Cana Tülüş Türk
Academic and Administrative Affairs LeadCana Tülüş Türk has been working at the Istanbul Policy Center as an Academic and Administrative Affairs Lead since January 2012. She also teaches comparative politics, contemporary issues in the EU, and the current state of democracy in different universities. She also works as an expert on projects funded by Think Civil, CEPS, and GMF Black Sea Trust.
She completed her Ph.D. in Political Science in 2023 with her thesis titled "Discussing Normative Conceptions on Democracy: The Case of Kırklareli" at Istanbul Bilgi University. Her research focuses on political theory, comparative politics, Turkish politics, European integration, populism and civil society in Turkey. She published book chapters, such as “Democracy in Turkey” (with Fuat Keyman), “Güçlendirilmiş Parlamenter Sistem: İkili Eleştiri, Denge ve Denetleme Sistemi ve Toplumsal Dönüşüm (Reinforced Parliamentary System: Dual Criticism, System of Checks and Balances and Social Transformation)” (with Fuat Keyman), and “Between Conflict and Compromise: Turkey-Russia Relations and the West."
She is a member of the Board of Directors of the Turkey Europe Foundation, a member of the Women in Foreign Policy, and the Scientific Committee of ALDA’s International Summer School on Local Democracy (Venice, September 2025). She is also an alumna of the "Turkey Europe Future Forum," Global Diplomacy Lab, United Europe, and Robert Bosch Foundation programs.
Cana writes a monthly series, Zappa Zamanlar IPC Special Issues, with Prof. Zafer Yenal at Aposto News. She has led IPC's internship program, and mentors students and young professionals through initiatives like Sabancı Volunteers, Young Women in Foreign Policy, and the Boğaziçi University Alumni Association (BUMED).
Previously, she worked as a Projects Assistant and Assistant Projects Specialist at Tohum Autism Foundation. She received her MA in European Studies from Sabancı University and her BA in Political Science and International Relations from Boğaziçi University. During her undergraduate studies, she worked as a short-term intern at Cumhuriyet Newspaper, NTV and the Turkish Parliament.
ActHuman VIII: Advisory Board Meeting on Child Well-Being and Inequalities in Türkiye
In its eighth year, the ActHuman Social Inclusion Initiative, jointly conducted by IPC and İNGEV, focused on child well-being and the multidimensional inequalities affecting children in Türkiye. As part of the study, coordinated and reported by Prof. Dr. Feyza Çorapçı, the ActHuman VIII Advisory Board Meeting was held online on September 29. The meeting addressed education, health and nutrition, income inequality and support for families, participation in social life, and inter-institutional cooperation, with a particular focus on developing concrete social policy recommendations.
ActHuman VII: Empowering Vulnerable Groups with Artificial Intelligence: Risks, Opportunities and Policy Recommendations
In the seventh year of the ActHuman Social Inclusion Initiative, carried out in collaboration between IPC and İNGEV, the program focused on “Empowering Vulnerable Groups with Artificial Intelligence: Risks, Opportunities, and Policy Recommendations,” with Emrehan Aktuğ, Assistant Professor at Sabancı University, serving as rapporteur. The ActHuman VII Advisory Board meeting and workshop were held online on September 11, 2025.
ActHuman VI – “Barriers & Opportunities in Women’s Employment and the Workforce: A Guide to Moving Forward” Report Launch
"IPC and INGEV’s ActHuman VI project report focused on identifying barriers and opportunities to women’s participation in the workforce and providing policy recommendations to support women’s participation and retention in the workforce and their advancement in the workplace. The report was launched on September 12."
“A Companion to Modern Turkey's Centennial: Political, Sociological, Economic and Institutional Transformations since 1923”
The launch event for the book titled A Companion to Modern Turkey's Centennial: Political, Sociological, Economic and Institutional Transformations since 1923 was held at the Istanbul Policy Center in Karaköy.
