Analysis

In-Depth Analysis

Smart, independent reporting on Turkey's politics, economy and foreign affairs.

QUESTIONS SHE LEFT BEHIND
The Third Desk Oct 8, 2026

QUESTIONS SHE LEFT BEHIND

Hegel’s owl of Minerva takes flight only at dusk. İoanna Kuçuradi, who died on Oct. 2 aged 89, spent much of her life trying to make philosophy arrive earlier.

Can Öztaş 4 min
VİBRATÖR /VIBRATOR
Word of the Week Aug 6, 2026

VİBRATÖR /VIBRATOR

The word of the week is vibratör (vibrator), because Turkey has reached that stage of public life where even a small vibrating object of adult pleasure may require a prosecutor’s attention. Here, a vibrator is not merely a device; it is a small object with the bad manners to expose the size of the state.

Nazlan Ertan 4 min
AFTER PERSEPOLIS, WHO WILL DRAW US?
The Third Desk Jun 18, 2026

AFTER PERSEPOLIS, WHO WILL DRAW US?

Marjane Satrapi's family said she died of sadness brought on by a profound sense of loss. It is difficult to think of Satrapi without the vocabulary of loss. What she drew, again and again, was loss, the loss of childhood, country, language and return. In the end, according to those closest to her, another loss, the love of her life, silenced her.

Editorial Team 4 min
İLBER ORTAYLI: WHEN A SOCIETY LOSES A HISTORIAN
Guest Voices May 29, 2026

İLBER ORTAYLI: WHEN A SOCIETY LOSES A HISTORIAN

All deaths are tragic. They touch a family, a circle of friends, a silence suddenly too large for the room. But some deaths pass beyond the private wound and enter the deeper chambers of public life. They reveal the loss not only of a person, but of a habit of mind, a manner of thinking, a discipline of attention, a way of teaching a society to recognise itself. The death of Professor İlber Ortaylı feels like that kind of loss.

Editorial Team
TURKISH LAWMAKERS POISED FOR HISTORIC TRIP TO MEET ÖCALAN AS COMMISSION SCRAMBLES FOR LAST-MINUTE CONSENSUS
Deep Dive May 29, 2026

TURKISH LAWMAKERS POISED FOR HISTORIC TRIP TO MEET ÖCALAN AS COMMISSION SCRAMBLES FOR LAST-MINUTE CONSENSUS

The parliamentary commission tasked with advancing the new peace process between the PKK and Turkey is heading toward a landmark meeting on Nov. 21, when it is expected to decide whether to visit Abdullah Öcalan on İmralı Island, where he has been serving a life sentence since 1999. Although the outcome in the 51-member body initially appeared certain — with the AKP, MHP, DEM, TİP and EMEP signaling support for the visit — shifting political dynamics have pushed discussions toward avoiding a formal vote altogether, according to last-minute reports ahead of the meeting. The move is seen as a way to ease pressure on parties — particularly the AKP and CHP, both facing internal sensitivities — even though initial reports had suggested the commission would hold a vote on whether to visit Öcalan.

Editorial Team
ALTAN ÖYMEN: FAREWELL TO THE MAN WITH TWO UMBRELLAS
Portrait of the Week May 29, 2026

ALTAN ÖYMEN: FAREWELL TO THE MAN WITH TWO UMBRELLAS

Altan Öymen passed away this week at the age of 93. Throughout his long life, he always carried two umbrellas—journalism and politics. He journeyed nearly 75 years under both. One could have said “he wore two hats,” but “umbrella” suits Altan Öymen’s life better. A hat is for one person alone; an umbrella is something under which many can take shelter, from the sun and rain. That’s why Öymen chose not hats, but umbrellas. And under his umbrella, there was always room for more than just himself.

Anonymous
MÜJDAT GEZEN COULD DIE ON STAGE
Portrait of the Week Apr 23, 2026

MÜJDAT GEZEN COULD DIE ON STAGE

'Trees die standing.' That is the title of a play that has been staged in our theaters for many years. Müjdat Gezen is 83 years old and has been a performer for more than 60 years. Not just on stage — also a film actor and television personality. He has spent most of his life, in a sense, broadcasting live. His life is, in fact, a summary of Turkey's most turbulent era.

Anonymous