On March 13, the Department of International Relations organized a talk titled “Women in International Relations” for International Women’s Day. Under the moderation of Dr. Tuğba Bayar, guests Ambassador Zeynep Sibel Algan, Ambassador Ceren Yazgan and Prof. Özlem Tür, from METU discussed the challenges and advantages of being a woman in the international relations field. They also provided suggestions for women who wish to pursue a career in either diplomacy or academia. The talk provided an opportunity for students to engage with prominent women diplomats and scholars in the field and listen to their first-hand experiences as women professionals.
On the occasion of International Women’s Day, Department of International Relations is organizing a talk titled “Women in International Relations”.
Date and Time: March 13, Wednesday, 2024, 3:30 pm
Venue: C Auditorium, FEASS.
Speakers:
Ambassador Zeynep Sibel Algan (Retired)
Ambassador Jill Morris (UK Ambassador to Ankara)
Professor Özlem Tür (METU)
Ambassador Ceren Yazgan (Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Turkey)
Moderator:
Professor Tuğba Bayar (Bilkent)
GE 250/51.
Short biographies:
Ambassador Zeynep Sibel Algan,
Zeynep Sibel Algan, Ambassador (E), born in 1955 in Istanbul. Graduated from Galatasaray Lisesi in Istanbul in 1974 and the University of Political Sciences in Ankara in 1978. Joined the Turkish Foreign Ministry in february 1979. Served in Turkish General Consulates and Embassies in Geneva, Bucharest, Paris and Vienna, as General Consul in Strasbourg and Ambassador in Dakar and between these posts, in various departments in the Ministry. She was lastly the Representative of the Turkish Ministry of Foreign Affairs in İzmir when she retired in july 2018. She is a member of Ankara Policy Center since January 2019.
Ambassador Jill Morris
Jill Morris took up her appointment as His Majesty’s Ambassador to the Republic of Türkiye in January 2023.Before commencing her role in Ankara, Jill was Her late Majesty’s Ambassador to Italy and Her late Majesty’s Non-Resident Ambassador to San Marino. Previously, Jill served as Europe Director in the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) and as Head of the Counter-Proliferation Department and Head of the Consular Strategy Department in the FCO. Jill has had previous diplomatic postings in Brussels and Nicosia. Jill was appointed a Companion of the Order of St Michael and St George in 2015 for her contribution to British foreign policy.
Professor Özlem Tür
Dr. Özlem Tür is Professor of International Relations at Middle East Technical University, Ankara.. Her expertise includes Syrian and Lebanese politics, Türkiye’s relations with the Middle East, and feminist IR theory. Her publications include Turkey-Syria Relations – Between Enmity and Amity (London: Ashgate, 2013, co-edited with Raymond Hinnebusch); “Turkey and Israel in the 2000s” (Israel Studies, 2012); “Political Economy of Turkey’s Relations with the Middle East” (Turkish Studies, 2011). -“Turkey’s Role in Middle East and Gulf Security”, (Asian Journal of Middle Eastern and Islamic Studies, 2019). Her most recent work is titled: “Enduring Crises and Possibilities for Cooperation in Turkish-Greek Relations: A Feminist Account”, Journal of Balkan and Near East Studies, 2024 (with Çiğdem Aydın Koyuncu).
Ambassador Ceren Yazgan
Yazgan graduated from Boğaziçi University, Department of Political Science and International Relations Department in 1993. The same year, she joined the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Abroad, she served as Attaché and Third Secretary at the Muscat Embassy, Third and Second Secretary at the Permanent Representation at OSCE, First Secretary and Counsellor at the Kiev Embassy, and Embassy Counsellor and First Counsellor of the Embassy at the Moscow Embassy, respectively. At HQ, she worked at Deputy Directorates for Cultural Affairs, for Central Europe, for America, for Security and Intelligence. She served as Ambassador of Tbilisi from December 15th, 2017, to July 1st, 2022. Currently, she serves as the Director General for Research and Security at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. She speaks English and Russian.
Professor Tuğba Bayar
Dr. Tuğba Bayar conducts her research on international regimes, international law, international human rights, and on Middle East particularly Iran’s foreign affairs. She received research grants from various national and international institutions such as TÜBİTAK and the European Commission. Her works are published in Turkish Studies and Southeast European and Black Sea Studies journals. Her current work focuses on EU’s normative power vis-a-vis democratically backsliding countries. Tuğba Bayar is leading a Jean Monnet Module Project on international and European protection of human rights.