Public Program

On February 6, 2023, a 7.8 magnitude earthquake struck northern Syria and southern Turkey, killing over 49,000 and displacing millions. The government’s response exposed pitfalls in Turkey’s political system and the state of the country in the lead-up to the May 2023 election. As Turkey is gearing up to celebrate the centennial of the modern Republic, Museum Director Clifford Chanin is joined by Soli Özel, professor of International Relations at Kadir Has University, for a discussion about the rapidly unfolding events in Turkey. Özel reflects on how the events of 9/11 and the Arab Spring affected Turkey’s standing in the Middle East and relations with the West and what the future might hold for Turkey’s evolving political and national identity.