James Ryan
James Ryan is the Executive Director of the Middle East Research and Information Project (MERIP). He is a trained historian of the Ottoman Empire and Republic of Turkey, with a Ph.D. and M.A. in History from the University of Pennsylvania and a B.A. in Near Eastern Languages and Civilizations from the University of Chicago.
Latest from James Ryan
A Last Gasp for the Peace Process in Turkey
While political repression and violent conflict have intensified since 2015, the 2023 general election and the departure of Selahattin Demirtas, the imprisoned leader of the Peoples’ Democratic Party, were a turning point. The retreat of Turkey’s Kurds from formal politics portends an intensification of the conflict in the months ahead.
For Most of Turkey’s History, Liberalism Has Been More Illusory Than Real
The key to understanding liberalism’s consistent presence at the core of otherwise illiberal governance in Turkey lies in the history of another word, muhalefet. It’s the word at the center of Christine M. Philliou’s brilliant new book.