Sossie Kasbarian

My current research project brings together my twin areas of expertise – contemporary Middle East politics, and Diaspora Studies - focussing on how political activism in the diasporic space - in self or state-imposed exile – functions, creating momentum within the host state, the transnational realm and the place of origin.

I have recently co-edited a special issue of the journal Patterns of Prejudice (May2014) which focuses on Armenian-Turkish relations at the level of civil society. I am particularly interested in what kind of role non-state actors can play in entrenched conflicts, in unravelling and coming to terms with contested histories and memories, and in altering the framework of the debate on the level of civil society. I develop this case in my continuing research (and forthcoming publications) on contemporary Turkey.