer Academy on Human Security in Austria (2007).