Hacer Atabaş
Hacer Atabaş holds a double major in Political Economy & Social Philosophy and International Relations from Istanbul Bilgi University, a master’s degree in Modern Turkish History from the Atatürk Institute at Boğaziçi University, and a doctorate in International Relations from Bilkent University (2025). Her doctoral dissertation empirically examined the outcomes of Türkiye’s government-funded scholarship programs through a Theory of Change framework, drawing on in-depth field interviews with alums from Kyrgyzstan, North Macedonia, and Egypt. The study assessed the extent to which policymakers’ developmental goals were realized through beneficiaries’ lived experiences, offering evidence-based recommendations for scholarship diplomacy. At Africa Foundation, she develops and coordinates research programs on African political economy and Türkiye–Africa relations, with a particular focus on the Horn of Africa. Her work encompasses fieldwork planning, policy-relevant knowledge production, and editorial responsibilities, including her role as co-editor of the Turkish Journal of International Development.
Dissertation Title: Scholarships as Development Assistance: An Empirical Analysis of the Outcomes of the Turkish Government Funded Scholarship Programs
Supervisor: Selver B. Şahin
Graduation Year: 2025
Affiliation:
Foreign Policy Advisor · Turkish Grand National Assembly (TBMM)
Researcher · Africa Foundation (Afrika Vakfı)
Co-Editor · Turkish Journal of International Development (TUJID)
Research Interests: International Development, Development Assistance, Turkish Development Cooperation, International Higher Education, African Political Economy
Contact: LinkedIn ResearchGate
Volkan İmamoğlu
Volkan İmamoğlu obtained his PhD degree in International Relations from Bilkent University in December 2025. His dissertation comparatively studied the economic nationalist ideologies of the Alternative für Deutschland (AfD) and the Rassemblement National (RN). He holds a B.S. in Political Science and Public Administration from Middle East Technical University (2017) and an M.A. in International Relations from Bilkent University (2019). He was a visiting researcher at the Institute for European Integration of the Europa-Kolleg Hamburg between May and November 2024. He works full-time as a Climate Policy and Research Officer at the Australian Embassy in Ankara (since March 2025). Previously, he worked for 7 years as a Teaching/Research Assistant in the Department of International Relations at Bilkent University. He continues his academic studies as an independent researcher.
Dissertation Title: Varieties of Economic Nationalism in Europe: The Cases of Alternative für Deutschland and Rassemblement National
Supervisor: Seçkin Köstem
Graduation Year: 2025
Affiliation: Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT)
Research interests: European politics, economic nationalism, European Union, far-right, rising Euroscepticism, European Identity
Contact: ORCID