Meet Our Researchers: Ayça Alemdaroğlu

Meet Our Researchers: Ayça Alemdaroğlu

Exploring how authoritarian regimes influence identity, opposition movements, and class dynamics with CDDRL Research Scholar Ayça Alemdaroğlu, Associate Director of the center's Program on Turkey.
Meet Our Researchers: Ayça Alemdaroğlu

The "Meet Our Researchers" series showcases the incredible scholars at Stanford’s Center on Democracy, Development and the Rule of Law (CDDRL). Through engaging interviews conducted by our undergraduate research assistants, we explore the journeys, passions, and insights of CDDRL’s faculty and researchers.

Ayça Alemdaroğlu is a Research Scholar at the Center on Democracy, Development and the Rule of Law (CDDRL),  Associate Director of the center’s Program on Turkey, and a Global Fellow at the Peace Research Institute Oslo (PRIO). Her research focuses on understanding authoritarian regimes and the opposition movements against them, particularly in Turkey.

What inspired you to pursue research in your current field, and how did your journey lead you to CDDRL?


During my childhood in Turkey, I grew up discussing political issues at dinner, as my family was always very engaged in politics. My mother founded two leftist political parties, while my father ran in numerous elections and served as the mayor in Ankara for five years. I then studied political science and sociology in school, focusing on cultural and class issues while doing my PhD at Cambridge.

I eventually came to CDDRL because I appreciated its interdisciplinary emphasis and its focus on current societal issues. My early research focused on how political regimes shape people as individuals through policies and institutions. I was especially curious about eugenics efforts intended to build up a healthier nation, though it often manifested negatively through policies like sterilization.

During my PhD, I began focusing on youth and how social hierarchies, regimes, and inequalities affected their identities. At the time, there was a lot of discourse about the threat of a “dangerous” Muslim youth, but these young people were not monolithic. Often, they were reacting to concerns like finding jobs in a way that any youth group would, meaning their behavior was less correlated to their religious and cultural background than people portrayed it.

Based on your research, how do regimes affect people’s view of their own identities and political factionalism?


I disagree with the cultural primordialist approach that inherent differences are largely unchanging between peoples. Instead, I believe that the way narratives about identities are articulated in politics can strongly exacerbate differences.

For example, the Kurds in Turkey do have distinctive qualities, such as their language and ethnic group. However, what really makes them different is the unfair historical processes that Kurds have been subjected to.
 


I believe that the way narratives about identities are articulated in politics can strongly exacerbate differences.
Ayça Alemdaroğlu


What is the most exciting or impactful finding from your research, and why do you think it matters for democracy, development, or the rule of law?


My current research examines the question of how opposition movements survive in authoritarian contexts, with a focus on recent local elections in Turkey, where conservative incumbents were defeated for the first time in decades. We found that the opposition successfully built bottom-up alliances at the local level, which may be more successful than parties trying to form coalitions at the national level. 

This is because top-down alliances, as were attempted to be formed in Turkey in 2023, tend to be fragile and lack sufficient power to win elections. Top-down efforts involve convincing leaders of ideologically opposed parties to join together, which often isn’t effective in convincing their base to join suit. 

On the other hand, bottom-up local action can be much more powerful, with alliances in municipalities formed through an intimate knowledge of how resources and power are distributed among groups. These opposition coalitions, bound together by substantive ideas and community knowledge, tend to be more persuasive. 

This research demonstrates the power of local government and how opposition can be strengthened through numerous bottom-up alliances, as opposed to a weak, top-down national approach. Still, there are difficulties in preventing authoritarian backlash as a response to oppositional successes. After the loss of many governing party candidates in Turkey recently, there has been a new wave of coercion against municipal leaders, such as the Istanbul mayor being jailed after running as a presidential candidate. Several other newly elected mayors have been in jail for months without even an indictment.

How does the increased authoritarianism in Turkey fit into the context of global democratic recession? Are these patterns of oppositional gains in local elections a sign of a more optimistic future for Turkey, or is it still in a state of democratic decline?


I believe our research suggests that the opposition is more effectively contesting the governing party; however, it is too early to say whether this could serve as a model for a broader shift. Despite being embedded in European organizations and experiencing a moment of democratization in the 2000s, Turkey has become increasingly authoritarian, becoming one of the earliest cases of modern democratic decline. Also, global influences are harming Turkey’s trajectory, such as the presence of a more undemocratic leader in the U.S.
 


I believe our research suggests that the opposition is more effectively contesting the governing party; however, it is too early to say whether this could serve as a model for a broader shift.
Ayça Alemdaroğlu


How do you see your research influencing policy or contributing to real-world change?


When starting research, I don’t think of writing policy as my main goal. Instead, it’s to understand big questions or add more nuance to a discussion about a phenomenon. My research today on local power dynamics and bottom-up coalition building continues to have real-world relevance in the battle against authoritarian regimes.

Returning to your research on Turkey and particularly the plight of the Kurdish minority, how can states mitigate the effects of ethnic fractionalism on development?


In Turkey, I think of democratization as being possible through the recognition of the cultural and political rights of the Kurds. The opening of systems to those who have been historically excluded would benefit not only democratic development but also economic development. This is because ethnically inclusive states are more prosperous, as otherwise, ethnic conflict hinders development, with national security concerns scaring off investment.

Amidst increasing authoritarianism, have situations for minorities like the Kurds worsened or improved over time?


While there have been gestures of peace with the Kurds, when those efforts fail, the Turkish government often strengthens authoritarian measures. This is exemplified by the peace negotiations from 2013 to 2015, which initially resulted in the Kurds amassing more political power. This caused the regime to fear being undermined and become more coercive toward the minority group in the long run.

Overall, improvements for the Kurds have not been linear. Peace negotiations are currently underway, though many believe them to be insincere. When looking at the regime’s other policies towards opposition, journalists, and students, it’s easy to be pessimistic. 

What gaps do you feel need to be addressed in your research field, and what do you anticipate you will study more in the future?


In the intellectual circles I have been a part of, academics tend to come from a political science background. I’m more interested in bringing in cultural and sociological perspectives, such as through discussions of social class or different ethnic groups. My research will continue to unite multi-disciplinary ideas to gain a deeper understanding of authoritarian regimes.

Could you elaborate further on your research into youth participation?


Currently, I’m working on a project comparing the U.S. and Turkey to better understand youth political behavior. In the recent elections in both countries, there was a lot of emphasis on the youth voice as a counter-authoritarian force, but this prediction did not necessarily hold true. In the US, many were persuaded by Trump’s agenda, especially young men. It’s important not to generalize too much when studying youth, as they are as diverse as the rest of the population. Still, there are notable trends among young people to monitor, like the Turkish youth’s growing secularism and how that might impact the Islamist parties’ power. 

You’ve discussed the importance of recognizing the impact of class when conducting research. How do you think politicians have capitalized on class to maintain power in Turkey, and is the opposition or current regime more supported by the working class?


The Islamist parties have been most known to garner support from lower economic groups. While the main opposition party is relearning how to succeed among the working class, it would be an overstatement to assume this shift has significantly expanded beyond the local level at this point.

President Erdogan was able to amass power by garnering support from the poor, going door-to-door and engaging in bottom-up efforts to get their votes. Now, opposition leaders appear to be learning from these strategies, leading to improved outcomes so far.
 


President Erdogan was able to amass power by garnering support from the poor, going door-to-door and engaging in bottom-up efforts to get their votes. Now, opposition leaders appear to be learning from these strategies, leading to improved outcomes so far.
Ayça Alemdaroğlu


Lastly, what books would you recommend for students interested in a research career in your field?


I may be expected to recommend political science books, but it is American sociologist Richard Sennett who especially influenced me early in my career. He focuses on how big social changes affect individuals. His book, The Hidden Injuries of Class, shaped my understanding of how social class is not just a reflection of an individual’s position in society, but also influences one’s sense of self. He also wrote Respect in a World of Inequality about how changes in the economy and labor market influence individuals. Sennet’s work successfully approaches issues in a humane, historical, and power-conscious way.

Read More

Ayça Alemdaroğlu leads a group of Knight-Hennessy Scholars on a tour of Turkey.
News

Traveling Turkey with Ayça Alemdaroğlu

Ayça Alemdaroğlu, associate director of Stanford's Program on Turkey, explores how national identities are created and how people voice dissent.
Traveling Turkey with Ayça Alemdaroğlu
Graphic novel
News

Studying Middle Eastern History Through Graphic Novels

A spring quarter course co-taught by CDDRL's Ayça Alemdaroğlu explored how graphic novels convey the visceral realities of living amidst political violence and conflict in a way traditional media struggle to match.
Studying Middle Eastern History Through Graphic Novels
Presidential Candidate Kemal Kilicdaroglu Holds Campaign Rally In Tekirdag
Q&As

Challenges and Opportunities in Turkey's 2023 Presidential and Parliamentary Elections

In this Q&A, Ayça Alemdaroğlu, Associate Director of the Program on Turkey at the Center on Democracy, Development and the Rule of Law, discusses the key issues and their implications for the country's future.
Challenges and Opportunities in Turkey's 2023 Presidential and Parliamentary Elections