Emrah Safa Gürkan

2003 B. A. in International Relations, Bilkent University

2006 M.A. in History, Ottoman History, Bilkent University

2010 M. A. in History, Early Modern Europe, Georgetown University

2012 Ph.D. in History, Early Modern Europe, Georgetown University

2016 Associate Professor / Doçent Doktor

2018 "Outstanding Young Scientist Award," Turkish Academy of Sciences (TUBA)

2018 "Promising Scientist Award," 14th Kadir Has Awards

2018 "Scientific Monograph Award," Turkish Academy of Sciences (TUBA)

Even though originally trained as an Ottomanist, He is interested in early modern European and Mediterranean History. His research interests are go-betweens and cultural intermediaries in the Mediterranean, cross-confessional diplomacy, slavery, piracy/privateering, political factions, frontier studies with a special focus on Ottoman North Africa, state formation and information gathering.

Unlike his forefathers who proved themselves rather slow to realize the printing press' potential, He believes in the importance of new media for spreading new knowledge, even in a conservative field such as history. In 2011, in a futile attempt to do something original and catchy, Chris Gratien and He started a podcast project (Ottoman History Podcast - OHP), interviewing doctoral students and professors on a number of historical topics related to the Ottoman Empire. Please click in order to see one of our more than 150 episodes ottoman history podcast

After finishing his dissertation, he returned to the very city his grandparents left half a century ago. After a brief stint at Bahcesehir University's newly founded Department of History, in March 2013 He joined Istanbul 29 Mayis University, located near the Turkish historians' favourite library in Istanbul, ISAM. He is an associate professor at the department of Political Science and International Relations.

On March 22, 2018, He has been chosen as the "Promising Scientist of the Year" in the 14th Kadir Has Awards, organized by Kadir Has University, İstanbul. The jury chose him for his "groundbreaking contribution" to Ottoman socio-economic history, accentuating his cross-reading of Ottoman and European archival sources and the comparative approach that seeks to study Ottoman history within the general paradigms of European and Mediterranean history.

The same year, He has received two awards from the most prestigious institution of the country, Turkish Academy of Sciences (TUBA). While He earned the "Young Outstanding Scientist Award" (GEBIP) with a project entitled Ottoman Corsairs Between Venice and Istanbul, 1574-1645; his first monograph Sultanın Casusları won the "Scientific Monograph Award" (TESEP).

He serves as the academic secretary to International Conference on Ottoman Istanbul which his university organizes every year. Since 2014, He is also the book review editor of Journal of Ottoman Studies.

His Youtube Channel has over 34000+ followers.