Staff profile
Dr Bahar Baser
Associate Professor in Middle East Politics
PhD

Affiliation | Room number | Telephone |
---|---|---|
Associate Professor in Middle East Politics in the School of Government and International Affairs | EH109 Elvet Hill House | +44 (0) 191 33 40641 |
Member of the Institute for Middle Eastern and Islamic Studies |
Biography
Dr. Bahar Baser joined Durham University's School of Government and International Affairs in 2021. Previously, she was Associate Professor at the Centre for Trust, Peace and Social Relations, Coventry University where she led the "Peacebuilding and Conflict Transformation Research Group". Prior to that, she was a postdoctoral research fellow at the University of Warwick at the Department of Politics and International Studies between 2012 and 2014.
Dr. Baser completed a PhD in Social and Political Sciences at the European University Institute in Florence, Italy. During her PhD, she had the opportunity to work as a Visiting Research Fellow at Humboldt University (Berlin Graduate School of Social Sciences) in Germany, REMESO (Institute for Research on Migration, Ethnicity and Society) in Norrkoping, Sweden and the Instituto de Ciencias Sociais (ICS) in Lisbon, Portugal.
She is an expert in the area of diaspora studies, peacebuilding and conflict transformation, with a regional focus on the Middle East. She has conducted extensive research on diaspora engagement in peace processes, post-conflict reconstruction and state-building in the Global South. She has published extensively on stateless diaspora activism and mobilisation in Europe with a specific focus on host states’ counterterrorism policies, radicalization of diaspora members and transnationalization of homeland conflicts.
She is the editor of Kurdish Studies Series published by Lexington Books and the co-editor of Diasporas and Transnationalism Series published by Edinburgh University Press. She is also a senior associate research fellow at the Security Institute for Governance and Leadership in Africa (SIGLA), Stellenbosch University, South Africa and visiting professor at Tampere Peace Research Institute, Tampere University, Finland.
Languages
Turkish, English, Italian, Spanish, French, Portuguese, Azerbaijani, Swedish (Beginner), Kurdish (Beginner)
Research Groups
Institute for Middle Eastern and Islamic Studies
Research Projects
Research interests
- Comparative Politics of the Middle East
- Diasporas and Transnationalism
- International Migration
- Peacebuilding and Conflict Transformation
- Terrorism and Political Violence
- Ethnic Conflicts
- Transitional Justice and Memory
- Institute of Middle Eastern and Islamic Studies
Media Contacts
Available for media contact about:
- Conflict and resolution:
- Middle East:
- Citizenship, state and governance:
- Identity, ethnicity and culture:
- Policy and politics:
- Security, territory and boundaries:
- Government:
- International politics:
- Middle eastern and Islamic studies:
- Terrorism:
Publications
Authored book
- Baser, B (2015). Diasporas and Homeland Conflicts:A Comparative Perspective. Routledge.
- Baser, B (2013). Diasporada Türk-Kürt Sorunu: Almanya ve İsveç’te İkinci Kuşak Göçmenler. Iletisim Yayinlari.
- Baser, B (2008). Third Party Mediation in Nagorno Karabakh. VDM Verlag Dr. Mueller E.K.
Chapter in book
- Toivanen, Mari & Baser, Bahar (2022). Diasporas, Development and the Second Generation. In Routledge International Handbook of Diaspora Diplomacy. Kennedy, Liam London: Routledge. 366-378.
- Fazil, Shivan & Baser, Bahar (2021). Kurdish Youth as Agents of Change: Political Participation, Looming Challenges, and Future Predictions. In Youth Identity, Politics and Change in Contemporary Kurdistan. Fazil, Shivan & Baser, Bahar London: Transnational Press London. 1.
- Baser,B (2019). Governing Turkey's diaspora(s) and the limits of diaspora diplomacy. In The Routledge Handbook of Turkish Politics. Ozerdem, A & Whiting, M Routledge.
- Baser, B & Ozerdem, A (2019). Turkey. In Comparing Peace Processes. Ozerdem, A & Mac Ginty, R Routledge.
- Baser, B & Toivanen, M (2018). Reflections from the experience of Middle Eastern diasporas. In Routledge Handbook of Diaspora Studies. Cohen, R & Fischer, C Routledge.
- Baser, B, Ahmedi, I & Toivanen, M (2017). The transnational activism of the Kurdish Diaspora and the Swedish approach to the Kurdish Question. In Migration from Turkey to Sweden Integration, Belonging and Transnational Community. Baser, B & Levin, P Bloomsbury Publisher.
- Levin, Paul T & Başer, Bahar (2017). The 50th Anniversary of the Beginning of Migration from Turkey to Sweden: Lessons Concerning Integration, Cohesion, and Inclusion. In Migration from Turkey to Sweden.
- Baser, Bahar (2017). Turkey’s Ever-Evolving Attitude-Shift Towards Engagement with Its Diaspora. In Emigration and Diaspora Policies in the Age of Mobility. 9: 221.
- Başer, Bahar & Öztürk, Ahmet Erdi (2017). In Lieu of an Introduction: Is it Curtains for Turkish Democracy? In Authoritarian Politics in Turkey.
- Baser, B (2015). KOMKAR: The Unheard Voice in the Kurdish Diaspora. In Dismantling Diasporas. Christou, A & Mavroudi, E Routledge.
- Baser, Bahar (2015). 14. Gezi Spirit in the Diaspora. Diffusion of Turkish Politics to Europe. In Everywhere Taksim. 251.
Edited book
- Shivan, F & Baser, B (2021). Youth Identity, Politics and Change in Contemporary Kurdistan. Transnational Press London.
- Baser, B, Toivanen, M, Zorlu, B & Duman, Y (2018). Methodological Approaches in Kurdish Studies: Theoretical and Practical Insights from the Field. Lexington Books.
- Baser, B & Ozturk, A.E. (2017). Authoritarian Politics in Turkey: Elections, Resistance and the AKP. Bloomsbury Publisher.
- Baser, B & Levin, P (2017). Migration from Turkey to Sweden: Integration, Belonging and Transnational Community. Bloomsbury Publisher.
Edited Journal
- Baser, Bahar, Ozturk, Ahmet & Taş, Hakki (2022). Middle East Critique: Special Issue on Turkey’s Diasporas. Middle East Critique, 31 (4): Taylor & Francis.
Journal Article
- Karim, Hawraman Fariq & Baser, Bahar (Published). Collective Memory in Post-Genocide Societies: Rethinking Enduring Trauma and Resilience in Halabja. Review of Middle East Studies
- Féron, Élise & Baser, Bahar (2023). Pathways to Conflict Transportation and Autonomisation: The Armenian Diaspora and the Conflict in Nagorno-Karabakh. Ethnopolitics
- Féron, Élise & Baser, Bahar (2023). Diasporas and Transportation of Homeland Conflicts: Inter-group Dynamics and Host Country Responses. Ethnopolitics
- Baser, Bahar & Ozturk, Ahmet Erdi (2022). From Exit to Voice: Reflections on Exile through the Accounts of Turkey’s Intelligentsia. Middle East Critique 31(4): 401-415.
- Böcü, Gözde & Baser, Bahar (2022). Transnational Mobilization of Future Generations by Non-Democratic Home States: Turkey’s Diaspora Youth between Empowerment and Co-optation. Ethnopolitics
- Öztürk, Ahmet Erdi & Baser, Bahar (2022). The transnational politics of religion: Turkey's Diyanet, Islamic communities and beyond. Turkish Studies 23(5): 701-721.
- Baser, Bahar & Fazil, Shivan (2022). "They Hear Us but They Do not Listen to Us” Youth Narratives on Hope and Despair in the Kurdistan Region of Iraq. International Journal of Conflict and Violence 16: 1-12.
- Baser, Bahar & Féron, Élise (2022). Host state reactions to home state diaspora engagement policies: Rethinking state sovereignty and limits of diaspora governance. Global Networks 22(2): 226-241.
- Baser, Bahar & Atlas, Duygu (2021). Once A Diaspora, Always A Diaspora? The Ethnic, Cultural and Political Mobilization of Kurdistani Jews in Israel. Politics, Religion & Ideology 22(3-4): 302-328.
- Baser, B & Martin, N (2020). Collaboration Between Academics and Journalists: Methodological Considerations, Challenges and Ethics. Journal of Conflict Transformation and Security 8(1).
- Toivanen, Mari & Baser, Bahar (2020). Diasporas’ Multiple Roles in Peace and Conflict: A Review of Current Debates. Migration Letters 17(1): 47.
- O’Driscoll, Dylan & Baser, Bahar (2020). Referendums as a political party gamble: A critical analysis of the Kurdish referendum for independence. International Political Science Review 41(5): 652.
- Baser, Bahar & Hoyo, Henio (2020). Introduction to the Special Issue: Politics, Policies and Diplomacy of Diaspora Governance: New Directions in Theory and Research. Migration Letters 17(1): 1.
- Baser, Bahar & Ozturk, Ahmet Erdi (2020). Positive and Negative Diaspora Governance in Context: From Public Diplomacy to Transnational Authoritarianism. Middle East Critique 29(3): 319.
- Toivanen, Mari & Baser, Bahar (2019). Remembering the Past in Diasporic Spaces: Kurdish Reflections on Genocide Memorialization for Anfal. Genocide Studies International 13(1): 10.
- O’Driscoll, Dylan & Baser, Bahar (2019). Independence referendums and nationalist rhetoric: the Kurdistan Region of Iraq. Third World Quarterly 40(11): 2016.
- Baser, Bahar & Toivanen, Mari (2019). Diasporic homecomings to the Kurdistan region of Iraq: Pre- and post-return experiences shaping motivations to re-return. Ethnicities 19(5): 901.
- Başer, Bahar (2019). Engaging Diasporas in Development and State-Building: The Role of the Kurdish Diaspora and Returnees in Rebuilding the Kurdistan Region of Iraq. Ethnopolitics 18(1): 76.
- Baser, Bahar & Ozerdem, Alpaslan (2019). Conflict Transformation and Asymmetric Conflicts: A Critique of the Failed Turkish-Kurdish Peace Process. Terrorism and Political Violence 1.
- Baser, Bahar & Halperin, Amira (2019). Diasporas from the Middle East: Displacement, Transnational Identities and Homeland Politics. British Journal of Middle Eastern Studies 46(2): 215.
- Christofis, Nikos, Baser, Bahar & Öztürk, Ahmet Erdi (2019). The View from Next Door: Greek-Turkish Relations after the Coup Attempt in Turkey. The International Spectator 54(2): 67.
- O’Connor, Francis & Baser, Bahar (2018). Communal violence and ethnic polarization before and after the 2015 elections in Turkey: attacks against the HDP and the Kurdish population. Southeast European and Black Sea Studies 18(1): 53.
- Baser, Bahar (2018). Homeland Calling: Kurdish Diaspora and State-building in the Kurdistan Region of Iraq in the Post-Saddam Era. Middle East Critique 27(1): 77.
- Mencutek, Zeynep Sahin & Baser, Bahar (2018). Mobilizing Diasporas: Insights from Turkey’s Attempts to Reach Turkish Citizens Abroad. Journal of Balkan and Near Eastern Studies 20(1): 86.
- Tekdemir, Omer, Toivanen, Mari & Baser, Bahar (2018). Peace Profile: Academics for Peace in Turkey. Peace Review 30(1): 103.
- Baser, Bahar & Toivanen, Mari (2018). Politicized and depoliticized ethnicities, power relations and temporality: insights to outsider research from comparative and transnational fieldwork. Ethnic and Racial Studies 41(11): 2067.
- Baser, Bahar (2017). Intricacies of Engaging Diasporas in Conflict Resolution and Transitional Justice: The Kurdish Diaspora and the Peace Process in Turkey. Civil Wars 19(4): 470.
- Baser, B (2017). Turkey’s Domestic Politics Spill-over to Europe: Old Debates in New Frames. ORIENT:Deutsche Zeitschrift für Politik, Wirtschaft und Kultur des Orients German Journal for Politics, Economics and Culture of the Middle East
- Baser, Bahar, Akgönül, Samim & Öztürk, Ahmet Erdi (2017). “Academics for Peace” in Turkey: a case of criminalising dissent and critical thought via counterterrorism policy. Critical Studies on Terrorism 10(2): 274.
- Baser, Bahar (2017). Tailoring Strategies According to Ever-Changing Dynamics: The Evolving Image of the Kurdish Diaspora in Germany. Terrorism and Political Violence 29(4): 674.
- Baser, Bahar & Toivanen, Mari (2017). The politics of genocide recognition: Kurdish nation-building and commemoration in the post-Saddam era. Journal of Genocide Research 19(3): 404.
- Toivanen, Mari & Baser, Bahar (2016). Gender in the Representations of an Armed Conflict. Middle East Journal of Culture and Communication 9(3): 294.
- Baser, Bahar (2016). Transnationale Solidarität innerhalb deutscher Grenzen: Die Auswirkungen der Gezi-Proteste auf die Diaspora aus der Türkei. Forschungsjournal Soziale Bewegungen 29(2): 70.
- Baser, Bahar, Emanuelsson, Ann-Catrin & Toivanen, Mari (2015). (In)visible spaces and tactics of transnational engagement: A multi-dimensional approach to the Kurdish diaspora. Kurdish Studies 3(2): 128.
- Baser, Bahar (2014). La diaspora kurde d’Irak au Royaume-Uni. Hommes & migrations (1307): 140.
- Baser, Bahar (2014). The Awakening of a Latent Diaspora: The Political Mobilization of First and Second Generation Turkish Migrants in Sweden. Ethnopolitics 13(4): 355.
- Baser, B & Swain, A (2009). Diaspora Design Versus Homeland Realities: Case Study of Armenian Diaspora. 3(1): 45-62.
- Cochrane, Feargal, Baser, Bahar & Swain, Ashok (2009). Home Thoughts from Abroad: Diasporas and Peace-Building in Northern Ireland and Sri Lanka. Studies in Conflict & Terrorism 32(8): 681.
- Baser, B & Swain, A (2009). Diaspora Design Versus Homeland Realities: Case Study of Armenian Diaspora. Caucasian Review of International Affairs 3(1): 45-62.
- Baser, B & Ashok, S (2008). DIASPORAS AS PEACEMAKERS: THIRD PARTY MEDIATION IN HOMELAND CONFLICTS. International Journal on World Peace 25(3): 7-28.
- Baser, B (2008). Third Party Mediation in Nagorno-Karabakh. Journal of Central Asian and Caucasian Studies 3(5): 86-114.
Report
- Baser, Bahar (2022). Youth Politics and Activism in Turkey. Athens, Greece, Hellenic Foundation for European and Foreign Policy (ELIAMEP).
- Baser, Bahar, Sandal-Önal, Elif, Bayad, Aydın, Can Zırh, Besim, Duzen, N. Ekrem, Zick, Andreas & Ozturk, Ahmet Erdi (2022). Transnational conflicts, belongings, and social interactions. Bielefeld, Germany, Universitätsbibliothek Bielefeld.
- Öztürk, Ahmet Erdi & Baser, Bahar (2021). New Turkey’s new diasporic constellations: The Gezi generation and beyond. ELIAMEP.