Feryaz Ocakli

I'm an associate professor of Political Science and International Affairs at Skidmore College. I teach and conduct research on comparative politics and the Middle East. I specialize in the study of Islamist and ethnic politics, democracy, and development.

My current research focuses on how Islamist parties broaden their appeal to non-Islamist constituencies and succeed in elections. My recent 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. More information about my publications is available here.

I am also working on several other research projects. These projects examine (1) the impact of late-Ottoman institutional reforms on state-building in the Middle East, (2) the relationship between oil and insurgency in Nigeria and Syria, (3) the transformation of state-business relations in contemporary Turkey, and (4) the organizational evolution of the Turkish Islamist movement.

I teach broadly in the areas of comparative and international politics, with a regional focus on the Middle East. More information on my courses is available here.