Feryaz Ocakli

I'm an associate professor of Political Science and International Affairs at Skidmore College. I specialize in the study of food security, development, Islamist politics, and democracy in the Middle East and Southeast Asia. 

I am currently a U.S. Fulbright Scholar. My project focuses on the sources of international influence based on the concept of food power – the ability to influence the conditions under which states ensure adequate food supply to their citizens.

I've written on how Islamist parties broaden their appeal to non-Islamist constituencies and succeed in elections. Several of my articles examine how the Adalet ve Kalkinma Partisi (Justice and Development Party - AKP) incorporated non-core supporters and won local and national elections in Turkey. 

I've also published scholarly articles on the relationship between oil and insurgency in Nigeria and Syria, the transformation of state-business relations in contemporary Turkey, and democratic erosion and regime change under the  AKP. More information about my publications is available here.