Turkey's central bank raises interest rates dramatically

Last night, the Central Bank of the Republic of Turkey raised interest rates (finally) to fight the fall in the lira and concomitant domestic inflation.  In this morning's Financial Times, Daniel Dombey explains the implications.  http://go.iu.edu/9QA

Has the Currency Crisis in Turkey (and Other Developing Nations) Begun?

Argentina's currency experienced a breathtaking drop last week, and this triggered a run out of many emerging market currencies - including the Turkish lira.  Turkey's risk of a currency crisis and "sudden stop" is the economic issue for our course, so it is important that we follow the developments.  The Financial Times' Weekend edition had five excellent articles that are must-reads.

http://go.iu.edu/9NU , http://go.iu.edu/9NV , http://go.iu.edu/9NW , http://go.iu.edu/9NX , http://go.iu.edu/9NY

Human Rights Watch 2014 Report on Turkey

http://www.hrw.org/world-report/2014/country-chapters/turkey

Police use water cannons on protestors

Istanbullus gathered on İstiklal Caddesi to protest Turkey's proposed Internet censorship laws.  The police, predictably, met the protestors with water cannons.

Clash of Values

The FT's Daniel Dombey gives a nice summary of the political and cultural conflicts in Turkey today.http://go.iu.edu/9CZ

Turkey Clamps Down on Internet

http://go.iu.edu/9CX

Is Turkey turning into Ukraine?

 Erdoğan's Grip Casts Rule of Law Into Question - FT  http://go.iu.edu/9CV

Some wonderful 19th century photos of Istanbul

http://www.cornucopia.net/blog/robertson-of-constantinople/

Der Speigel on the Erdoğan - Gülen Dynamic

Der Speigel has a nice piece on Fethullah Gülen and the crumbling alliance between his Hızmet movement and Erdoğan's AK Party.  http://go.iu.edu/9BC

NYT on Upcoming Mayoral Race in Istanbul

Today's New York Times reports on the upcoming Mayoral election in Istanbul and its importance in Turkish politics.  This is something we should follow, as the elections will occur just as we are beginning our class.  http://go.iu.edu/9B3

Conn Hallinan summarizes global geo-political imiplications of Turkey's corruption crisis

This essay from Conn Hallinan, a frequent contributor to Foreign Policy, provides an excellent account of Turkey's position in the unstable political situation of its neighbors.  In it, he provides a rationale as to why Prime Minister Erdoğan might suspect that U.S. interests are behind some of the anti-corruption probes.  To Washington, Erdogan has Wandered Off the Reservation

The Economist sums up the situation

This week's The Economist has a leader on the political situation in Turkey.  As usual for this news source, the article is very well done.  Highly recommended.  http://go.iu.edu/9wN

Protests in Istanbul - photos from The Guardian

FT - Corruption probe turns to bid-rigging

The Financial Times reports on the troubling connection between construction and corruption in Turkey.  http://go.iu.edu/9wy