Events

Panelist's Bio:

Dr. Murat Yeşiltaş completed his Ph.D entitled ‘Locating Turkey: Geopolitical Mentality and The Military in Turkey’ in the Department of Political Science and International Relations at Marmara University in 2012. He worked as a visiting researcher at Lancaster University, UK, between 2008-2009 and a visiting scholar at the Virginia Tech State University, Graduate School of Government and International Affairs, US, between 2010 and 2011. He works currently as an Associate Professor at the Middle East Institute of Sakarya University. Before joining SETA, he was working as an advisor at the Center for Strategic Research in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Turkey (2012-2014). He is currently serving as the Director of Security Studies at SETA. His research broadly focuses on Critical Geopolitics, Kurdish Affairs, Border Security, Violence, Ethno-Religious Radicalism and Turkish Foreign Policy. 

Florian Qehaja is the Executive Director of KCSS and one of the co-founders of KCSS. He served previously in the position of Head of Operations (2008-2011). In addition to that, he has been an assistant lecturer at various universities in Kosovo. Florian is author of several scientific publications in the security field; as well as author/co-author of local, international publications regarding the field of security, rule of law and regional cooperation. Further, He is an international consultant on Security Sector Reform, Rule of Law and Good Governance cooperating with leading international governmental and non-governmental organisations. He is frequently invited in prestigious research events in the capacity of KCSS or senior researcher in the related field. During the period of time 2005-2007, he has worked at the International Relations Office of the University of Prishtina in the position of Coordinator of the International Summer University of Prishtina.

Skënder Perteshi is attending the Master’s Programme in Management at ISES Universum; whereas, his Bachelor’s Degree he received in International Relations and Diplomacy at the above-mentioned college. He has been working at KCCS since 2009 and was author/ co-author of several publications related to the security field. Skender's Research Interests include integrity in the Security Sector, Defence Reform (KSF), Violent Extremism and Radicalization.

Dr. Tuncay Kardaş is Associate Professor of international relations at the Middle East Institute of Sakarya University. He received his BA and MA degrees from Bilkent University in Ankara; MsEcon (Security Studies) and PhD from the Department of International Politics at Aberystwyth University in Wales in 2006 (PhD Thesis: Security Governmentality under Prof. Ken Booth’s supervision). He is currently serving as the Deputy Director of the Middle East Institute of Sakarya University. He is teaching courses on global politics of security, critical terrorism studies, IR Theory. His research focuses boradly on Sociology of Security, Foreign Fighters, the ISIS, Critical Security Studies, security governmentality, visual semiotics and Turkish Foreign Policy. 

Ömer Behram Özdemir graduated from IR department at ÇOMÜ in 2009. Got his master’s degree at IR from Sakarya University in 2012 with his thesis “Secessionist Nationalist Movements In Europe: The Cases of IRA and ETA” (TR). Now studying on Middle East at Sakarya University as a phd candidate.

Partner Institutions:

SETA Foundation for Political, Economic and Social Research is a non-profit research institute dedicated to innovative studies on national, regional, and international issues. The objective of SETA is to produce up-to-date and accurate knowledge and analyses in the fields of politics, economy and society and inform policy makers and the public on changing political, economic, social and cultural conditions. SETA evaluates national and international issues in an historical and cultural context.

Kosovar Centre for Security Studies is a non-governmental and non-profit organization established on 17 April 2008. KCSS is established with the main aim to develop research studies in the security sector. Also, KCSS through its activities aims to organize professional conferences and seminars in the field of security policy, rule of law, justice, and provides training for certain groups in monitoring the security sector and justice. Given the lack of specialized institutes dealing with the field of security studies in our country, KCSS serves as an alternative option in relation to public policy in this area. The main activities KCSS conducted until now have strengthened the principles of democratic oversight of security institutions in the Republic of Kosovo.