Protests Re-erupt After Death of Teen

Tuesday saw a return of mass protests across Turkey after the death of fifteen-year-old Berkin Elvan.  Berkin had spent the last 269 days in a coma after being hit in the head by a police-fired tear gas canister during the Gezi Park protests last June.  Two articles from the Financial Times explain the seriousness of the situation.  http://go.iu.edu/arN , http://go.iu.edu/arO .

The Erdogan Tapes

Al Monitor's Turkey Pulse column on the leaked tapes:  http://www.al-monitor.com/pulse/originals/2014/02/supporters-deny-taped-conversation-erdogan-son.html .

Daniel Dombey on the Taped Phone Conversations

http://go.iu.edu/abC

Excellent Analysis of Turkey's Internal and External Political Environments

In this article from American Interest, two former U.S. Ambassadors to Turkey provide a very informative analysis of Turkey's foreign policy, its domestic environment, and its relationship with the U.S.http://www.the-american-interest.com/articles/2014/02/04/us-needs-to-get-real-on-troubled-turkey/

NY Times Sunday Travel Section Feature: Orhan Pamuk's Istanbul

In the feature article in this Sunday's New York Times, the author takes the writer on a walking tour of several of the Istanbul neighborhoods that infuse his memories.  Well worth reading.  Link to pfd of article.  Link to article on NYTimes, with excellent photos.

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