M. (Mazlum ) Ozkan, MSc
Mazlum Özkan
Mazlum Özkan obtained his BA in International Relations from Yalova University in 2017 and his MA in International Relations from the University of Tehran in 2021. In 2019, he completed advanced Persian language studies at the International Center for Persian Studies (ICPS), University of Tehran. Since June 2023, he has been a PhD candidate in Sociology at the University of Groningen, where he is affiliated with the SCOOP programme and the Interuniversity Center for Social Science Theory and Methodology (ICS).
Autobiography
I was born in the village of Altınyurt in Gaziantep, Türkiye. Growing up in a rural setting made me curious about the world beyond my immediate surroundings. I became interested in other cultures, languages, and ways of life at an early age. That curiosity has shaped many of the choices I have made since.
My education began at the village primary school. Because there was no middle school in Altınyurt, I attended a school in a nearby town through a transportation programme. I later completed high school at Gaziantep High School, where I developed a strong interest in global affairs and international relations. This led me to study International Relations in English at Yalova University, where I completed my bachelor’s degree in 2017.
After graduation, I received a government scholarship under Türkiye’s 1416 Law (YLSY), which enabled me to continue my studies abroad. In May 2018, I moved to Iran and began intensive Persian language training at the Dehkhoda Lexicon Institute and the International Center for Persian Studies. I then completed my master’s degree in International Relations at the University of Tehran in 2021.
My master’s thesis, titled “Legal Cooperation in Criminal Matters between the Republic of Turkey and the Islamic Republic of Iran: The Impact of Political Considerations on the Implementation of Treaty Obligations of States,” examined how political considerations affect the implementation of legal agreements between the two countries.
In June 2023, I started my PhD in Sociology at the University of Groningen in the Netherlands. My doctoral research focuses on protest and social movements. I study how movements respond to repression and how political and structural conditions shape collective action. My work draws especially on cases from Iran. I am affiliated with the SCOOP programme and the Interuniversity Center for Social Science Theory and Methodology (ICS), where I work in an interdisciplinary environment and engage with different approaches to social movements, repression, and politics.
My main research interests are social movements and protest. I am also interested in Iranian and Middle Eastern politics and in the role of great powers in the region. Alongside my academic work, I have a strong interest in languages. Turkish is my native language, and I speak English and Persian at an advanced level. I also have intermediate proficiency in Russian and Dutch and continue to improve both languages.
Outside academia, I enjoy learning about different cultures, studying languages, and reading, especially about the Middle East, social movements, and contemporary politics. I also enjoy writing. Academic writing helps me develop my arguments, while opinion writing allows me to engage with broader public debates.
In my free time, I watch films, particularly adventure and comedy. Some of my favourites are 3 Idiots, Hidalgo, and The Lord of the Rings. The phrase “All is well” from 3 Idiots has stayed with me because it reminds me to remain calm, keep perspective, and focus on finding solutions when problems arise.
Looking back, I could not have imagined that a child from a small village in Gaziantep would one day study and live in different countries and conduct PhD research on protest, social movements, and politics. This path has taught me the importance of persistence, curiosity, and continuous learning. Books and writing have often helped me make sense of both my own experiences and the wider political and social questions that interest me.
As Robert Frost wrote, “Two roads diverged in a wood, and I took the one less traveled by, and that has made all the difference.” My own journey has often followed an unexpected path, and I remain curious about where it will lead next.