This lecture is organised by the Turkish Migration Studies Group

Speaker: Prof. Dr Kemal Kirisci, Bogazici University, Istanbul
Over recent years, Turkey has liberalised its visa regime and now permits easy entry of the citizens of many Mediterranean, Middle Eastern and CIS countries. Also the new (draft) asylum and immigration law some claim, would be amongst the most humane and liberal in Europe. Finally, the invitation to academics and NGOs to becoming stakeholders in this process implies a significant change of Turkish policy making processes. This raises questions like: what are the main determinants of this reform process, EU accession conditions or Turkey’s own economic and political interests? Does this change Turkey’s role in the region? How will the public respond? Does the integration of NGOs as stakeholders herald a change in the political culture, is Turkey moving from a country that has often been criticised for its human rights record to becoming a moral leader?

Programme