Lecture
Guest Lecture: The Intellectuals and Apparatchiks: A Look at the Government-Aligned Intellectual Scene in Turkey
- Date
- Wednesday 28 January 2026
- Time
- Address
-
Schouwburgstraat
Schouwburgstraat 2
2511 VA The Hague - Room
- A2.02
Abstract
This talk examines how AKP-aligned intellectuals function as media spin doctors, tracing their transformation from engaged public intellectuals into regime apparatchiks. Adopting a comparative perspective on populist-authoritarian politics, it analyzes political discourse in Turkey as shaped by modes of governance. The study identifies distinct constellations of pro-AKP intellectuals, Islamist, populist, and national security–oriented, and shows how each has contributed to legitimizing the AKP rule. It also explores key mechanisms of political technology, including media control, the role of intellectuals in regime maintenance, and the problem of “cultural power.”
Registration
You are welcome to this meeting, please make sure to register in advance via this form.