Anchor, Anger, and Voice
The name of this newsletter is inspired by Albert O. Hirschman’s theoretical construct ‘Exit, Voice, and Loyalty (1970).’ In his book of the same name, Hirschman discusses the relationship between firms and/or states with citizens and/or consumers. When prices become excessively high or the product quality deteriorates, the consumers either express their dissatisfaction or leave. The greater the number of people leaving and the louder the voice of the discontended, the more likely the state/firm will change their behaviour.
Simple and self-evident. However, in this model, contends Hirschman, exit and voice form a more complex relationship. Sometimes exit is easier if there is no hope in the voice. Sometimes one can exit while still using their voice. Sometimes the voice below the margins of the ear can reinforce the undesirable behaviour of the firm or the state. Sometimes too much exit lead to monopoly and authoritarianism. It is, indeed, intricate and complex.
This newsletter is the product of an exited voice. I am a journalist originally from Istanbul, currently living in Oxford. After losing my job due to the government crackdown, I relocated to the UK and embarked on an academic career. However, when it comes to defining myself, the first word that comes to mind is, still, ‘journalist.’ In this newsletter, I will provide my angle on current events, particularly those of the Middle East and Turkey, by relying on my anchor as a journalist and a fledgling academic. Additionally, you will find news on women’s rights and conditions around the world. I will also keep you updated on the books and articles I believe are worth reading, as well as the buzzing seminar/talk realm of the University of Oxford on topics ranging from politics to life sciences and technology. This newsletter is the curation of my concerns, ideas, and passions. Please feel free to join the discussion.
Best,
Ezgi
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Ezgi made her name as a journalist covering Turkey’s Kurdish conflict. She started her career in 2004 at Hurriyet daily as a reporter. After accepting an offer to write a daily column on Turkish politics, she became the youngest ever editor of Radikal, the biggest centre-left news outlet in Turkey, and the first woman to hold the role. Ezgi served as the coordinator of the Programme on Contemporary Turkey at the South East European Centre (SEESOX) at St Antony’s College, University of Oxford, where she explored the bridge between journalism and academia. In 2017 she was awarded a Dulverton Scholarship for her MPhil (Master of Philosophy) in Modern Middle Eastern Studies at Oxford University. She pursues her academic work as a DPhil (Doctor of Philosophy – Ph.D.) candidate in Asian and Middle Eastern Studies at the same university. She has written on Turkish domestic politics and her comments have appeared in major international media, including the BBC, the Financial Times, The Economist, the Wall Street Journal, and the Washington Post. Her book ‘Barış Bir Varmış, Bir Yokmuş (Once upon a Time Peace)‘ was published by Doğan Kitap in 2015. Her first English language book Frontline Turkey: The Conflict at the Heart of the Middle East is published by IB Tauris/Bloomsbury in 2017. Ezgi’s current research focuses on the interplay between North African Islamist movements and Turkish Islamism.
