Dr. Bulent Kenes

Bulent Kenes (Ph.D.) is an academic and a journalist who has over 25 years of professional experience. He has managed multiple publications, both in Turkish and English. He has held top editorial positions at various media outlets such as Zaman daily (foreign news editor & news coordinator), Turkish Daily News (news coordinator), and Anadolu news agency (New York bureau chief). Kenes was editor-in-chief of Bugün daily (2006) and founding editor-in-chief of Today’s Zaman (2007-2016; the paper was seized on March 4, 2016 by the Erdogan regime and formally closed in July 2016). Kenes was among the founders of the Stockholm Center for Freedom. He served as voluntary chief editor from 2017-2019. He is based in Stockholm, where he lives as an exiled Turkish journalist and academic. He is also among the founders of European Center for Populism Studies (ECPS).
Kenes received his B.A. in international relations and political science from Bosporus University; his M.A. from the Institute of Middle East Studies at Marmara University; and an MBA from now-closed Fatih University. He also received his Ph.D. from Marmara University’s Institute of Middle East Studies and wrote his dissertation on Iran’s foreign policy after the 1979 revolution.
Dr. Kenes lectured on international relations, the Middle East, political science, and media and communications at Fatih University. Kenes has been a regular columnist and opinion writer for many publications, including Turkish Daily News, Turkish Probe, Bugün, Zaman, Today’s Zaman, the Guardian, and TR724. He’s also served as a TV host and commentator/debater on political shows, published six books in Turkish and one book in English on Iran, Turkish politics, human rights, and Islam’s image. He is currently researching the ubiquitous impact of rising populism and authoritarianism across the globe.
Kenes, who is a member of the Swedish Union of Journalists (Journalistförbundet), can speak Turkish (native), English, and Swedish.