Erkan proudly announces: Ushahidi in Turkish (Seçim Takip)

[that’s why there is not much posting in the blog recently] My MA course, Issues in Cyberculture Studies (MED 512) is about to give fruit! We have just launched an election monitoring project that is based on the well known Ushahidi software.  We had been working on the Turkish version of this open source software … Read more

Devlet Bahçeli leads the fun side of elections process… Towards elections in Turkey

Today Mr. Bahçeli made the Twitter trends in Turkey again with a new video…His particular accent creates funny moments… Devlet Bahçeli – Otasasaltık Essnik Vörsun In the mean time, When Erdoğan’s prompter breaks down:)   Mr. Bahçeli’s previous funny moment: Bahçeli Püskevit Original version: püskevitler by bahçeli. Püskevit, Southpark version   Püskevit, Fenerbahçe version Püskevit, … Read more

Towards elections: AKP rises the stakes with the Kanal İstanbul project…

A massive project. Much more imaginative than other parties’ election promises. AKP increasingly relies on grand projects reminding me older dam projects etc by center-right parties… Probably environmental unfriendly, and pro-corporate. (A friend of mine on real estate business already gave me tips about that). Cutting a New Bosphorus Through Istanbul by Jenny White Image … Read more

Toward elections: YSK backs off, Kurdish candidates reinstated.

  Kurds Renew Movement for Civil Rights in Turkey from NYT > Turkey by By LANDON THOMAS JR. Turkey?s Kurds have begun a fresh push to achieve true freedom of representation and the right to be educated in their mother tongue.   What got into the High Election Board? by Fréderike Geerdink Now, the Kurdish … Read more

Congratulations YSK. Now blood spilt in Bismil…

One killed in protests in Turkey’s Southeast by ISTANBUL – Daily News with wires A demonstrator was shot and killed by security forces in the Bismil district of the southeastern Diyarbakır province, broadcaster CNNTürk reported on its website.   Kurdish protesters run away from tear gas during clashes with riot police in a street demonstration … Read more

Today in the election process. AKP’s election manifesto announced, CHP nominates another Ergenekon defendant. A roundup

CHP nominated İlhan Cihaner as a MEP candidate from Denizli. PM Erdoğan promised something like building up two cities around Istanbul… Turkey’s Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan gestures to the audience after announcing his ruling Justice and Development Party’s (AKP) election manifesto in Ankara April 16, 2011. Turkey will hold parliamentary elections on June 12. … Read more

Towards elections: MEP candidate lists announced. A roundup

Nabi Avcı is one of the candidates from AKP. Follow the link for the other candidates Mr. Avcı is my very first professor in my academic career. He was one of our faculty members and one of the most loved ones, before he became an advisor for PM Erdoğan. I wish the latter had listened … Read more

Towards elections: What if current political leaders were women? A campaign to increase awareness for more women candidates…

Check out the blog of Necati Özkan, a political consultant, for more of these campaign posters. If they were women, they would probably be housewives, not politicians… Who’s calling Turkey a police state? | Cengiz Çandar by Cengiz Çandar Freedom of speech is part of the daily routine in Turkey. Western attacks on the Turkish … Read more

Towards elections: Digital natives in Turkey prepare for independent MEP candidates

Notarious İnci Sözlük community gangs up to present independent MEP candidates for the elections in Turkey.  News in Turkish here.  

Towards elections: Probably the best election offer, Paid-for military service, rejected by AKP

I am sure CHP is not very sincere about her proposal still its election promise was the closed to get rid of the mandatory military service for many. And not surprisingly, AKP  leadership, as the new leaders of Establishment, rejected the proposal outright… The CHP?s paid-for military proposal by FATMA DİŞLİ ZIBAK Following its civil … Read more

Another march today for Press Freedom

the March took place in İstiklal Street, Taksim, Istanbul. More photos here. Turkish journalists protest over arrested colleagues AFP It was the latest move in a sprawling probe into Ergenekon, a purported secularist network that allegedly planned assassinations and bombings to spark chaos and prompt a military coup to topple the Justice and Development Party … Read more

“Predetermined” Parliamentary elections on June 12.

Even the main opposition accepts that AKP will lead the elections. The bets are on how much vote it will get… AKP’s current arrogancy is probably due to its being without any substantive alternatives….   Turkey’s general elections to be held on June 12 from Hurriyet Dailynews by ANKARA Daily News Parliament Bureau Parliament approved … Read more