Begum Zorlu

(City St Georges, University of London)

Primary mentor: Dr Sasikumar Sundaram

Second mentor: Dr Baris Cayli Messina

Research topic title: Global South Populism and the Contestation of the Global Order

Research project description: This project explores how the rise of populist authoritarian leadership in the Global South is reshaping the dynamics of international politics, with a focus on Turkey and Venezuela. It examines how these states challenge the global order through new forms of partnerships, evolving security narratives, and assertive foreign policy strategies. The research addresses three core themes. First, it investigates how populist leaders form cross-ideological partnerships that contest dominant global norms, shedding light on solidaristic relationships that defy traditional rules of international engagement. Second, it examines how populism transforms security discourses within countries, particularly how populist governments frame domestic opposition as foreign threats to justify crackdowns and the erosion of democratic rights. Third, it analyzes the use of new technologies like drones as instruments of populist foreign policy, focusing on Turkey’s expanding role in the global arms trade and how military exports are framed as empowering smaller nations to resist global powers—raising critical questions around ethics, human rights, and the future of warfare. Employing contentious frame analysis, the project explores how political narratives evolve and how populist actors continually shape and reshape their identities within changing global contexts. The findings will be shared through international conferences, workshops, and collaborations with research groups, think tanks, and NGOs, with the aim of engaging policymakers and civil society in ongoing debates around foreign policy, democracy, and global governance in an era marked by the rise of populism.

What I have achieved as part of my fellowship:

As a SENSS Postdoctoral Fellow at City, St George’s, University of London, I am conducting a project titled “Global South Populism and the Contestation of the Global Order.”  This project examines how the rise of populist authoritarianism in the Global South is reshaping political practices, focusing on Turkey and Venezuela through three core themes: the formation of cross-ideological solidarities challenging the international order, the securitisation of domestic opposition as a means of repression, and the use of emerging technologies as tools of populist foreign policy. 

 In addition to preparing academic publications, I have been hosting the Voices on Global Populism podcast, where I engage scholars and practitioners in conversations about the global dimensions of populist politics. I have also written academic blog posts, including a recent piece for the LSE Human Rights Blog on Turkey’s drone exports from a human rights perspective. 

I have presented research findings from this project at conferences and workshops, including the Political Studies Association (PSA) Annual Conference, where I focused on the securitisation of the opposition in comparative perspective. I have also delivered talks at institutions such as the University of Lincoln and the University of Copenhagen on the convergence of Venezuela and Turkey in their foreign policy. On July 1st, I will be delivering a public undergraduate lecture on the ethics of drone warfare  in partnership with the British International Studies Association.

Publications:

PSA Blog, Is Turkey Starting a New Peace Process with the PKK?

LSE Human Rights Blog, A human rights perspective on Turkey’s drone exports

PSA Blog, Approaching the Turkish Elections with a Global Lens

PSA Blog, Tensions Rising in The Mediterranean: The Interplay of Domestic and Foreign Policy in Turkey

Editor, Co-author, Methodological Approaches in Kurdish Studies Theoretical and Practical Insights from the Field

Planned publications:

- Populist Empathy: The Politics of Solidarity Between Venezuela and Turkey

- Securitisation and Authoritarianism in Turkey and Venezuela

- The Drone Effect: Populist Foreign Policy and Technological Nationalism

Contact details:

Email: begumzorlu@gmail.com

BlueSky: @begumzorlu.bsky.social