The Authoritarians Strike Back: A Cautionary Tale from Turkey (TCOA 10)

After a brief respite we are back in The Caves of Altamira with Turkish political journalist Sevgi Akarcesme. Due to the increasingly dangerous situation for independent journalists in Turkey, Sevgi has been living in exile in the U.S. for nearly 5 years. Her harrowing story tells us not only a great deal about the rise of despotism in Turkey but also the gathering pace of authoritarianism across the globe. Despite being forced to flee Turkey, Sevgi has continued to give lectures across the U.S. to raise awareness and speak out against the Erdogan regime. She has also appeared on multiple TV news programs including the BBC and has had several of her columns featured in the New York Times (links below). This is an important conversation, and we are fortunate to have such a distinguished, knowledgeable, and courageous activist join us here in the caves.

Sevgi’s New York Times op-eds:

https://www.nytimes.com/2016/03/09/opinion/recep-tayyip-erdogans-despotic-zeal.html

https://www.nytimes.com/2016/09/15/opinion/turkeys-intelligentsia-kneels-to-erdogan.html