Dr. Melehat Kutun is currently a Rosa Luxemburg Stiftung research fellow bases on International Research Group on Authoritarianism and Counter-Strategies (IRGAC) at Kassel University, Department of Politics–Political Theory. In the meantime, she has been finalizing her habilitation project under the supervision of Prof. Sonja Buckel in the department of politics, political theory. She is going to start her confirmed Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) project at the end of 2024 –The reshaping of abortion politics in Turkey: Understanding Islamic right-wing populism through the differing experiences of three groups of gynaecologists– in the same department.

She received her PhD from Gazi University, Ankara, Turkey. She was a visiting PhD student at the University of York,UK (2009-11) where she returned there as a researcher in 2015-2016 when she completed her PhD. She has also been a researcher at the School of Advanced Studies in the Social Sciences and the Maison des Sciences de l’Homme in Paris (2017). She was a Philipp Schwartz Initiative research fellow at Kassel University (2017-20) and Einstein Foundation senior research fellow at Humboldt Universität zu Berlin (2020-2022). She worked as a research assistant at Gazi University (2008-2012) and as an assistant professor at Mersin University (2003-2016) and was unlawfully dismissed from her permanent position by governmental decree-law in Turkey for signing the Peace Petition of the Academics for Peace Initiative. That`s why she had to move to Germany to continue her academic life. Her publications focus on contemporary politics in Turkey, critical state theories and critical gender and abortion politics, and forced migration.

She recently co-authored the publications Regime Change in Turkey: Neoliberal Authoritarianism, Islamism, and Hegemony (Routledge, 2021) and Exiled Intellectuals: Encounters, Conflicts, and Experiences in Transnational Context (two Volumes, Palgrave- Macmillan, 2014-Forthcoming). Her monograph, Prevailing Master Narratives on State Transformation in Turkey and a Critique, will be publish by Palgrave-Macmillan in 2024. She is also working in a collaborative Gerda Henkel Stiftung project –New-Wave Displaced Intellectuals in Germany: Agencies, Challenges, and Vulnerabilities in Transnational and a member of the editorial board of Praksis peer-review Journal.

2025-2028Kassel University, Department of Politics – Political Theory, Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) Research Fellow, Kassel/DE
2022-2024Kassel University, Department of Politics – Political Theory, Rosa Luxemburg- Stiftung (IRGAC: The International Research Group on Authoritarianism and Counter-Strategies) Research Fellow, Kassel/DE
2021-2022

Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Institut für Sozialwissenschaften, Senior Einstein Research Fellow, Berlin/DE 

ProFiL Mentoring Programme for Female Scholars in Academy (Mentor: Prof. Mechthild Bereswill (2022-2023)

2020-Habilitation at Politics, Department of Politics – Political Theory, with Prof Sonja Buckel, Kassel University, Kassel/DE
 2017-2020Kassel University, International Development and Decent Center, (ICDD) Alexander von Humboldt Stiftung – Philipp Schwartz Initiative (PSI) Research Fellow, Kassel/DE
2017-2017 EHES Social Sciences, Visiting Lecturer and Researcher at FMSH - Paris/ FRA
2015-2016

University of York, Visiting Lecturer and Researcher at Politics Department, York/ UK        

TÜBİTAK (The Scientific and Technological Research Council of Turkey), Visiting Scientist Fellowship Programme (cancelled due to State Emergency Decree)

2013-2016Mersin University, Assistant Professor in International Relations and Politics Department, Mersin/ TR
2005-2012Gazi University, Social Sciences Institute, Social and Political Sciences PhD Student and Research Assistant, Ankara/ TR 
2009-2011

University of York, Visiting PhD Student at Politics Department York/ UK

Scholarship– The Council of Higher Education of Turkey

2002-2005Mersin University, Department of Political Science and Public Administration MA Student and Research Assistant, Mersin/ TR  
  • Critical State Theories
  • Critical Political Economy
  • Contemporary Politics in Turkey
  • Gender /Abortion Politics and Theory
  • Forced Migration and Diaspora
  • 2024-2025 Kassel University

Gender and State

Vertiefungsseminar zur Politischen Theorie

  • 2020-2022 Humboldt Universität zu Berlin

Modern State Debates: Gender Politics and Practices 

Social and Political Theory: Fragments and Totalities     

           Ringvorlesung – Lecture Series: Mobility, Activism & Politics with Einstein

           Fellows Research Group

  • 2021- 2022 Halle Arts University  

The State: Revisiting the Theory with Dr. Ezgi Pinar and Prof. Dr. Atilla Güney    

  • 2020-2021 OFF-University    

Studying the State: Theoretical and Methodological Insights with Dr. Ezgi Pinar and Prof. Dr. Atilla Güney    

  • 2017-2020 Kassel University

           Recent Critical State Theories and Practices 

           State in Periphery     

           Migrant Labour in Europe: A Historical Perspective    

           Marx’s Critical Political Economy    

  • 2013-2016 Mersin University/ TR                              

Fundamental Texts in Political Theory                                                  

Contemporary Political Approaches                  

Critical Political Economy  

  • Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG), The reshaping of abortion politics in Turkey: Understanding Islamic right-wing populism through the differing experiences of three groups of gynaecologists
  • Gerda-Henkel Stiftung, New-Wave Displaced Intellectuals in Germany: Agencies, challenges, and vulnerabilities in transnational context

            www.gerda-henkel-stiftung.de/projekte

  • New Chronicles Crossing Borders: New-wave Displaced Intellectuals in Germany (Journalists-Politicians-Academics-Artists) with Çamuroğlu Çığ, E., Altun at Rosa Luxemburg Stiftung, Berlin 25 –26 October 2024
  • The Crisis of Social Reproduction in the Global South: (Re)production of Life, Anti-Gender Politics and Resistances, with IRGAC (RLS) Research Fellows at Kassel University, Kassel 19–20 July 2024
  • Challenging Social and Cultural Transformation: Gender and Youth Politics and Activism in New Authoritarian Regimes, organized by Einstein Fellows Research Group at Humboldt Universität zu Berlin, 27–28 May 2022
  • Authoritarianism and Resistance in Turkey, with Babacan, E., Karatepe İ., Pınar E., Yılmaz, Z., ICDD: Kassel University, Kassel, 12–13 May 2018

Monographs and Editorial Books

Kutun, M. (Forthcoming) Prevailing Master Narratives on State Transformation in Turkey and a Critique, Palgrave-Macmillan: London (accepted)

Kutun, M. (Forthcoming) Exiled Intellectuals: Encounters, Conflicts, and Experiences in Transnational Context, with Akyüz L., Çamuroğlu Çığ, E., Altun H., Palgrave-Macmillan: London (accepted)

Kutun, M. (Forthcoming) The New Politics of the Social and Authoritarianism in the Near East: Gender and Youth Politics and Movements, Third World Quarterly – Special Issue, as Guest eds. with Binbuga B., Yilmaz Z.

Kutun, M. et al., 2024 100 Sene 100 Nesne – A Hundred Years a Hundred Objects, Editorial Encyclopaedia, Coordinator Editors: Yilmaz B., Gülsen E., (available also online 100sene100nesne.com/100-nesne/)

Kutun, M. 2021Regime Change in Turkey: Neoliberal Authoritarianism, Islamism, and Hegemony,with Babacan, E., Pınar, E., Yılmaz, Z., Routledge: London.

Kutun, M. 2021 Social Reproduction Theory, with Göymen, A.Y., Celik, C., Dogru.E., Yaman. M. Praksis 57 (3). (Primary peer-review journal in Turkish) 

Kutun, M. 2018 Methodology and Praxis, with Göymen, A.Y., Dölek, Ç., Ercan, F., Praksis, (47). (Primary per-review journal in Turkish)       

Kutun, M. 2016 Capitalism, State and Classes in "New Turkey", with Tören, T., SAV:  Istanbul.   (in Turkish)      

    

Articles in Editorial Books

Kutun, M. 2024 (Forthcoming) Reproducing the Life Below Zero: A New Wave of Displaced Women Politicians and Activists in Germany, in Exiled Intellectuals in Germany: Encounters, Conflicts, and Experiences in Transnational Context Volumes 2, Akyüz L., Altun H., Camuroglu E., Kutun M., (eds)., Palgrave-Macmillian.

Kutun, M. 2024 Devlet (State) in 100 Sene 100 Nesne – A Hundred Years a Hundred Objects, Editorial Encyclopaedia, Coordinator Editors: Yilmaz B., Gülsen E., Kutun, M. et al., (available also online https://100sene100nesne.com/100-nesne/) (in Turkish)

Kutun, M. 2024 Çarşaf (Cover) in 100 Sene 100 Nesne – A Hundred Years a Hundred Objects, Editorial Encyclopaedia, Coordinator Editors: Yilmaz B., Gülsen E., Kutun, M. et al., (available also online https://100sene100nesne.com/100-nesne/) (in Turkish)

Kutun, M. 2021 Making the New- Neoliberal State in Turkey: Beyond the Prevailing Master Narrative, in Neoliberal Authoritarianism, Islamism and Hegemony, Babacan, E., Kutun, M., Pınar, E., Yılmaz, Z., (eds.), Routledge: London. 

Kutun, M. 2021 Introduction: Debating regime transformation in Turkey: Myths, critiques and Challenges in Regime Change in Turkey: Neoliberal Authoritarianism, Islamism, and Hegemony, with Babacan E.,  Pınar E., Yılmaz Z., Routledge: London.     

Kutun, M. 2020 AKP’s Move from Depoliticization to Repoliticization in Economic Management, in Turkey’s New State in the Making? Transformations in Legality, Economy and Coercion Bedirhanoğlu, P., Dölek, Ç., Hülagü, F., Kaygusuz, Ö., (eds.), Zed Books: London.    

Kutun, M. 2016 Understanding the `new-Turkey`: A Proposal for an Alternative and Class Centred Framework Between Discourse and Reality with T. Tören (in Turkish) in New Turkey: Capitalism, State, Classes, Tören, T., Kutun, M., (eds.), İstanbul: SAV, 21 – 81.

Kutun, M. 2015 On the Factual Consequences of the Duality Between Politics and Political, in Politsci'15, DAKAM, Istanbul Turkey    

    

Peer Review Journal Articles     

Kutun, M. 2024 (Forthcoming) The (Re)naturalizing and Reshaping of Social Reproduction in Turkey in the New Politics of the Social and Authoritarianism in the Near East: Gender and Youth Politics and Movements, Third World Quarterly – Special Issue, Guest eds. Binbuga B., Kutun M., Yilmaz Z.

Kutun, M. 2024 Understanding the Right-Wing Populist anti-Abortion Politics in Turkey: Symbolic Violence of the State, (1) Intersections. East European Journal of Society and Politics (IEEJSP). 

Kutun, M. 2021 Methodological Limitations of the Prevailing Master- narrative of Authoritarianism in Turkey, Toplum & Bilim (Science and Society), 155. (in Turkish)   

Kutun, M. 2018 Peace Academics from Turkey:  Solidarity until the Peace Comes, Global Labour Journal, 9(1), with T. Tören.      

Kutun, M. 2016 The Long Period of AKP in the Turkish Politics: From the `Rule of Law` to the `Democracy of Friends`, Toplum ve Demokrasi (Society and Democracy), 10 (25-54). (in Turkish)       

Kutun, M. 2014 An Assessment on Form of Neoliberal State as a Political Expression of Capitalist Relationships, Memleket Siyaset ve Yonetim, 18, 22-45. (in Turkish)      

Kutun, M. 2013 Apolitization and Depolitization as a Management Strategy in the Application Process of Neoliberal Economy Policies in Turkey, Praksis, 30-31, 22-  52. (in Turkish)       

Kutun, M. 2012 The Ideological Functions of Identity Policies on Neoliberal Policies: A Critical Assessment of Mainstream Approach, Toplum ve Demokrasi (Society and Democracy), 6, 1- 24. (in Turkish)      

    

Translated: Book and Chapter(s) in Book    

Kutun, M. 2022 Adam Greenfield, Radical Technologies: The Designof Everyday Life, Verso: London, with Çamuroğlu Çığ, E., from English to Turkish in Publishing Process, Epos: Ankara.     

Kutun, M. 2018 Özsu, U., The Question of Form: Methodological Notes on Dialectics and International Law, Praksis, (47), with Dölek, Ç.    

Kutun, M., 2013 Stavros D. Mavroudeas, Social Structure of Articulation in The Elgar   Companion to Marxist Economies, Fine, B., Filho., S., (eds.), Dipnot: Ankara.      

Reviewer

  • Turkish Social Science Association
  •  Praksis Journal
  • Third World Quarterly Journal
  • Alternatif Politika Journal

 

Membership

  • Assoziation für kritische Gesellschaftsforschung (AKG)
  • Academics for Peace – Wissenschaftler_innen für den Frieden Deutschland (AfP)Off University 
  • Editorial Board of Praksis Journal, E-ISSN: 1302-8618   
  • International Initiative for promoting Political Economy Conference / Social Reproduction Research Group (IIPPE)
  • Wissen am Stern (WAS)
  • New-Exile Working Group

Kutun, M. 2024 Legal but not Legitimate: Recent anti-Abortion Policies in Turkey Anthropological Contributions toSexual and Reproductive Health and Rights (SRHR) Future(S): From Theory to Practice and Back July 3-5, AmsterdamNetherland

Kutun, M. 2022 A Right-Wing Populist Response to the Crisis of Social Reproduction: anti-Abortion Politics in Turkey, International Initiative for Promoting Political Economy Conference / Social Reproduction Research Group (IIPPE) 7 – 9 September 2022, Bologna Italy

Kutun, M. 2022 Rising Authoritarianism and the Symbolic Violence of the State:  Abortion policies in Turkey, Challenging Social and Cultural Transformation: Gender and Youth Activism in New Authoritarian Regimes 27-28 May 2022, Humboldt Universität zu Berlin Germany

Kutun, M. 2022 Rising Authoritarianism and the Restructuring of the Social and Cultural Life: Gender policies in Turkey, 72nd PSA Annual International Conference on 11 – 13 April 2022 at the University of York, York UK

Kutun, M. 2021 Introduction to the Bourdieu`s state theory, Herr*Kritt, Kassel Germany

Kutun, M. 2021Academic Freedom and Solidarity after Covid-19, Philipp Schwartz and Inspireurope Stakeholder Forum 26 and 27 April 2021

Kutun, M. 2021 Interrogating Authoritarianism in the era of Post-Truth and Populism:  Lessons from Turkey, Centre for the Study Muslim and Arab World, California State University, April 29.  

Kutun, M. 2019 The Formation of the Migrant Labour Force: Re-reading the Compulsory «Deutschkurs» Books, International Initiative for promoting Political Economy Conference / Social Reproduction Research Group (IIPPE), Lille France.

Kutun, M. 2018 Debates on the State at Ambiguous Times: A Scenario of Rupture and Continuity in Turkey, International Initiative for Promoting Political Economy, Pula Croatia

Kutun, M. 2018 “The Dark Side of the Moon": On the Form of the Capitalist State during the AKP Years, Workshop of Authoritarianism and Resistance in Turkey, Kassel University, ICDD,12– 13May, Kassel Germany

Kutun, M. 2018 State and Academy, Struggling for an Academic Freedom in Time of Oppression, Goethe-University, 18-19 May, Frankfurt Germany  

Kutun, M. 2014 In Politics Beyond the Politics: Two Contrary Directions: Schmitt and Ranciere”, 6th International Conference of Political Economy, 26 September, Kocaeli Turkey,

Kutun, M. 2015 On the Factual consequences of the Duality Between Politics and Political,  Politsci'15. III. International Political Science Conference, 11-12 December, IstanbulTurkey   

Kutun, M. 2015 Neo liberalism, Neo conservatism and Precarioristy of Women in Turkey, with Gürbüz, R., The 33rd International Labour Process Conference, 13-15 April, Athens Greece

 Kutun M. 2014 Seeking for the Theoretical Traces of AKP’s Authoritarianism: An Assessment on Schmitt and Hayek Fourth World Congress for Middle East Studies (WOCMES), 18-22 August, METU-Ankara Turkey