Rethinking Secularism and Identity in Contemporary Türkiye with Dr Ceren Lord

In this episode, we speak with Ceren Lord about religion, identity and political change in contemporary Türkiye. Drawing on her research on secularism, Islamist movements, Alevis and transnational politics, Ceren challenges simplified assumptions about the relationship between religion and the state in Türkiye and argues for a more historically grounded and nuanced understanding of secular politics. The conversation explores the arguments behind her book Religious Politics in Turkey: From the Birth of the Republic to the AKP, the role of identity in shaping competing understandings of secularity and how diaspora communities influence politics across borders. We also discuss her current research on secularity across the Middle East and North Africa, her forthcoming monograph Divided We Stand: Identity Strategies in the Wake of Conflict, and how her experience beyond academia has informed her approach to political research. Finally, Ceren reflects on the importance of creating platforms for innovative scholarship through the BIAA–I.B. Tauris Contemporary Turkey Series.