HASAN KALYONCU UNIVERSITY SCRUTINIZED THE ALL-ASPECTS OF SECURITY CONCEPTUALIZATION IN THE INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE ON HOMELAND SECURITY

The conference is inaugurated by the keynote speech of the Rector of Hasan Kalyoncu University, Prof. Türkay Dereli. The major themes were natural disaster, nuclear, social media, pandemic, immigration, societal environmental, human and humanity aspects of the emerging security conceptualization other than defense and military studies. Prof. Dereli emphasized the need of multi-disciplinary and wholistic interpretation of security by concise words: “There emerged new concerns. For instance, pandemic transformed our daily routines and pushed us to review all processes we are involved. We do not know how new concerns will shape our lives in future. Many themes like pandemic, natural disaster, climate change, social media, space politics, cyber space, living styles, cultural challenges, or protectionism forces us to re-assess the existing conceptualizations of security. On the other hand, it is clear that these challenges may be taken into consideration as new issue fields in question, modelled by projections and be addressed. Hence homeland security has become a new research field.” He praised and congratulated the ones who contributed to the event afterwards.

SECURITY CONCEPTUALIZATION HAS BEEN DISCUSSED

The conference is performed within four different panels other than the one in Turkish language for equal opportunities. The first panel delved the conceptualization of security. Dr. Michele Groppi, from Kings College of the UK, compared the homeland perceptions of the UK, Italy and Israel as case studies. Dr. Murat Aslan examined intelligence theory and practice in relevance to security, but with a special emphasis to its deficiencies. Prof. Kürşad Zorlu presented the inter relation of media and security while Prof. Hüseyin Bağcı of METU offered a broad view of how security with homeland concerns could be interpreted in modern era.

INTERACTION OF STRATEGY AND TECHNOLOGY WITH SECURITY

The second panel was about strategy and technology, along with their interaction. Italian scholars Prof. Roberto Mugavero ve Pietro Costanzo discussed nuclear security and new methodologies of terror networks while presenting their activities in the University. Prof. Şebnem Udum, from Hacettepe University, took the nuclear security as the focal point. Anas Al Gomaty, visiting scholar of NATO College, opened an exchange of views on Libya.  Finally, Prof. Ahmet Keser scrutinized the homeland security organizational arrangements and curricula in the USA.
SOFT DIMENSION OF SECURITY

Third panel was based on soft security and concerns of which Prof. Alfredo Ronchi presented “soft, but still concerns” pointing out cyber security. Hind Kabawat of Georger Mason University focused on the security of the small countries in terms of the risk of societal security due to the quests of superpowers but taking gender to the epicenter of the discussion. Dr. Umberto Profazio, from IISS criticized the vaccination diplomacy of the ‘big’ countries. Izel Selim, who is the coordinator in the Romanian Research Center New Strategy Center, discussed “Overarching Security Missions in The Romanian Strategic Thinking: Institutional Cooperation, Security Culture and Resilience”. Faculty members of Kilis 7 Aralık University Prof. İbrahim Efe was concerned about social media’s challenge to security and Dr. Haydar Karaman well-scrutinized the combatting against the transnational crime. Prof. Murat Yeşiltaş, from Ankara Social Sciences University perfectly portrayed the security trends and dynamics of the changing political landscape.

TURKEY-CENTRIC SECURITY ASSESSMENTS

Final panel is moderated by Dr. Murat Aslan and was about security assessments basically taking Turkey to the foci of the discussions. Prof. Mustafa Kibaroğlu, from MEF University, presented Iran’s nuclear program with a touch to Turkey’s security. As an original research, Prof. Mustafa Yıldıran discussed economic security as an emerging concept. Prof. Zuhal Mert of Marmara Univeristy finally focused on Cyprus issue in relevance with the homeland security of Turkey. Finally, Dr. Pelin Aliyev, visiting scholar of Hasan Kalyoncu University, compared the security of elections in Turkey under the threats of PKK terrorist organization. Prof. Steve Heydeman of Smith College and Prof. Marc Gopin from George Mason Univertsity concluded the conference with their final remarks on security transformation.
The conference, which delved many themes, has been broadcasted alive through the YouTube channel of Hasan Kalyoncu University (https://www.youtube.com/hkunv) and is accessible to the ones who are interested in.