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Özge Genç

Visiting Fellow

Bio

Özge Genç is a visiting fellow at the Middle East Council on Global Affairs.

Previously, she was the research director at the Center for Public Policy and Democracy Studies (PODEM) in Istanbul, Türkiye. Prior to that position, she was the director of the democratization program at the Turkish Economic and Social Studies Foundation (TESEV). She also served as a senior expert on democratic governance at the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and as a senior specialist at the Education Above All Foundation (EAA) in Qatar.

Genç’s research areas include political and institutional reform and peace and conflict resolution. Additionally, her work focuses on democratic governance, elections, religion-state-society relations, and justice and security reform, among other topics.

Genç has contributed to the establishment of several think tanks and social initiatives in Türkiye. She has also consulted for many institutions from various sectors, including private sector organizations, political parties, municipalities, and non-governmental organizations.

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Research Areas

  • Political and institutional reform
  • Peace and conflict resolution
  • Democratic governance
  • Turkish politics

Countries of Focus

  • Türkiye
  • United States/Europe
  • Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) states

Other Areas of Interest

  • Religion, state, and society relations
  • Gender equality and inclusivity strategies
  • Political communication

Education

  • M.S., International Politics, School of Oriental and African Studies (SOAS), University of London, 2014
  • B.S., International Relations, Middle East Technical University (METU), 2003

Articles

As Syria Heats Up, Türkiye Finds Itself in the Spotlight
The extent of Turkish involvement in recent dramatic developments in Syria remain a mystery, but there is little question that Ankara’s interests have been served.
Özge Genç
EU Aid for Syrian Refugees: Addressing Ongoing Needs in Türkiye and Lebanon
Continued European Union aid for Syrian refugees in Türkiye and Lebanon is crucial, but it must include conditions to protect refugees’ rights and ensure long-term impact.
Özge Genç, Maysa Baroud
The Development Road Project – Council Views
Iraq, Türkiye, Qatar, and the United Arab Emirates agreed to collaborate on the ambitious Development Road project. ME Council experts assess the drivers behind the agreement and feasibility of the initiative.    
Ranj Alaaldin, Dania Thafer, Galip Dalay, Özge Genç, June Park
Iran-Israel Tensions Emerge from the Shadows – Council Views
Middle East Council experts analyze the implications of the exchange of strikes between Iran and Israel for the ongoing war on Gaza.
Galip Dalay, Omar H. Rahman, Ranj Alaaldin, Özge Genç, Adel Abdel Ghafar, Shahram Akbarzadeh, Hamidreza Azizi
Interview: Erdogan’s Last Elections?
In this interview with Afkār, Özge Genç, an expert on elections and democratic governance, analyzes the results of Türkiye’s pivotal local elections held on March 31, 2024.
Özge Genç
Erdogan Treads Delicate Line Between Words and Deeds on Gaza
Can Turkish foreign policy find an effective balance between meeting the demands of the public and not alienating its overseas partnerships?
Özge Genç
Will Türkiye’s Elections Produce a Change in Leadership and Regional Posture?
Türkiye is rapidly approaching its most hotly contested and consequential election in two decades. What has made it so, and what are the implications for the Middle East if President Erdogan, a leader who has loomed large over regional politics, suddenly departs the scene.
Özge Genç
Rising Anti-Refugee Sentiment in Türkiye Unshaken by Earthquakes
For years, anti-refugee xenophobia has been on the rise in Türkiye, which hosts the largest contingent of Syrian refugees in the world. After catastrophe struck both countries in February, matters only got worse. What will happen to this vulnerable population as Türkiye heads to elections in May?
Özge Genç

Publications

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November 26, 2024
Middle East -
The Kurdish Issue Revisited: Türkiye’s Complex Road to Peace

Devlet Bahçeli, leader of the Nationalist Movement Party (MHP), a political party deeply rooted in Turkish nationalism, recently made a groundbreaking call to invite Abdullah Öcalan, the imprisoned leader of the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK), to address Türkiye’s parliament. This move marks a significant shift in the country’s approach to the 40-year conflict. On October 22, 2024, Bahçeli urged parliament to allow Öcalan to “unilaterally declare that terrorism is over and his organization dissolved.”

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