The International Discussion Series is back (in-person)! The Bechtel International Center will be hosting 5 international speakers from the JSK Journalism program starting on April 12th at 12 PM. Our first talk will feature Turkish journalist Çınar, who will be discussing the significance of the upcoming elections in Turkey. Lunch will be offered on a first-come, first-serve basis. RSVP below. For more information on the speakers and discussion topics, check out the event posting here. This is a series and will take place every Wednesday at 12 PM.

Talk Description: Why are Turkish Elections Vital for Global Democracy?

Turkey is heading for pivotal presidential and general elections on May 14. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan has ruled the country for 21 years and  has never lost an election. However, a six-party opposition coalition, now united against him for the first time, has nominated the prominent opposition party leader, Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu, as their joint candidate. Even though the opposition has a clear lead in the polls, Erdoğan’s supporters remain confident in victory.

Come and hear from Turkish journalist and documentary filmmaker Çınar Oskay, about what these elections mean for Turkish democracy and why they matter to the rest of the world. Oskay has been a journalist for over 20 years. Most recently, he was the content director at the streaming platform Gain Media in Istanbul. He was the editor-in-chief of the weekend editions of Hurriyet, Turkey's leading newspaper, and has held multiple roles in Turkish media. Currently, as a 2023 JSK fellow at Stanford, he is developing new forms of storytelling for social change to empower independent media in Turkey while exploring the effects of authoritarian regimes on societies.