The University of Connecticut has embarked on a four-year hiring initiative to expand its faculty by approximately 500 tenure-track positions. As a result of this initiative, we welcome Zehra F. Kabasakal Arat, Professor of Political Science, who has also joined the Middle East Studies faculty. She is involved in the subfields of comparative politics, political theory, and international relations. Her publications focus on human rights, with an emphasis on women’s rights, as well as processes of democratization, globalization, and development. She also conducts empirical research by employing both qualitative and quantitative methods. Currently she is working on several projects, including: theorizing women’s rights and empowerment and assessing the progress; the gap between the theory and practice as reflected in the relationship between human rights scholars and non-governmental organizations (NGOs); the impact of domestic actors (e.g., political parties) and politics on human rights policies; and human rights discourse and practices in Turkey since the 1920s.

View her faculty page.

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