Görkem is a Communication Intern at UNU-CRIS.
Research Interests
Political communication and legitimacy in international politics
Discourse analysis, strategic narratives, and norm contestation
Media framing and foreign policy communication
Turkish foreign policy and regional security dynamics
Public engagement and knowledge communication
Education
MSc in Conflict and Development Studies, Ghent University
MSc in International Security, Turkish National Police Academy (coursework completed)
BA in International Relations, Hacettepe University
Biographical Statement
Görkem Yavuz is a Communication Intern at UNU-CRIS. During his internship supported by the Flemish Trainee Programme, he works under the supervision of Andrew Dunn. His work focuses on institutional communication, public dissemination of academic research, and editorial support for policy-oriented publications.
Görkem recently graduated from Ghent University with a master’s degree in Conflict and Development Studies. His master’s thesis, titled "Claiming Responsibility, Narrating Solidarity: Discursive Legitimation of Turkey's Involvement in the Nagorno-Karabakh Conflict (1988–2020)", examined how political discourse constructs legitimacy in international interventions.
Throughout his academic training—including studies in International Relations, Conflict and Development, and International Security—he developed strong research interests in foreign policy analysis, political discourse, policy communication, and international politics. His research primarily employs qualitative and interpretive approaches, particularly discourse analysis and narrative-oriented methods.
Görkem began his professional career at the International Relations Office of Muğla Sıtkı Koçman University. During his first master’s programme, he served as a research assistant at the Centre for Security Studies—gaining hands-on experience in academic writing and editorial work. He later co-founded EMPOWIRE, a non-profit initiative focused on EU–Turkey mobility and public engagement, where he coordinated communication strategies and produced audio-visual content. In Brussels, he contributed to media literacy and digital communication projects at the European Association for Viewers’ Interests (EAVI), producing audio-visual content for European public engagement initiatives.
His broader research interests include the relationship between political communication, public legitimacy, and the construction of international order.