With another decree, we are back to business: –– Decision on the Repeal of Presidential Decree No. 11384 of May 21, 2026, Regarding the Revocation of the Operating License of Istanbul Bilgi University, to Which a Trustee Was Appointed for Its Founding Foundation (Decision No. 11387)
All of us received the news through an official gazette announcement. Istanbul Bilgi University’s operating license was revoked by a midnight presidential decree published in the Official Gazette. Just like that, more than 900 academics, 600 personnel, and around 20,000 students are left upset. After 22 years at Bilgi, I do not know what the … Read more
A new phase in the Israel–Hezbollah confrontation appears to be emerging in southern Lebanon: the growing use of fiber-optic first-person-view drones, or FPV drones, by Hezbollah. These small, low-cost systems are not decisive weapons on their own, but they have exposed a significant vulnerability in Israel’s battlefield defenses, especially against short-range, low-flying threats that are … Read more
“There Is No Neutral Machine: The Necessary Contribution of Social Sciences and Humanities to AI” Keynote Speech — Erkan Saka Critical AI Studies Conference, Istanbul Bilgi University, 9 May 2026 [Formatted by using Claude.ai] To understand AI, we must stop treating it as a purely technical or mathematical achievement. And to explain why this matters, … Read more
I wanted to collect propaganda content for all sides during the war for the record. Here is what ChatGPT’s deep research found out. It looks like this is not just propaganda in the traditional sense, but a platform-native propaganda system, where states, semi-state actors, and meme producers operate within the same attention economy. How I … Read more
Of course, if only Israel allow it… Reactions to the Iran-US-Israel Two-Week Ceasefire (April 8, 2026) Overview On April 7–8, 2026, the United States and Iran agreed to a two-week ceasefire, announced just under two hours before President Donald Trump’s deadline for Iran to reopen the Strait of Hormuz or face devastating attacks on its … Read more
My TV Turkish Serials Subreddit receives more than 95 thousand visits weekly, and my colleague Alper Kırklar and I decided to curate an edited volume on Turkish Television Series. The series’ global attraction is definitely unintended, but all over the world, I come across people asking me about a particular Turkish series. So here we … Read more
Here comes the new episode for Thoughts on academic life There has always been self‑promotion in academia. People mailed offprints, boasted about books, dropped famous names at dinner. But the contemporary landscape is qualitatively different: platformized, metricized, gamified.[6][8] Academics now operate across multiple, interconnected arenas: Citation and profile platforms: Google Scholar, Scopus IDs, ORCID, ResearchGate, … Read more
Key Insights by Merlin AI HISTORY OF TED TED was co-founded in 1984 by Richard Saul Worman and Harry Markx, initially as a conference focused on technology, entertainment, and design. The first TED conference featured groundbreaking demonstrations, such as early compact discs and Apple Macintosh presentations, but faced financial challenges, leading to a six-year hiatus. … Read more
When I saw this A wave of posts claimed Benjamin Netanyahu was dead. Here’s how it spread. I realized it is time to update the disinformation patterns: Disinformation and War Propaganda in the Iran-Israel-US War (As of 23 March 2026) Overview Since Operation Epic Fury began on 28 February 2026, the Iran-Israel-US conflict has generated … Read more
Below is a broad, data-style mapping of the educational careers of leading Iranian and U.S. political/military figures involved in the 2026 war, separated into living and killed leaders where relevant. Iranian leaders (living) Name Role in 2026 war Highest/primary education & training Type Mojtaba Khamenei New Supreme Leader Seminary studies in Qom; mid‑level clerical … Read more
Key Insights by [Merlin AI](https://merlin.foyer.work/) Impact of AI on Employment Opportunities – The unemployment rate for recent college graduates (ages 22-27) has risen to 5.8%, nearly double the rate for older workers with degrees. – Industries like finance and insurance have seen a 14% drop in youth employment between 2010 and 2024, reducing job opportunities … Read more
Today I was invited to a talk at CNBCE Turkey. The topic was, of course, war, AI, and disinformation. While I was preparing for the talk, I updated my previous report on disinformation in the current war. A few instances of interest: 1- Unconfirmed stories on X and in some regional outlets allege that Quds Force … Read more
Nobody will cry after the corporate consulting, but in this state of affairs, they will continue to profit. I am sure! Key Insights by Merlin AI The Legacy of Swiss Air: A Cautionary Tale Swiss Air was once celebrated as a national symbol of Switzerland, known for its exceptional quality and financial strength, earning the … Read more
As Israel and the US are planning to support Kurdish militias on the ground against Iran, here is a reminder: There is no single agreed-upon number, but historians and journalists usually highlight 4–7 major episodes where US policy is widely described as “betraying” the Kurds.[1][2][3] Post‑World War I promises (1920s): Kurds point to US and … Read more