Ilhan Kaya

Wilfrid Laurier University, Geography, Visiting Scholar

Yildiz Technical University, Humanities and Social Sciences, Faculty Member

Followers

872

Following

231

Co-authors

Public Views

I am a dedicated scholar with a PhD in Geography from Florida State University, currently serving as a Visiting Scholar at Wilfrid Laurier University. My research focuses on migration, identity politics, minority studies, and the history of geographic thought, with particular emphasis on Turkish Americans, Euroturks, Kurds, and non-Muslim minorities in Turkey. Through peer-reviewed publications and leadership in EU-funded projects, I explore ethnicity, integration, social cohesion, and the evolution of geographical theory. Previously a Professor at Yildiz Technical University and Associate Professor at Dicle University, I have taught courses in migration, cultural geography, identity politics, and geographic thought, contributing rigorous insights to academic discourse and policy development.

less

InterestsView All (18)

Uploads

English Publications by Ilhan Kaya

Exile and the Academy: Contrapuntal Reflections on the Displaced Scholar

Journal of Ethnic and Cultural Studies, 2026

This critical review explores the postcolonial geographies of scholarly exiles in Europe and... more This critical review explores the postcolonial geographies of scholarly exiles in Europe and North America. Drawing on postcolonial, decolonial, and migration regime scholarship, I argue that scholarly exile is not a humanitarian exception to the contemporary global academic order but a structural expression of it. The analysis foregrounds the disruption of identity, barriers to reintegration, and the legal entrapment of displaced scholars within postcolonial migration regimes that systematically devalue credentials, constrain mobility, and marginalize non-Western knowledge. While recognizing the vital protective role of initiatives such as Scholars at Risk, the Philipp Schwartz Initiative, and similar programs, the essay focuses on the enduring structural and epistemic exclusions that persist beyond temporary fellowships. Through historical precedents and cases from geographies of protracted conflict and authoritarian transition, it demonstrates how these regimes sustain downward mobility, credential misrecognition, cultural bereavement, and liminality. The essay then examines how exiled scholars resist erasure through autonomous networks, reflexive theorizing, and decolonial practices of intellectual renewal. It concludes by arguing that addressing scholarlyexile requires not incremental reform but a fundamental delinking from the epistemic hierarchies that make such marginalization structurally inevitable.

Download

Immigration and Struggle for Integration: The Case of Turkish Americans

Turks in Europe, 2009

Turkish immigration to the United States is not very well documented despite its long history. Tu... more Turkish immigration to the United States is not very well documented despite its long history. Turkish American identity formations and integration in the United States have received little or no attention from scholars in various social science and humanities. Although the events of September 11, 2001 have resulted in a growing interest towards Muslim immigrants, Turkish Americans have not received the same degree of attention. Only few studies exist on the issue, which include few books, one by Frank Ahmed (1986) and two recent volumes by DiCarlo (2008) and, by Karpat and Balgamis (2008), an article by Kemal Karpat (1995), a few pieces by myself (Kaya, 2003, 2004, and 2005) and outdated encyclopedia entries by various scholars (Altschiller 1995; Halman 1980; Ferris 1995). Although some young scholars have been conducting PhDs in the area, a lot more should be done to shed a better light on this long-ignored area of study. According to the United States Immigration and Naturalization Service (INS), over 450,000 immigrants came from

Download

Intricate critical turn: changing geographical knowledge production in an authoritarian context

Social & Cultural Geography, 2024

This paper examines the critical shift in geographical knowledge production under the increasingl... more This paper examines the critical shift in geographical knowledge production under the increasingly authoritarian political regime in Turkey, particularly in the aftermath of the unsuccessful 2016 coup attempt. In this context, semi-structured interviews were conducted with sixteen young geographers who experienced the authoritarian shift in the political regime during their graduate studies. The narratives of the interviewees indicate that the young geographers have undergone a critical transformation with two significant aspects: firstly, they reject the traditional style of geographical knowledge production and instead embrace approaches integrated with social theory, drawing from the extensive portfolio of contemporary geography. Secondly, they approach socio-spatial phenomena in a libertarian and critical manner, distinct from the lenses of the authoritarian system. However, due to their legitimate concerns, they often refrain from presenting such research on academic platforms. In this regard, under an authoritarian regime, the critical transformation consists of two dimensions: the arena where geographical products are shared, and the underground, where geographical 'black boxes' are held and kept hidden from public view.

Download

Kaya, İlhan. 2015. Imagining Turkey. Arab World Geographer, 18(1-2), 22-30.

format_quoteThe AKP's decline may lead to secularization among conservative Muslims amid rising allegations of authoritarianism and societal polarization.format_quote

Download

Kaya, İlhan; Arı, Yılmaz; Yazıcı, Hakkı, 2014, “The Future of the Middle East” in the book titled “After Climate Change and Culture-shift: Imagining the Future” edited by James Norwine. Springer: New York.

The Middle East is a region of diverse cultures, political systems, economies, historical experie... more The Middle East is a region of diverse cultures, political systems, economies, historical experiences, and international alliances regardless of the monolithic view of the region from the outside. These differences become real sources of division and conflict within as well as among the nations in the region. The level of economic and social development in the region varies from country to country. The countries have a political geography that is a product of the colonial period, and authoritarian governments that have done little to improve the living standards in the region or develop a just political system. The regimes have tried to isolate their peoples, frame the outside world, and put great pressure on any organized group that has the potential challenge to undermine their position. A number of these countries have some of the most repressive regimes in the world. The uneven distribution of wealth and resources is a major social, political, and economic problem. People in the region want change and began to push for it. However, the Middle East has not been and is not totally isolated. It is part of a global system of markets, media, and migrations. Also, diverse religious, ethnic, and political groups ask for recognition, access to resources, and a fair representation. As a result, things are beginning to change and even more radical changes in social, political, and economic orders are underway in the region.The effects of climate change, such as falling precipitation rates and rising temperatures, may to have dramatic impacts on the life in the Middle East. The region’s water scarcity, along with worsening water quality, rising sea levels, and increasing population, could have important negative impacts on agricultural production, health, and the nature. Thus, adaptive measures need to be taken to deal with the overuse of groundwater, alarming water scarcity, and contamination in the region.

Download

Kaya, İlhan, 2013, “Comparing and Contrasting Turkish Immigration to the United States and Europe” in International Journal of Turkish Studies. Volume:19, No: 1-2

Download

Kaya, İlhan and Yazıcı, Hakkı. 2013. Sharing the Experiences about the Impact of Piri Reis Project on Turkish Academic Geography, paper presented at EUROGEO Conference 2013 - Geography: Linking Tradition and Future, June 2-5, 2013, Bruges, Belgium.

Yavan, Nuri; Kaya, İlhan: 2012, editors, International Perspectives on Postgraduate Education and Training in Geography, Coğrafyacılar Derneği: Balıkesir

Download

Kaya, İlhan and Aydoğmuş, Yasir: 2012 “Postgraduate Education and Training in Geography in the United States” a book chapter in International Perspectives on Postgraduate Education and Training in Geography book edited by Yavan, N and Kaya, I. Coğrafyacılar Derneği: Balikesir.

Download

Yavan, Nuri; Kaya, İlhan: 2012 “Introduction” a book chapter in International Perspectives on Postgraduate Education and Training in Geography book edited by Yavan, N and Kaya, I. Coğrafyacılar Derneği: Diyarabakır.

Download

Kaya, İlhan; Yavan, Nuri: 2012 “Conclusions” a book chapter in International Perspectives on Postgraduate Education and Training in Geography book edited by Yavan, N and Kaya, I. Coğrafyacılar Derneği: Diyarabakır.

Download

Kaya, İlhan and Yazıcı, Hakkı. 2011. Shifting Power Relations and Electoral Tendencies in Turkey paper presented at EUROGEO Conference 2011 - Geography: Your World - European perspectives, June 2-5, 2010, Athens, Greece.

Kaya, İlhan. 2011. Geography Higher Education in Turkey, paper presented at IGU CGE Symposium 2010, July 8-10, 2010, Istanbul, Turkey.

Kaya, İlhan. 2010. Sustainability of Immigration Policies and Politics: The Case of Turks in the United States, paper presented at EuroGeo Conference (8-9 May, 2010) titled Sustainability, Prague, Check Republic.

Kaya, İlhan 2009, Identity across Generations: A Turkish American Case Study

The Middle East Journal, Jan 1, 2009

Download

Kaya, İlhan, 2009 Immigration, Identity and Integration: The Case of Turkish Americans VDM Publishing House Ltd. Mauritius, Germany

Kaya, İlhan, 2009 “Immigration and Struggle for Integration: The Case of Turkish Americans” a book chapter in “Turks in Europe: Culture, Identity, Integration edited by Talip Kucukcan and Veyis Gungor Turkevi Research Centre: Den Haag, The Netherlands.

Download

Kaya, İlhan. 2009. Turkish Political History and Geographical Context, paper presented at Herodot Conference (28-31 May 2009) titled Geographical Diversity, Ayvalık, Turkey.

format_quoteTurkey's elite resist democratization, believing the public is not ready for self-governance, reflecting elitism.format_quote

Download

Kaya, İlhan. 2009. The comparison of Turkish immigration to Europe and the United States, paper presented at Turks Abroad: The Symposium on Migration and Integration in its 50th Year (21 - 23 May 2009) Ankara, Turkey.

Kaya, Ilhan, 2010, “History, Political Space, and Shifting Power Relations in Turkey” Arab World Geographer, Volume: 3, No: 1, Pages: 20-33

Journal of Muslim …, Jan 3, 2010

Download

Ilhan Kaya

Uploads

English Publications by Ilhan Kaya

Log In