3. What areas of research are you passionate about?

During the time of studies, I took many courses with different topics, but for me the most interesting is related to parallel programming, using multiple processors and GPUs.

4. What are you currently focusing on in your research?

For my course work I made a research about supercomputer performance and how it could be optimized, and for my thesis I’m working on developing a software platform for automatic data processing from molecular dynamics simulations.

5. How does HSE contribute to your academic advancement and progress?

Thanks to HSE, I have had the opportunity to meet people from around the world, to learn from high experienced professors and of course to get knowledge in a field of computer science that was completely new for me. Finally, I would like to thank to professor Grigory Smirnov, head of the International Laboratory for Supercomputer Atomistic Modelling and Multi-scale Analysis at MIEM for all his support during my research work.

Ultimately, the key is for students to remain open-minded, curious, and willing to explore the diverse array of opportunities that political science has to offer, allowing them to make informed decisions about their academic and career paths.

I was now much more interested in studying how politics work at the national level and opted for the academic path. I won a graduate scholarship from the Political Science program at the University of Connecticut, where I completed my MA (2008) and PhD (2012) degrees. My research expertise lies in political regimes, political instability, regime transitions, and energy policy. I also like to read about different topics such as grassroots social movements, women’s rights, and digital democracy.     

2. How did you start working at HSE?

My dissertation project at the University of Connecticut was about energy policy in Russia and Venezuela. I did my fieldwork in Moscow in summer 2011, interviewing many experts in the field of resource politics. I also conducted interviews with some HSE professors at the time, so I got to learn about the university. When I finished my PhD degree in May 2012, I applied to HSE’s School of Politics and Governance for a tenure-track position. I was hired as an assistant professor and started working here in September 2012.

3. How did your academic experience in Turkey differ from your academic experience at HSE?

Unfortunately, my academic experience in Turkey is limited to my student years (2000-2006) at Galatasaray University. I always kept in touch with colleagues in Turkey, participated in talks and events whenever possible, did fieldwork, and wrote about Turkish politics.  However, I have not worked there in any official or professional capacity. Therefore, I don’t really have any basis to answer this question.  

4. What is the focus of your current research?

My ongoing research focuses on political polarization and democratic breakdown. I study these questions with a mixed-methods approach, combining large-N cross-national analysis and in-depth case studies. My first active line of research examines the institutional determinants of political polarization and its effects on democratic survival. I have recently published two articles on this topic and have a third paper under review titled “Road hazards: Does political polarization increase coup likelihood?”. Furthermore, I am preparing a special journal issue on the actor-based explanations of political polarization in different countries around the world.
My second line of research investigates the trajectories of democratic breakdown and authoritarian consolidation. Currently, I am writing a book on this topic titled “The perfect storm: Aspiring autocrats and democratic breakdown in Turkey, Hungary and Venezuela”. The aim of this book is to explain the autocratization process in these three countries over the past two decades under polarizing leaders. I build on some of the hypotheses generated in our earlier article, “Elite survival strategies and authoritarian reversal in Turkey”, that won the Polity Prize for Best Article in 2019. I develop an actor-based framework of democratic breakdown that rests on leader strategies and their interaction with both the citizens and the elites.

5. What recommendations would you offer to students who are struggling to choose a specific academic field to pursue?

For students just starting to study political science, choosing a specific field within the discipline can indeed be difficult. My recommendation would be for them to explore a diverse range of courses and topics during their initial year of study, if possible. This could involve taking introductory courses or individually reading in various subfields such as comparative politics, international relations, political theory, and public policy. This allows students to gain exposure to different methodologies and theoretical frameworks, as well as helping them identify their areas of interest and passion. Additionally, I would advise students to actively seek out opportunities for extracurricular involvement, such as internships, research, and teaching assistantships. These experiences can provide valuable insights and hands-on exposure to different aspects of the field.

3. What topics are you interested in researching?

I am researching on Russian Literature and its reflection on Turkish culture, literature and cinema. I believe that a comparative study of both cultures, literature and cinema will contribute to the development of relations between the two countries.

4. What is the specific focus of your current research?

The focus of my research is how Russian Literature is reflected in the films of the world famous Turkish director Nuri Bilge Ceylan. I think it is very important to analyze the influence of Russian literature, which shaped Turkish literature, on Turkish cinema.

5. How does HSE support your academic growth and development?

First of all, I would like to take this opportunity to thank my academic advisor Kalugin Dimitry Yakovlevich. I am still at the very beginning of my study, but he has been very supportive and guiding in terms of my topic identification and the points I should pay attention to. I am trying to overcome all the difficulties of doing academic research as a foreign student, especially the language barrier, with the understanding and support of my department professors, and I have no doubt that they will approach everything I need in the future stages of my study with help and solutions. In this sense, the vision of our university is the most important point that provides this integrity.

2. How did your academic experience in Hungary differ from your academic experience at HSE?

There are definitely some cultural similarities, for instance both in Russia and Hungary students have a lot of contact with their instructors, and spend more time in classrooms in contrast with Anglo-Saxon and other Western European systems where a greater emphasis is put on independent work. On the other hand, one can also feel how the social fabric of an institution is different within such a large and diverse country - I have taught students from all over the country, ranging from Kaliningrad to Sakhalin island. Due to this, HSE students are ambitious, with great perspectives. On the other hand, this also makes them sometimes a little bit too competitive:)

3. What is the focus of your current research?

My PhD was on the role of constitutional courts in consociations, comparing Belgium, Bosnia and Herzegovina, and Northern Ireland in my dissertation. Currently I'm pursuing the publication of the dissertation as a book at a major university press. This involves adding non-European cases to the comparative framework, so currently I'm researching power-sharing in Africa and the Middle East, with a particular focus on Burundi and Lebanon. On the other hand, I also joined a research project addressing polarisation and democratic backsliding/resilience.

4. What motivated you to broaden your research to focus on issues related to polarization and democratic backsliding?

While in PhD research one should find an ideal fit between a sufficiently broad topic and an area that can be thoroughly researched within a fix time frame, after one's doctoral defence there are opportunities to open up towards broader agendas, with more flexible objectives. While I am still fascinated by the complex history and institutional innovations of divided places, I also aim to join broader discussions, keeping my finger on the pulse of global political science.

5. What advice would you give to students who are unsure about which academic direction they want to pursue?

Don't be afraid to experiment! In a university environment you receive a lot of new intellectual impulses both from your studies and your peers, so your interest might vary along the years. Nevertheless, getting practice in pursuing any interest will help you grow as a critical intellectual in any case.