Tag Archives: Turkey

The Potential Benefits of Regional Autonomy in Conflict-Prone Areas

Posted on February 13, 2025 by nathanalbright

Introduction Throughout history, various regions of the world have experienced significant tensions due to their forced inclusion within national borders that do not align with their cultural, linguistic, or economic identities. Many of these regions would likely experience fewer problems … Continue reading →

Posted in International Relations, Musings | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Traveling Close To The Gorge

Posted on February 7, 2025 by nathanalbright

Iykyk, The South Gorge area of Mount Ararat, located in eastern Turkey near the borders with Armenia and Iran, is a rugged and remote region that attracts trekkers and mountaineers. Here are the main travel routes and the closest cities/towns … Continue reading →

Posted in Musings | Tagged , , , , , | Leave a comment

Book Review: Lands Of Lost Borders

Posted on May 25, 2024 by nathanalbright

Lands Of Lost Borders: A Journey On The Silk Road, by Kate Harris How can an author get so much so wrong when she is writing what amounts to a whiny travelogue? It is easy to sympathize–even empathize–with the author’s … Continue reading →

Posted in Book Reviews | Tagged , , | Leave a comment

Book Review: The Ottomans: Khans, Caesars, And Caliphs

Posted on December 7, 2023 by nathanalbright

The Ottomans: Khans, Caesars, And Caliphs, by Marc David Baer This book is a classic case of a mixed book that both benefits and suffers from the author’s historical interests and perspective. It is also a book that it is … Continue reading →

Posted in Book Reviews, History | Tagged | 1 Comment

Book Review: The Ottoman Empire: A Short History

Posted on October 21, 2020 by nathanalbright

The Ottoman Empire: A Short History, by Suraiya Faroqhi, translated by Shelley Frisch This book was certainly shorter than I expected it to be, and not nearly as good as I hoped it would be. In many ways, people write … Continue reading →

Posted in Book Reviews, History | Tagged , | Leave a comment

Book Review: Grey Wolf: An Intimate Study Of A Dictator

Posted on April 23, 2020 by nathanalbright

Grey Wolf:  An Intimate Study Of A Dictator, by H.C. Armstrong It seems remarkable to me that this book was published in Great Britain considering their strict libel laws.  I am not sure that the author meant to be as … Continue reading →

Posted in Book Reviews, History | Tagged , | Leave a comment

Book Review: The Transformation Of Turkish Culture

Posted on April 23, 2020 by nathanalbright

The Transformation Of Turkish Culture:  The Atatürk Legacy, edited by Güsel Renda and C. Max Kortepeter There are a great many contradictions at the heart of this book, and it is the sort of book that few people would likely … Continue reading →

Posted in Book Reviews, History | Tagged , , | Leave a comment

Book Review: Mustafa Kemal Atatürk

Posted on April 23, 2020 by nathanalbright

Mustafa Kemal Atatürk:  Leadership, Strategy, Conflict, by Edward J. Erickson An online stranger asked me what I thought about the founder of the Turkish republic, and my response to the immediate query was that I did not know enough about … Continue reading →

Posted in Book Reviews, History, Military History | Tagged , , | Leave a comment

Cyprus: A Case Study On The Problems Of Trust

Posted on April 1, 2020 by nathanalbright

According to the UNDP, solid majorities of both Greek and Turkish Cypriots do not believe that the other side is willing to make the compromises that would be necessary for both to live in the same country in peace.  As … Continue reading →

Posted in History, International Relations, Musings | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment

Bijî Kurdistan

Posted on October 8, 2019 by nathanalbright

For some time the Kurds have been a people whose fate I have pondered and reflected upon [1].  And there is good reason for that, several good reasons in fact.  For one, as someone who was born to a family … Continue reading →

Posted in International Relations, Middle East, Musings | Tagged , , | 3 Comments