Artak Ayunts holds MA degree in Sociology from Yerevan State University, MA degree in Conflict Resolution from Bradford University, Peace Studies Department, United Kingdom. He completed his PhD studies at Yerevan State University in 2004. Dr. Ayunts is an author of more than twenty academic publications and research articles. He was DAAD Fellow at Peace Research Institute Frankfurt in 2012 and Visiting Scholar at the Institute for the Study of Human Rights, Columbia University in 2013. Artak Ayunts has more than ten years of experience in peace research and conflict studies in the South Caucasus and Central Asia. He has also built vast experience in research design conducting qualitative and quantitative studies in the fields of conflict resolution, peace-building, transition democracies and discourse analysis. During the last several years Dr. Ayunts has been engaged with various international and local non-for profit organisations and educational institutions, in particular International Alert, Caucasus Research Resource Center-Armenia, Yerevan State University and UNDP. Currently he is working as the Programme Advisor at Peaceful Change Initiative.

 

 

Talha Köse is the chair and an Associate Professor of Political Science at Ibn Haldun University. Köse has a BA degree from Political Science and International Relations Department of Boğaziçi University (2000) and MA degree from Conflict Analysis and Resolution Program of Sabancı University (2002). Dr. Köse completed his doctoral studies at the School of Conflict Analysis and Resolution (SCAR)-George Mason University in January 2010. His doctoral research focuses on the transformation of Alevi identity within the post-1980 milieu of Turkey. Before joining Ibn Haldun University Köse worked as an Assistant Professor and Chair of Political Science and International Relations department at Istanbul Şehir University. Köse worked as a visiting professor at George Mason University and University Maastricht (Netherlands). Dr. Köse’s research focuses on ethnic, sectarian and religions conflicts and political violence in the Middle East and Conflict Resolution approaches in foreign policy. Köse is an expert in peace processes, Alevi identity and non-coercive approaches in Turkish Foreign Policy. Köse edited and published 3 books in Turkish and published more than 20 academic articles and book chapters both in English and Turkish. His academic articles appeared in journals like Foreign Policy Analysis, Party Politics, Negotiation and Conflict Management Research, International Journal of Intercultural Relations, Identities: Global Studies in Culture and Power, Middle Eastern Studies, Turkish Studies, Insight Turkey, Perceptions, International Relations. Köse worked as a foreign policy and security analyst at the SETA Foundation, which is the leading think tank in Turkey. Köse also worked as the research director of the Washington DC branch of the SETA Foundation. Köse’s TV comments on foreign policy and regional security and op-eds appear frequently in Turkish and International media.