Conference Theme

The International Security Conference, titled “Debating Security: Changes and Challenges for
Turkey” will take place on October 22-23, 2010 at Bahçeşehir University, Istanbul. The conference
highlights the need of producing contemporary policies for decision-makers in Turkey that will
take into consideration the changing global security order and the rising challenges at the
national, regional and international level and their implications for Turkey’s security politics in the
21st century.

A ‘nuclear Iran’, an unstable Iraq, rising fundamentalism within failed states, the Israeli- Palestine
conflict and the Afghanistan intransigency combined with the increasing role of Turkey as an
energy corridor between the Europe, trans-Caucasus, Central Asia and the Middle East regions are
contemporary challenges to be discussed at the conference. Turkey can be a mediator between
the East and West by inviting all sides into cooperation and by acting as a stabilizing key partner in
resolutions of international conflicts and peace-keeping operations. In a nutshell, this conference
will concentrate itself in the concept of security and challenges which needs re-examination of
foreign and domestic issues at the local, regional and international levels.

Thematic Structure

Panels

This conference is organized around two panels and four workshops. The first Panel, titled
‘Turkey in the Western Security Framework’ will analyze the prospects of Turkey’s cooperation, in
perspective of its NATO membership, with the EU and USA. The panel will focus on Turkey’s
relationship with the “West”, and the possibility of further enhancing the positive relationship
between Turkey, EU and NATO, which will create a synergy in the region that can help the
peaceful resolution of disputes.

The second Panel, titled “New Challenges and Old Neighbors” will concentrate on the prevalent
security challenges in the Middle East and the Caucasus. Turkey has historically played an
important role in the neighboring region and the panel is specifically planned to address main
security issues and challenges in Iraq with regard to the Kurdish issue; in Iran, with regard to the
implications of political Islam and ideology and their relation to regime security; Israeli-Palestinian
conflict and Turkey’s possible role as mediator. The panel will also focus on Caucasus, and the role
of Turkey for the south Caucasus with regard to energy, and Turkey’s geo-strategic location
between the energy producing and energy consuming countries, and the issues in Afghanistan
mostly related to terrorism.

Workshops

The conference will hold four different workshops, where scholars and academics will be able to
present their papers.

Workshop I. titled “Transatlantic Security Partnership and Turkey: Uncertainties and Challenges”
is planned to focus on: security and defense issues and the role of Turkey in the Transatlantic
Community, and USA security interests and Turkey’s potentials with regard to the security
concerns about Iraq, Iran and Afghanistan.

Workshop II titled “Turkey and Europe’s Internal Fabric” will focus on the questions as to where
Turkey stands in integrated Europe”, how Turkey’s membership is valued by the European elite
and public as regards the threats and opportunities of membership, how European identity
changes, and its social and religious dynamics, and European insights into democracy.

Workshop III titled “Turkey and Regional Politics: Hard or Soft Power” aims at addressing
strategic aspects of Turkey’s regional security policies and its role in the Balkans, Central Asia and
the Middle East.

Workshop IV titled “Turkey’s Internal Security Challenges” will focus on religion and its
compatibility with secularity and democracy, military and the civilian divide, ethnic challenges and
specifically the Kurdish question, and human rights.

We invite proposals for papers for workshops that address these and other issues related to the
problems of Turkey’s security challenges and changes in the 21st century. We especially welcome
proposals that bridge different theoretical and empirical divides within international security
studies to address common substantive problems.

There will be lengthy discussion time to allow participants to share their expertise views on the
subjects of interest. Young scholars, policy makers and academics will have the opportunity of
networking. Selected papers will be published in a special edition of an international journal.

Deadline for submission: 1 June 2010
Notification of acceptance: 15 June 2010
Deadline for paper submission: 1 October 2010

Partial funding will be available to Workshop participants.

Invited speakers for the panels:
1. Craig Kennedy, President, German Marshall Fund
2. Alexander Lambsdorff, MEP, European Parliament
3. Stephanie Babst, NATO’s Deputy Assistant Secretary General for Public Diplomacy
4. Suat Kınıklıoğlu, MEP, Deputy Chairman of External Affairs of the Turkish National Assembly
5. Tzipi Livni, Former Minister of Foreign Affairs of Israel
6. Joost Hiltermann
7. Sergei A. Markhov, Foreign Affairs Advisor to the President of Russian Federation
8. Hikmet Çetin, Former Senior Civilian Representative in Afghanistan, NATO

Organizing Institutions

Bahçeşehir University (www.bahcesehir.edu.tr ) hosts the Conference and organizes together
with the Friedrich Naumann Foundation for Liberty and ARI Movement.

The Friedrich Naumann Foundation for Liberty (FNF) is an independent, nonprofit,
nongovernmental organization committed to promoting freedom as the most important and
essential element of liberalism. Foundation’s main work and objectives regarding the promotion
of liberal principles and their vital elements: freedom and democracy, human rights, rule of law,
market economy and competition. Through FNF events the Foundation aims at increasing the
political engagement and participation of the citizen in politics and in society. (www.fnstfreiheit.
org )

ARI Movement is an independent social movement that aims at educating the future leaders of
Turkey, fostering participatory democracy and increasing Turkey’s influence in international
arenas. ARI Movement’s mission is to reflect the transformation in the economic, social and
cultural arena to the political one and help establish an information-based philosophy of politics
described as a “New Political Understanding”. (www.ari.org.tr )

For any additional information and paper submission please contact us at:

Asst. Prof. Dr. Ebru S. Canan-Sokullu
Faculty of Economics and Administrative Sciences
Dept. of Political Science & International Relations
Bahcesehir University
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Asst. Prof. Dr. Ozgur Unal-Eris
Faculty of Economics and Administrative Sciences
Department of European Union Relations
Bahcesehir University
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