The Washington Office of the Turkish Industrialists’ and Businessmen’s Association hosted a group of scholars from Istanbul’s Bahcesehir University to speak at an event entitled “Conversation on Turkish Economy and Politics” on Wednesday, November 26.  The panel included Professors Yilmaz Esmer, Eser Karakas, Nilufer Narli, Deniz Tansi, and Burak Kuntay.  TUSIAD-US President, Abdullah Akyuz, moderated the event.

A variety of topics regarding developments within Turkey and the international framework were discussed, including the affects of the financial crisis upon Turkey’s economy and the current administration’s response to the crisis; current political and social developments concerning religion and public policy; political Islam; AKP; current scholarship comparing popular and elite views in Turkey and in other countries around the world; and also the possible actions of a new U.S. administration with regard to policies toward Turkey.