Serhun AL

Serhun AL is an Associate Professor in the Department of Political Science and International Relations at the Faculty of Business, İzmir University of Economics. With a PhD in Political Science from the University of Utah (2015), his academic expertise spans comparative politics, nationalism, identity politics, security studies, and Kurdish studies with a regional focus on Turkey and the Middle East.

His educational background includes:

• PhD in Political Science, University of Utah (2015)
• M.S./M.A. in Political Science, Marshall University (2009)
• Undergraduate in Economics and International Relations, İzmir University of Economics (2006)

Dr. AL's research focuses on the complex interplay between ethnicity, religion, and state power in the Kurdish-Turkish public sphere. His scholarship examines how ontological security frameworks shape political behavior, analyzing state-minority relations through historical and contemporary lenses. He has significantly advanced understanding of Turkish nationalism's evolution, Kurdish political dynamics across the Middle East, and the transformation of Turkish foreign policy from defensive pragmatism to ideological interventionism. His work reveals how historical legacies, particularly from the Ottoman era, continue to influence contemporary political dynamics in Turkey and the broader region.

Dr. AL's publication record demonstrates a clear scholarly trajectory from analyzing domestic Turkish politics to broader regional implications. His recent work increasingly applies ontological security theory to examine Turkey's neo-imperial bid in world politics and Israel's support for Kurdish independence movements. He has established himself as a leading voice in Kurdish studies, examining transnational dimensions of Kurdish identity across Iraq, Syria, Turkey, and Iran. His research shows particular strength in connecting theoretical frameworks with empirical analysis of complex political phenomena in the Middle East.

Dr. AL teaches a comprehensive range of courses including Introduction to Political Science, Middle Eastern Politics, Nationalism and Identity Politics, and Comparative Politics at both undergraduate and graduate levels. His teaching portfolio spans foundational political science concepts to specialized regional knowledge, with consistent supervision of master's theses through GS 599 courses. His pedagogical approach integrates theoretical frameworks with contemporary case studies, particularly focusing on Turkish politics, Kurdish issues, and Middle Eastern security dynamics.