Curriculum Vitae (English) - Department of Political Science and ...

AYSEN CANDAS
Department of Political Science
and International Relations
Bogazici University
Bebek 34342 Istanbul
(90)(212)359-6514
aysen.candas@boun.edu.tr
EDUCATION
COLUMBIA UNIVERSITY, NEW YORK, NY
Ph.D. in Political Science, May 2005.
MPhil. in Political Science, May 1999.
Examination fields: Political Theory, Comparative Politics.
Dissertation: “The Priority of Political Rights Thesis in Political Theory: Procedural
Democracy’s Invisible Hand?”
Committee: Ira Katznelson (Chair), Thomas Pogge (advisor), Jean Cohen, Jeremy Waldron,
Robert Amdur.
Abstract: Through a critical and reconstructive re-reading of Rawls’ and Habermas’
understandings of the relationship between political rights and social rights, the dissertation
argues that neither Rawls’ notion of priority of liberty nor Habermas’ notion of co-originality
of rights secure the foundation of social rights as the rights that guarantee the equally
effective exercisability of political rights by every member of a constitutional democracy.
Ironically, the authors’ early writings on social justice and equality would deliver a better
account than the current one that these authors have delivered in their later years which
would secure the status of social rights as co-original and as preconditions of procedural
democracy.
Dissertation Committee: Ira Katznelson, Thomas Pogge, Jean Cohen, Jeremy Waldron,
Robert Amdur
BOGAZICI UNIVERSITY, ISTANBUL, TURKEY
B.A. in Political Science and International Relations, June 1992.
FELLOWSHIPS AND AWARDS
May 2012 Milliyet’s Orsan Oymen Memorial Award, Best Research of the Year:2011 (with
Volkan Yilmaz) “Inequalities in Turkey” (Milliyet 2011 Örsan Öymen Anısına Yılın İnceleme
Ödülü (Volkan Yılmaz ile) “Türkiye’de Eşitsizlikler” )
June 2009 Excellence in Teaching, Bogazici University

CURRENT AND COMPLETED RESEARCH
Right to Privacy in Turkey: Theoretical and Empirical Singularities
Bogazici Uni., BAP Project, ongoing since October 2011
This research project is seeking to define the specificity of the approaches to the “private”
and “privacy” in the literature on Turkey, utilizing the international scholarly literature on the
right to privacy in the post-2001 period. Hoping to make a theoretical contribution as well to
the conceptual discussion of the right to privacy, this research will examine the national and
international legal framework and implementations and contemporary political debates in the
media. Furthermore, in-depth interviews will be conducted with the individuals legally or
politically involved in the matters related to the right to privacy. Based on these empirical
data, the project will describe the definition, interpretation and implementation problems
about the right to privacy in Turkey. Through scholarly publication utilizing the conceptual
and empirical findings, this research aims at introducing a minimum perspective, which can
be put forward against violations of the right even in times of crisis.
Free Lunch at School, Bogazici University Social Policy Forum
The project entitled Free Lunch at School is a policy-oriented study aiming to situate the
implementation of universal free lunch programs at primary schools within the social policy
domain in Turkey. The framework of the proposed project would be constructed via review
and analysis of the existing literature covering the design, justification and funding issues
surrounding the school feeding programs around the world, which have been prioritized in
the policy agendas of several countries mostly after the 2000s. A detailed examination of the
literature dealing with the impact of different school feeding projects launched under
different models on variables such as hunger at school, enrollment rates and achievement at
school would be presented. These desk reviews would be complemented by in-depth
interviews with the social actors so as to collect extensive information to help constructing
school feeding programs for Turkey.
The general aim of this project is to propose a universal (provided to all students in the
school) free lunch program in targeted schools in deprived neighborhoods as a social policy
recommendation. In this respect, the project aims to develop an applicable school feeding
model for Turkey supported by our study that will cover the literature review of the school
feeding programs in different countries and in-depth interviews with the social actors in the
field. Free Lunch at School project handling aims to approach the issue within the realm of
social rights in tackling permanent and intergenerational social inequalities This project is
being funded by the Open Society Foundation and Bogazici University.
Project Team: Prof. Ayşe Buğra (Bogazici University Ataturk Instiute and Social Policy Forum)
– project consultant, Assist. Prof. Ayşen Candaş (Bogazici University Department of Political
Science and International Relations), Başak Ekim Akkan (Bogazici University Social Policy
Forum), Sevda Gunseli (Ph.D. Student, Bogazici University Ataturk Institute) and Mehmet
Baki Deniz (Ph.D. Student, Bogazici University Ataturk Institute)
Project Period: 5 months (01.11.2010-01.04.2011)
Inequalities in Turkey: Search for a Comprehensive Conceptual Framework,
Bogazici University Social Policy Forum
In the project titled Inequalities in Turkey: Search for a Comprehensive Conceptual
Framework, Social Policy Forum researchers aim to reexamine recent macro data on income
distribution, employment, social security, social services and assistance, education, health
and political representation in Turkey with respect to their interrelations with one another. In

light of this, we propose to develop a holistic conceptual framework on inequalities in
Turkey. Inequalities in the areas mentioned above will be scrutinized with respect to the
categories of age, sex, disability, social class, ethnicity, religion and/or belief and sexual
orientation and this bundle of inequalities will be discussed within the framework of
institutionalizing equal citizenship status. The ultimate objective of the project is to
contribute to the public discussions on social inequalities. This project is funded by Open
Society Foundation, Friedrich Ebert Stiftung and Boğaziçi University.
Project team: Prof. Ayşe Buğra, Assist. Prof. Ayşen Candaş, Volkan Yılmaz and Burcu Yakut
Çakar
Project period: May 2009-June 2010; completed
Finding presented at an International Conference in Bogazici University on June 25, 2010.
The research received Orsan Oymen Memorial Award 2011 in Best Research of the Year:
2011 category (with Volkan Yilmaz)
PUBLICATIONS IN ENGLISH
Ozalay-Sanlı, Eren and Candas, Aysen (2011) Turkish Nationalism, Identity and Foreign
Policy in Comparative Perspective, Bogazici Journal 25: 2, 1-5
Bugra, Ayşe and Candas, Aysen (2011) 'Change and Continuity under an Eclectic Social
Security Regime: The Case of Turkey', Middle Eastern Studies, 47: 3, 515-528
Candas, Aysen and Bugra, Ayse (2010) “Solidarity among Strangers: A Problem of
Coexistence in Turkey,” Constellations, Volume 17, Number 2, pp. 293-311.
Book Reviews:
Islam, Democracy and Dialogue in Turkey: Deliberating in Divided Societies by Bora Kanra,
Mesa Bulletin, forthcoming
Writing Turkey: Explorations in Turkish History, Politics and Cultural Identity, ed. Gerald
MacLean, Mesa Bulletin, Vol. 43, Number 2, Winter 2009, pp. 274-276.
Book chapters:
Yilmaz, Hakan and Candas, Aysen (2012) "The Paradox of Equality: Subjective Attitudes
towards Basic Rights in Turkey" in Turkey' s Democracy and Democratization Process,
(Routledge: London, book chapter, forthcoming)
RESEARCH PUBLICATIONS
Candas, Aysen and Yılmaz, Volkan (2012) Türkiye’de Eşitsizlikler Boğaziçi Üniversitesi Sosyal
Politika Forumu, Friedrich Ebert Stiftung, TÜSES İstanbul: Bilnet Matbaacılık (forthcoming)
Candas, Aysen, Ekim-Akkan, B, Gunseli S and Deniz, MB (2011) Devlet İlköğretim
Okullarında Ücretsiz Öğle Yemeği Sağlamak Mümkün mü? : Farklı Ülke Modelleri ve
Türkiye’ye Yönelik Öneriler, Boğaziçi Üniversitesi Sosyal Politika Forumu ve Açık Toplum
Vakfı, İstanbul: İmak Ofset (88 pages)
PUBLICATIONS IN TURKISH

“Güzel Anayasa Cümlelerinin Ötesinde Ekolojik Vatandaşlık,” (Ecological Citizenship: Beyond
Beautifully Written Constitution Articles), 2011, in M. Boynudelik ed., Ekolojik Anayasa
(Ecological Constitution)Yeni Insan Yayinevi: Istanbul
“Cassandra Olma Zamanıdır: Çarpışan Boyutlarıyla Kimlik Siyaseti, Özgürlüğün Koşulları ve
Sonuçları Arasında Anayasal Siyaset Yapma Zorunluluğu” (Time to Be a Cassandra: Colliding
Dimensions of Identity Politics, The Need for Constitutional Politics distinguishing between
the conditions and the consequences of freedom), 2011, in A. Erol ed., Antihomofobi 3,
Ayrinti Basimevi: Ankara
“Antidemokratik Nomostan Pozitif Hukuka… Ya da Demokratik Ethosa? Demokrasi, Din,
Kadinlar ve Esitligin Henuz olmayan Siyaseti,” (From antidemocratic nomos to positive law?…
or to Democratic Ethos? Democracy, Religion, Women and the Absent Politics of Equality
that is yet to come), August 2009, Heinrich Böll Stiftung Dernegi, Sena Ofset: Istanbul
“Muhalefet, Demokrasi, Hem Politik Hem de Liberal Bir Hak Olarak Düşünce ve İfade
Özgürlüğü” (Political Opposition, Democracy, and the Freedom of Thought and Expression as
both a Liberal and a Political Right) Türkiye’de İfade Özgürlüğü, Nisan 2009, BGST Yayınlari:
Istanbul, pp. 79-97.
“Anayasal Demokrasinin Paradoksu: Demokratik Meşruiyet ve Hukukun Üstünlüğü” (The
Paradox of Constitutional Democracy: Democratic Legitimacy and the Rule of Law) Osmanlı
Bankası Arşiv ve Araştırma Merkezi; Istanbul, 2008.
“Tarihselcilik, Tarihselleştirme, Tarihsizleştirme: Akıl-Vicdan ve Adalet” (Historicism,
Historicization, De-historicization: Reason-Conscience and Justice) Osmanlı Bankası Arşiv ve
Araştırma Merkezi; İstanbul, 2007, pp. 33-41.
“Habermas ve Sosyal Hakların Meşruiyeti” (Habermas and the Legitimacy of Social Rights),
Toplum ve Bilim, 110: 2007.
CONVENED and ORGANIZED CONFERENCES
Dilemmas of Citizenship in the Contemporary Age -Conference Honoring Professor Faruk
Birtek - Rectorate Conference Hall, Istanbul, May 25, 2011.
Opening Speech - Seyla BENHABIB
I. Citizenship- Historical and Sociological Perspectives
Aysen CANDAS- Moderator, Meltem AHISKA, Michael MANN
II. Citizenship- Constitutional and Normative Perspectives
Ilkay SUNAR – Moderator, Abbas VALI, Ira KATZNELSON, Claus OFFE
Concluding Remarks – Faruk BIRTEK and Seyla BENHABIB
PAPERS, PRESENTATIONS, WORKSHOPS
Transforming Economic Power to Advance Women’s Rights and Justice, AWID
International Forum, April 19-22, 2012, Istanbul.
Women, Poverty and Human Rights: A Two-Day Learning Programme, April 17-18,
Istanbul
Regional workshop on “Women and the Arab Spring” organized by the European Forum for
Democracy and Solidarity and KA-DER, March 16-18, 2012, Istanbul

“Women and Constitution,” presentation at the Grand National Assembly’s Women and Men
Equality of Opportunity Subcommission, Ankara, February 23, 2012.
“High hopes and high stakes attached to the possibility of writing a new constitution in
Turkey,” CIEE Istanbul Study Center of Koç University Seminars, Bogazici University John
Freely room, June 23, 2011.
"Inequalities in Turkey: Multi-dimensional and Entrenched" J116, Cowdray House,
Department of Contemporary Turkish Studies, LSE, London, March 7, 2011.
“Prerequisites of Democracy,” presented at "Establishing Order," International Conference
conducted by Yale University MESS in Istanbul, Turkey, July 17-18, 2010.
“Entrenched Inequalities in Turkey,” findings of the research project Inequalities in Turkey,
presented at the International Conference on Entrenched Inequalities, Bogazici University,
June 25, 2010, for press coverage of the project in English, see
http://www.hurriyetdailynews.com/n.php?n=inequalities-are-deep-in-turkey-and-womensuffer-the-most-2010-07-22
Modernization processes in Comparative Perspective: Sweden and Turkey, workshop at
University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, March 5, 2010.
“On Artificial Solidarity, Double Moral Codes and Heteronomy,” paper presented at MESS
Workshop, Department of Political Science at Yale University, New Haven, USA, February 5,
2010.
“Rawls, Justice and Basic Structure,” paper presented at Bahcesehir University, Political
Science and International Relations Seminars, January 7, 2010, Istanbul.
“Basic Attitudes of Turkey’s Inhabitants towards Basic Rights: Two Paradoxes,” CSD.03/070
Problems of Europeanization and European Perceptions of Turkey as a Future Member State,
First Academic Workshop, Madrid, Spain, June 18-21 2009
Symposium and Public Panel Discussion on Nationalism, Human Rights and the Value of
Culture: The Kurdish Issues, December 11 2008, Lund University, Sweden
Heinrich Böll Stiftung, Religion and Democracy Conference, November 29-30, 2008,Istanbul
Reset: Dialogues on Civilizations, Istanbul Seminars, “Muslim Democracy and Constitutional
Democracy: Rise of New Forms of Exclusion?”, Bilgi University, June 2008.
Article online at http://www.resetdoc.org/EN/Turkey-bilgen.php (in English, translated into
Italian)
Interview with Turkish Daily News, “Professors seek comprehensive reforms” April 26, 2008,
can be viewed at http://www.turkishdailynews.com.tr/article.php?enewsid=102842
Citizens Without Boundaries, European Values in a Global Context? Perspectives from Turkey
and Sweden, “Basic Rights in Turkey”, Malmö, Sweden, March 27, 2008.
Citizens Without Boundaries, “Are All Recognition Claims Created Equal?” Lund University,
Sweden, March 26, 2008.
“Anayasal Demokrasinin Paradoksu: Demokratik Meşruiyet ve Hukukun Üstünlüğü,”
Aydınlanma ve Hukuk Sempozyumu, Osmanlı Bankası Műzesi, Nov-Dec 2007.

"Tarihselcilik, Tarihselleştirme, Tarihsizleştirme: Akıl-Vicdan ve Adalet," Aydınlanma
Sempozyumu, Osmanlı Bankası Műzesi, May 2007.
“Hobbesian Security Paradigm and the Politics of Fear,” International Scholars Association,
Chicago February-March 2007 can be accessed at
http://citation.allacademic.com/meta/p_mla_apa_research_citation/1/8/1/1/2/pages181126/
p181126-19.php
“Habermas’ Deliberative Democracy Model and the Problem of Preconditions of Democracy”
Political Theory Workshop, Columbia University, October 2002.
“Grand Illusion: Preeminence of Civil and Political Rights over Social and Economic Rights,:
Columbia University Center for Human Rights, September 2001.
“On Free Will-Agape Relationship: St. Augustine and Kierkegaard,” Columbia University Social
Theory Workshop, November 1999.
“Two Notions of Universalism,” Columbia University, Multiculturalism Workshop, November
1998.
“Theory of the State vs. History as Becoming: A Critical Review,” Columbia University, The
State workshop, May 1998.
WRITINGS ON CONSTITUTION-MAKING IN TURKEY
AKP, "BLOK", CHP ve "Kadınlar" [07 Haziran 2011]
AKP, "BLOK", CHP ve "Temel Haklar" [06 Haziran 2011]
AKP, "BLOK", CHP ve "Yerel Yönetimler" [08 Haziran 2011]
AKP, "BLOK", CHP ve "Emek ve Sosyal Haklar" [07 Haziran 2011], Bianet,
http://bianet.org/yazar/aysen-candas
Eşit Statünün Değişmezliği Anlamında Demokrasi: Nasıl bir Egemenlik? Nasıl Bir Rıza?
Radikal, 31.5.2011
http://www.radikal.com.tr/Radikal.aspx?aType=RadikalEklerDetayV3&ArticleID=1051152&Da
te=31.05.2011&CategoryID=42
Ekolojik Anayasa Konferansı 15 Mayıs 2011 Cezayir, presentation published in EKO IQ,
Temmuz-Agustos 2011, Sayi: 10.
Sivil Toplumun Anayasa Sürecine Katılımında Dört Tuzak 11 Şubat 2011 Cezayir
http://bianet.org/biamag/bianet/127919-sivil-toplumun-anayasa-surecine-katiliminda-dorttuzak
Yeni Anayasaya Giderken: Olmazsa Olmazlar Listesi
Herkesin Anayasası Hareketi Taksim Hill Otel, 29-30 Ocak 2011
http://bianet.org/biamag/siyaset/127853-yeni-anayasaya-giderken-olmazsa-olmazlar-listesi
Nasıl bir Anayasa? BÜMED Dergi, Ekim 2010.
Anayasaların Yapım Süreçleri Üzerine Ayşen Candaş ile Söyleşi, Kültür ve Siyasette Feminist
Yaklaşımlar; Sayı: 12, 2010.
Dünyada Anayasa Yazımı, Radikal, 25.4.2010,

http://www.radikal.com.tr/Radikal.aspx?aType=RadikalEklerDetayV3&ArticleID=993336&Dat
e=24.10.2011&CategoryID=42
PROFESSIONAL SERVICE
Guest Editor of Bogazici Journal, Winter 2012
Acting Executive Director of Social Policy Forum October 2011-August 2012
Referee in IBF Journal
Member of the Executive Committee, Social Policy Forum, Bogazici University, Istanbul
Member of the Executive Committee, Turkish Political Science Association
Refereed for the academic journals:
Parliamentary Affairs
South European Society and Politics
Bogaziçi Journal
Akdeniz Universitesi IIBF Dergi
The Sociological Review
Politics
Theoria
TEACHING EXPERIENCE
Assistant Professor, Bogaziçi University
Department of Political Science and International Relations
9/2005-present
Teaching Assistant, Barnard College and Columbia University
1997-2004
LANGUAGES
Turkish (native), English (advanced), German (reading competence), French (elementary)
RESEARCH FIELDS
Critical Theory, Theories of Democracy, Theories of Justice, Constitutionalism and
Legitimacy, Theories of Rights, Theories of State, Foundations of Political and Social Theory