Middle East Focus: Democratic Deficits & Sectarian Struggles, Spring 2015

Thursday, June 18, 2015 | Download PDF in English

This issue of TPQ takes up a wide range of problems plaguing the Middle East and North Africa today: from internal conflicts and proxy wars to rising sectarianism and the predicament of minorities to strategic incoherence against a potentially global jihadist threat. The need for cooperation and moderation is articulated by authors of diverse conviction, background, and professional affiliation.

This issue comes at a time when important game changers are in store for the Middle East. The potential effects of a nuclear deal with Iran is one of the factors addressed by many authors here. Another important development in the short term will be the June 2015 parliamentary elections in Turkey, which will have important implications for the Kurdish peace process in itself with far-reaching regional repercussions.

CONTRIBUTOR

Nigâr Göksel

D. Nigar Goksel has been Editor-in-Chief of the Istanbul-based Turkish Policy Quarterly (TPQ) since 2002 and Turkey and Cyprus Analyst for Crisis Group's Turkey/Cyprus Project since April 2015. She was Senior Analyst at the European Stability Initiative (ESI) between 2004-11, where she covered Turkey and the Caucasus. In Spring 2014, she joined FRIDE as associate fellow, focusing on the Black Sea region. She is a regular contributor to the German Marshall Fund’s ‘On Turkey’ series and writes frequently for Al Jazeera International. Nigar is also registered as an independent consultant for political analysis and project management. She has designed a range of reconciliation and civil society capacity-building initiatives in Turkey and the South Caucasus.

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