International Strategic Research Organization

Multilingual ISRO Logo

The International Strategic Research Organization (ISRO) (Turkish: Uluslararası Stratejik Arastirmalar Kurumu (USAK)) is a Turkish think tank, directed by Sedat Laciner.^[1]

ISRO believes that the study of international relations "suffers from limited Western-centric understanding and needs different approaches".^[2] It describes itself as liberal-nationalist.

Activities

The activities of the ISRO include research, publications, seminars and conferences, as well as policy recommendations. They also conduct surveys on foreign policy and security issues.

Core research areas

Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan gives lecture at the USAK House on Turkish Foreign and Defence Policy, 3 February 2010

• Area Studies (Middle East, Central Asia, Caucasus, Balkans, Asia-Pacific etc.)
• Ethnic Studies
• European Studies
• Integration Studies
• International Law
• International Politics
• Political Economy
• Religion and Politics
• Security (Home and International) Studies
• Sociology
• Terrorism
• Turkish Studies (Foreign and Home Politics)

Research departments and centers

• USAK Center For International Security, Terorism And Ethnic Conflict Studies
• USAK Center For European Union Studies
• USAK Center For Middle East Studies
• USAK Center For Central Asia And The Caucasus Studies
• USAK Center For International Law Studies
• USAK Center For Sea And Water Law Studies
• USAK Center For Environmental Studies
• USAK Center For Economical Studies
• Public Relations & General Secretary Office
• IT Department
• USAK Picturing Service
• Library
• USAK Publications
• USAK Periodicals

Structure

USAK House Turkey's first and only think-tank purposed building, Ankara, 2010

Between 2004 and 2008, Dr. Yusuf Ziya Özcan was Chairman of the Board of Experts. The founding president of the Institution, Dr. Sedat Laciner, was in charge in 2004-2010. In June 2010 the retired ambassador and former Undersecretary of Foreign Affairs (1991-1995) Özdem Sanberk became president. Between 2004 and 2008, the former Minister of State, Deputy Chairman of Democratic Left Party Tayyibe Gulek was Honorary President.

Publications

English-language publications of the ISRO include the Journal of Turkish Weekly (JTW) and the Ankara Post, both available online. It further publishes Turkish, English and German language books, periodicals and onlines.

ISRO is the publisher of two academic journals: Review of International Law and Politics (RILP) and Journal of Central Asian and Caucasian Studies (JCACA).

Online

USAK's online publications include the Journal of Turkish Weekly (JTW), Turkish Daily Mail, USAKPEDIA and USAK Gundem (in Turkish), all available online and free full-text.

Books

• Haluk Akın, Azerbaycan Paradoksu, Azerbaycan'ın İç ve Dış Politikası, (Ankara: 2010). In Turkish. 256 pages.
• Habibe Ozdal, Osman Bahadir Dincer, Mehmet Yegin (eds.), Turkish Foreign Policy in Interviews, In Turkish. 388 pages.
• Selcuk Colakoglu, Uluslararasi İliskilerde Kuzeydogu Asya (Northeastern Asia in International Relations). In Turkish. 443 pages.
• Ihsan Bal and Suleyman ozeren, Uzakdogudan Yeni Kitaya Teorle Mucadele (Counter Terrorism From Far East to America). In Turkish. 408 pages.
• Sedat Laciner, Hacali Necefoğlu and Hasan Selim Ozertem (eds.), Turk Dis Politikasi (Turkish Foreighn Policy). In Turkish. 334 pages.
• Numan Hazar, Uluslararası Politika ve Uygarliklar (International Politics and Civilazations). In Turkish. 264 pages.
• Arzu Celalifer Ekinci, İran Nükleer Krizi (Iran Nuclear Crisis), (January 2009). In Turkish. 490 pages. ISBN 978-605-4030-08-8.
• Sedat Laçiner, Diaspora, Ermeni Sorunu ve Türk Dış Politikası, (November 2008). In Turkish. 654 pages. ISBN 978-605-4030-07-1.
• Fatma Yılmaz, Avrupa'da Irkçılık ve Yabancı Düşmanlığı, (Ankara: November 2008). In Turkish.
• Halil Ibrahim Bahar, Sosyoloji (Ankara: October 2008) Second and Updated Edition. In Turkish.
• Naim Kapucu and Hamit Palabıyık, Turkish Public Administration, From Tradition to the Modern Age, (Ankara: August 2008). In English. 300 pages.
• Sedat Laçiner, Mehmet Özcan and Ihsan Bal, European Union with Turkey, (Ankara: 2005). In English.
• M. Turgut Demirtepe (ed.), Orta Asya ve Kafkasya Güç Politikası, (Ankara: 2008). In Turkish. 322 pages.
• Ihsan Bal (ed.), Terörizm, Terör, Terörizm ve Küresel Terörle Mücadelede Ulusal ve Bölgesel Deneyimler(Ankara: 2005). In Turkish
• Ihsan Bal, Alacakaranlıkta Terörle Mücadele ve Komple Teorileri, (Ankara: 2006). In Turkish. 290 pages.
• Sedat Laçiner, Türkler ve Ermeniler, Bir Uluslararası Ilişkiler Çalışması, (Ankara: 2006). In Turkish.
• Halil Ibrahim Bahar, Sosyoloji, (Ankara: November 2005). In Turkish. 304 pages.
• Ibrahim Kaya, Terörle Mücadele ve Uluslararası Hukuk, (Ankara: 2005). In Turkish. 270 pages.
• Necati Alkan, Söz Bitmeden, Terörle Mücadelede Önleme Stratejileri, (Ankara: 2007. In Turkish. 220 pages.
• Ercüment Tezcan, Avrupa Birliği Komisyonu, (Ankara: April 2007). In Turkish. 616 pages.
• Mehmet Özcan, Avrupa Birliği Sığınma Hukuku, Ortak Bir Sığınma Hukukunun Ortaya Çıkışı, (Ankara: 2005). In Turkish. 248 pages.

Yearbook

Turkish President Abdullah Gül gives the first lecture at the USAK, 4 November 2009

• USAK Yearbook of International Politics and Law, Vol.1, 2008. 540 pages.
• USAK Yearbook of International Politics and Law, Vol. 2, 2009. 484 pages.
• USAK Yearbook of International Politics and Law, Vol. 3, 2010. 566 pages.

Recent Reports / Papers

• Iran Elections 2009.
• From Crisis to Recovery: Quo Vadis Turkish Economy?(Ankara: February 2008). In English.
• Gürcistan Krizi Değerlendirme Raporu (USAK Georgia Crisis Report)(Ankara: August 2008). In Turkish.
• Kıbrıs Sorununa Alternatif Yaklaşımlar: Çok - Bileşenli Adım Modeli, (Ankara: April 2008). In Turkish.

USAK Kuzey Irak Raporu (USAK Northern Iraq Report), (Ankara: Temmuz 2007). In Turkish.

Briefing Papers

Surveys

Journals

The USAK owns and hosts the editorial offices of two international peer-reviewed journals – Review of International Law and Politics (RILP) and Journal of Central Asian and Caucasian Studies – both of which are edited at USAK and published by USAK Publications.

• Journal of Central Asian & Caucasian Studies / Orta Asya ve Kafkasya Araştırmaları. Two issues a year. Scholarly articles in Turkish and English. The full text of the old issues can be reached at USAK.org^[3]

• Review of International Law and Politics / Uluslararası Hukuk ve Politika. Four issues a year. Scholarly articles in English, Turkish and German. The full text of the old issues can be reached at USAK.org^[4]

Center for Middle East and Africa Studies

Center for Middle East and Africa Studies (CMEAS - ODAM) is located in Ankara. The aim of the centre is to provide information, advice and a forum on Middle East. The CMES (ODAM) is regularly consulted by journalists, officials, politicians, diplomats, and other non-governmental organizations (NGOs) on the Middle Eastern security and politics.

Founded by ISRO, the centre staff regularly contribute to the ISRO publications and organize meetings on the Middle Eastern studies.

The CMES (ODAM) arranges programs of lectures, seminars, conferences and other discussions, and sponsors research and publications.

References

1. ^ "Sedat LACINER". Uluslararası Stratejik Araştırmalar Kurumu. http://www.usak.org.tr/EN/Genel/BelgeGoster.aspx?17A16AE30572D313AAF6AA849816B2EF85ACA374B1116107. Retrieved 2008-07-27. ^{[dead link]}
2. ^ "Mission". Uluslararası Stratejik Araştırmalar Kurumu. http://www.usak.org.tr/EN/Genel/hakkimizda.aspx?17A16AE30572D313AAF6AA849816B2EF6CAF90E661671C04. Retrieved 2008-07-27. ^{[dead link]}
3. ^ USAK.org.tr, address for free (as PdF files)
4. ^ USAK.org, address free (as PdF files)

External links

• Official site
• Turkish Weekly, USAK's English online newspaper
• "International Strategic Research Organization". FPRI Think Tank Directory. FPRI. 2007-01-25. http://thinktanks.fpri.org/international-strategic-research-organization. Retrieved 2008-07-27.