Brown Bag: Exploring the Military Coup Attempt in Turkey
In July 2016, a faction within the Turkish military attempted a coup d’état against the government of Recep Tayyip Erdogan. The group, which cited the elimination of democratic rule, disregard for human rights, and an erosion of secularism as some the reasons behind their coup attempt, was reported to have been led by Akın Öztürk, a former air forces commander and Turkish Supreme Military Council member.
During the coup, over 300 people were killed, 2000 more injured, and government buildings and the presidential palace damaged. Reactions to the coup from both domestic and international actors was to denounce the actions of the military and other actors who engaged in this plot, but also warned the President of Turkey not to use this event as an excuse for mass crackdowns on his opponents. Currently, it is being reported that the failed coup has resulted in over 6000 people detained and over 60,000 more getting fired from their posts.
On September 20, 2016 Ali Ersen Erol, a Professorial Lecturer in the School of International Service at American University and S-CAR MS alumni, will host a brown bag presentation to explore the significance of this failed military coup attempt in Turkey and its significance in the region and the rest of world. The event will be held from 12:00-2:30 pm on the fifth floor of Metropolitan Building in room 5145.
Erol's research focuses on queer theory, politics of sexuality and gender, and critical linguistics. Their current book project focuses on queer imaginations of time, space, and affect in the wake of Gezi Park Protests that took place in Turkey in the summer of 2013. They also take part in creative projects, which at the moment include a movie script and a short sci-fi story. Please bring your lunch and join the S-CAR community for this event.
### Image: Anti-coup protestors in Bağcılar, İstanbul, Turkey by Wikipedia user Maurice Flesier.
