Kristen is a doctoral student in the Institute of Social and Cultural Anthropology (COMPAS-Linacre College), University of Oxford. She holds a BA in Social Anthropology and Development Studies from SOAS in London, and an MA in Sociology from Bogazici University in Istanbul. Her research explores state practices of marginalization and processes of identity formation among displaced internal and international migrant populations in Turkey, using theories of the state, space and place, and materiality.
Before embarking on her doctoral studies, Kristen was both academically and professionally involved in research within the migration and asylum field in Turkey, working with a number of migrant and refugee communities, as well as policy makers and state officials.
Kristen has variously acted as lead researcher, coordinator and assistant for a number of international and national research projects run by the Migration Research Center at Koc University (MiReKoC), the Center for Migration and Refugee Studies (CMRS) at the American University in Cairo, the Anthropology Department of Cambridge University and the Social Policy Forum at Bogazici University.
In addition, she worked as Project Specialist for the Mother Child Education Foundation (2010), as Advocacy Research and Program Assistant for the Refugee Advocacy Support Program, Helsinki Citizens’ Assembly (2008-2009), and as Cultural Orientation Trainer for the International Catholic Migration Commission (2006-2007), all based in Istanbul.
Recent publications
“The Changing Trajectory of Migration to Turkey” (with Ahmet Icduygu) and “New Cosmopolitanism in Istanbul” in Countries of Migrants, Cities of Migrants: Italy, Spain, Turkey, M. Balbo, A. Icduygu and J. P. Serrano (eds.), Bilgi University Publications, Istanbul.
Migration ‘Securitization’ and its Everyday Implications: an examination of Turkish asylum policy and practice, CARIM Summer School 2008 – Best Participant Essays Series 2009/01, Robert Schuman Centre for Advanced Studies, San Domenico di Fiesole (FI): European University Institute, 2009.
Living Together Program, Migrant Cities Research: Istanbul, Ahmet Icduygu and Kristen Biehl, British Council, November 2008.
Governing through Uncertainty: ‘Refugeeness’ in Turkey, MA Thesis, Bogazici University, 2008.
Review of Embracing the Infidel: Stories of Muslim Migrants on the Journey West, by Behzad Yaghmaian. New Perspectives on Turkey, Fall 2007.