Working Paper 6

I would like to present to you the 6th Working Paper of the European Institute of Istanbul Bilgi University. This Working Paper consists of two papers written by Deniz Can Akkaya and Ekin Can Genç, both Bachelor students of European Studies at Istanbul Bilgi University, within the framework of the 1st Jean Monnet Students Workshop organized by the Jean Monnet Chair of European Politics of Interculturalism run by Prof. Ayhan Kaya at the Department of International Relations and the European Institute

The Workshop was organized on 27 May 2013 at the Dolapdere Campus of Istanbul Bilgi University, and both BA and MA students from the fields of European Studies, Politics, International Relations, Anthropology, Sociology, Cultural Studies and Translation Studies were present to submit their academic papers on the following issues with regard to the Turkish accession process into the European Union: mobility, diversity, citizenship, minorities, identities, education, multiculturalism and interculturalism. As the emphasis of the Jean Monnet Chair of European Politics of Interculturalism is on the matters of social cohesion, the students were expected to discuss their works on the relevant issues, which are believed to be very relevant for the Turkey-EU Relations in general, and for the Turkish context in particular. Some of the papers were published on the website of the Jean Monnet Chair (http://eu.bilgi.edu.tr/research300_1.asp).

The first paper by Deniz Can Akkaya discusses the ways in which the European Union has so far shaped the Kurdish Question in the last decade as a political actor. The Paper is entitled as “The European Union as an Actor in the Turkish-Kurdish Peace Process”. The second Paper by Ekin Can Genç revolves around the issue of the right to free speech in multicultural Europe. The paper is entitled as “The Free Speech Challenge in Multicultural Europe: Liberty, not Political Correctness”. I would like to thank both authors for their contribution to this issue. And I believe that their enthusiasm and dedication will be a good example for all our students.

Yours,

Prof. Dr. Ayhan Kaya
Jean Monnet Chair of European Politics of Interculturalism
Director, European Institute
Istanbul Bilgi University