Education
 

Ph.D., Political Science, Florida International University, 2023

• Dissertation: The Opposition Strategies towards Populism in Turkey and Hungary
• Subfields: Comparative Politics and American Politics
• Advisor: Dr. Tatiana Kostadinova 

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Ph.D., Political Science, and International Relations, Bahçeşehir University, 2018
• Dissertation: Political Clientelism and Democracy: Evidence from Argentina, Brazil, and Mexico
• Advisor: Dr. Ebru Canan-Sokullu

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M.A., Philosophy and Social Thought, Istanbul Bilgi University, 2013
• Thesis: Nationalism: The Case of Football in Turkey in Discursive and non-Discursive Practices”
• Advisor: Dr. Ferda Keskin

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B.A., Political Science and International Relations, Bahçeşehir University, 2011

 

Academic Positions
Teaching Assistant, Fall 2017-Fall 2021

Florida International University

Department of Politics and International Relations

Teaching Assistant, Fall 2012-Spring 2015

Bahçeşehir University 

Graduate School of Social Sciences

 

Other Positions
Administrative Assistant. Fall 2012-Spring 2015

Bahçeşehir University 

Graduate School of Social Science
Thesis Editor, Fall 2014-Spring 2015

Bahçeşehir University 

Graduate School of Social Science

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Internship
Organizational and Research Assistant, Spring 2010-Spring 2011
Bahçeşehir University
School of Government and Leadership/American Studies Center 

• School of Politics Certificate Program

• School of Diplomacy Certificate Program

• School of Local Government Certificate Program

• Global Leadership Forum Certificate Program 

 

Research Interests
Political Parties, Populism, Democratic Backsliding, Opposition, Turkey, Hungary, Developing Countries

 

Teaching Interests
Comparative Politics, Comparative Electoral Systems, Party Politics, Democratic Erosion, American Government, Middle East Politics, Central and Eastern European Politics, South American Politics

 

Publications
Hekimci, Dilara. “Populism against Authoritarian Successor Parties in Turkey and Hungary”, Journal of Contemporary European Studies. (Accepted manuscript for Special Issue on “Populism and the Past”)
(2020) “The Rise of The Democracy-Authoritarianism Cleavage and Opposition Coordination in Turkey (2014–2019)” with Orçun Selçuk in Democratization, 27:8 1496-1514, DOI: 10.1080/13510347.2020.1803841
(2019) “The Erdoğanization of Turkish Politics and the Role of the Opposition” with Orçun Selçuk and Onur Erpul in Southeast European and Black Sea Studies, 19:4, 541-564,  DOI: 10.1080/14683857.2019.1689902

 

Proceedings
(2013) “The Kurdish Issue and the Role of Sports in the Perspective of Banal Nationalism: Analysis of Diyarbakirspor” in Turkish Historical Society, Ankara, Turkey

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Other Publications
(2014). “Syria Falls from Grace: The Rise of Sectarianism and Radicalism” with Selma Bardakcı and Ertugrul Genc in Democracy and Society, 12(1), Georgetown University Publishing, 10-13. 

(2014). “Challenges in Democratic Consolidation: The Impact of AKP in Turkey” with Selma Bardakcı and Ertugrul Genc in Democracy and Society, 11(2), Georgetown University Publishing, 2-5.

 

Courses Served as a Teaching Assistant
Introduction to American Government (2 sections)
Authoritarians and Democrats (1 section)
Democratic Transitions (1 section)
Comparative Electoral Behavior (1 section)
Interest Groups Politics (1 section)
Environmental Politics (2 sections)
American Federalism and Intergovernmental Relations (1 section)
Middle East Politics (2 sections)
Introduction to American Political History (2 sections)
Sex, Power, and Politics (1 section)
Ancient and Medieval Political Theory (1 section)

Courses Served as an Instructor
Introduction to American Government (1 section)
Comparative Politics: Theory and Practice (1 section)
Introduction to Comparative Politics (1 section

 

Fellowships and Grants 
(Spring-Summer 2022) Dissertation Year Fellowship (DYF) by University Graduate School at FIU ($16,600)
(Summer 2021) Doctoral Evidence Acquisition Fellowship (DEA) by University Graduate School at FIU ($8,300)
(2021) UGS-GSRSP ($1,200)
(2021) ASMEA Research Grant ($2,500)
(2020) ASMEA Research Grant ($2,500)
(2018) SPSA Annual Meeting Travel Grant ($300).
(2018) ASMEA Annual Meeting Travel Grant ($500)
(2017) SPSA Annual Meeting Travel Grant ($300)

 

Awards
(2021) Best Paper Award in Political Science by the Department of Politics and International Relations at FIU
(2018) Best Teaching Assistant in Political Science by the Department of Politics and International Relations at FIU
(2013) Istanbul Bilgi University Good Standing Student Award 
(2011) Bahçeşehir University High Honor Student Award
(2007) Evrim High School Valedictorian Award  

 

Language Skills
Turkish (native), English (fluent), Italian (beginner)

Computer Skills
STATA, SPSS, NVivo, Blackboard, Canvas.

 

Conference Papers and Presentations
(2021) “Opposition Strategies towards Populism in Turkey: Social Media as an Alternative?” at the annual meeting of the Association for the Study of the Middle East and Africa in Washington D.C.

(2021) “Measuring Personalism: Voting for a Populist Leader in Russia and Turkey” with Tatiana Kostadinova at the annual meeting of the American Political Science Association (virtual).

(2021) “The Rise of Democracy-Authoritarianism Cleavage in the US, Turkey, and Hungary” with Orçun Selçuk at American Political Science Association (virtual).

(2021) “Populism against Authoritarian Successor Parties in Turkey and Hungary” at the annual meeting of the International Political Science Association.
(2020) “Playing the Victim Card: Populism against the Authoritarian Baggage of the Opposition in Turkey” at the annual meeting of the Association for the Study of the Middle East and Africa (virtual).
(2020) “The Democracy-Authoritarianism Cleavage and the Opposition Coordination” with Orcun Selcuk at American Political Science Association (virtual).
(2019) “Refoundational Change? Populism against Authoritarian Successor Parties” at the annual meeting of the American Political Science Association in Washington D.C.
(2019) “Maintaining the Clientelistic Networks: Party Building and Authoritarian Successor Parties in Latin America” at the annual meeting of the Latin American Studies Association in Boston, Massachusetts. 
(2019) “Surviving the Waves: CHP as an Authoritarian Successor Party in Turkey at the annual meeting of the Midwest Political Science Association in Chicago, Illinois.
(2019) “The Erdoğanization of Turkish Politics (2011-2014)” with Orçun Selçuk and Onur Erpul at the annual meeting of the Midwest Political Science Association in Chicago, Illinois.
(2018) “The Erdoğanization of Turkish Politics and the Role of the Opposition” with Orçun Selçuk and Onur Erpul at the annual meeting of the Association for the Study of the Middle East and Africa in Washington DC.
(2018) “Soccer and Its Impact on Identity in Turkey: The Role of Sports Media” at the annual meeting of the Western Political Science Association, San Francisco, California. 
(2018) “Social Media and Its Impact on Polarization in the United States” at the annual meeting of the Florida Political Science Association in Fort Myers, Florida.
(2018) “Ethno-religious Aspect of Identity and Citizenship in Turkey” at the annual meeting of the Southern Political Science Association, New Orleans.
(2017) “The Role of Religion in the Establishment of Turkishness” at the annual meeting of the Southern Political Science Association, New Orleans.
(2016) “The Syrian Refugee Crisis and Its Impact on Turkish Domestic and Foreign Policy” at the annual meeting of the Association for the Middle East and Africa, Washington D.C. 
(2016) “Identity and Soccer: A Comparative Analysis of Spain and Turkey” at the annual meeting of the Midwest Political Science Association, Chicago, Illinois.
(2016). “Vote Buying, Constituents, and Democracy: A Comparative Analysis of Turkey and Argentina” at the annual meeting of the Florida Political Science Association in Lakeland, Florida.
(2015) “Unification with Eleven People: Football and Nationalism in Turkey” the annual meeting of the Turkish Political Science Association, Canakkale, Turkey, 2015.

 

Professional Service
(2019) Discussant in the panel, “Political Parties in Emerging and Declining Democracies” at the annual meeting of Midwest Political Science Association in Chicago, Illinois.
(2019) Chair and discussant of the Standing ePanel, “Democratization and Democratic Backsliding” at the annual meeting of the Midwest Political Science Association in Chicago, Illinois.
 

Professional Certification 
FIU Center for the Advancement of Teaching Certificate 
Florida Educator’s Certificate (Social Sciences Grades 6-12)

 

Professional Memberships

• American Political Science Association

• Comparative Politics

• Comparative Democratization

• European Politics & Society 

• Midwest Political Science Association

• International Political Science Association