*Dr Turhan Ozen (Engineer, political activist)
** Reza Shaban (Expert in Islamic history)
The recent elections in Turkey have confirmed the enduring political life of Recep Tayyip Erdoğan. He has re-shaped the country that had been viewed by many as the “model” for severing links with the past and re-moulding its future on liberal values. In the past two decades there have been ideological and political re-indoctrination of Turkey, the cradle of the longest Islamic empire. The European Union has detested the country and rebuffed its advances to become a member. Yet it remained part of NATO while extending its hands to Russia and Iran. With a strong economy and diverse but committed Muslim population, what could be Turkey’s future regional alliances? How much of the post-Ottoman culture has remained?
And where did the West err in its confrontational approach to this expanding regional superpower?
6.30 pm Tuesday 13th June 2023
Venue: Abrar House, 45 Crawford Place, W1H 4LP
The meeting will be held in person, followed by dinner
You can also participate on Zoom using this link
Meeting ID: 856 8088 8416 Password: 000000
Or on Youtube on this link:
Admission is Free. Please register for catering purposes – email: d05sa@yahoo.co.uk
or text 07795 660 438
* Dr Turhan Ozen was born in Turkey. After obtaining BSc in Engineering from Middle East Technical University, he studied at Imperial College for an MSc and University of Leicester for his PhD. Before moving into private sector, he worked at Nottingham University as a research fellow. Dr Ozen currently works as a software engineer at a finance company. Dr Ozen is also active in politics. He was a Liberal Democrat European Parliamentary Candidate for London in 2014 and a Parliamentary Candidate for Tottenham in 2015.
** Reza Shaban was born in London from Iraqi parents. Reza developed a passion for historical studies and took advantage of the wealth of knowledge around him. In 2021 he graduated with a degree in History from Queen Mary University of London. His interests and expertise are eclectic, from giving talks on the history of arts at the Tate Britain to publishing essays on the Haitian Revolution. His specialities are the colonial history of the Middle East and the history of political thought.
