School of Social & Political Sciences

Dr Aykut Ozturk

  • Lecturer (Political & International Studies)

Biography

I have joined the University of Glasgow in 2020, after receiving my PhD in Political Science from Syracuse University. My research covers the study of democracy and authoritarianism, political identities, and online survey methods. I teach on authoritarianism and authoritarian political communication. 

You can find more information and a current CV on my personal webpage. 

Research interests

Public Opinion:

- Political identities, polarization, partisanship, emotions, narratives, support for democracy

- Political propaganda, disinformation, and authoritarian political communication

Comparative Politics:

- Democracy and authoritarianism, democratic backsliding, autocratization, regime change, 

- Turkish politics

- Politics in developing countries

Research Methods:

- Surveys and experiments

- Online data collection 

Research groups

Publications

List by: Type | Date

Jump to: 2026 | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2018
Number of items: 18.

2026

Neundorf, Anja ORCID logoORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1294-6771, Öztürk, Aykut ORCID logoORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4877-4617, Finkel, Steven E. and Rascon Ramirez, Ericka (2026) Promoting democracy online: evidence from a 33 country experiment. American Political Science Review, (Accepted for Publication)

Bayer, Patrick ORCID logoORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1731-1270, Ozturk, Aykut ORCID logoORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4877-4617 and Pardos-Prado, Sergi ORCID logoORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-6944-326X (2026) Climate migration or climate immobility? Evidence from micro-level causal analysis of migration intentions in Nigeria. Journal of Ethnic and Migration Studies, (doi: 10.1080/1369183X.2026.2707755) (Early Online Publication)

Secen, Sefa, Ozturk, Sevinc and Ozturk, Aykut ORCID logoORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4877-4617 (2026) Fearing not belonging: how local attitudes and policies shape refugees’ destination preferences. Political Behavior, (doi: 10.1007/s11109-026-10180-5) (Early Online Publication)

Öztürk, Aykut ORCID logoORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4877-4617, Finkel, Steven E., Neundorf, Anja ORCID logoORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1294-6771 and Rascón Ramirez, Ericka (2026) Keep positive and defend democracy: framing democratic messages under authoritarianism. European Journal of Political Research, (doi: 10.1017/S1475676525100583) (Early Online Publication)

2025

Yameogo, Souleymane, Neundorf, Anja ORCID logoORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1294-6771 and Öztürk, Aykut ORCID logoORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4877-4617 (2025) Promoting democracy in the context of terrorism: experimental evidence from Burkina Faso. Political Science Research and Methods, (doi: 10.1017/psrm.2025.10075) (Early Online Publication)

Neundorf, Anja ORCID logoORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1294-6771, Dahlum, Sirianne, Frederiksen, Kristian and Ozturk, Aykut ORCID logoORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4877-4617 (2025) Elections without constraints? The appeal of electoral autocracy across the world. British Journal of Political Science, 56, e1. (doi: 10.1017/S0007123425101129)

Öztürk, Sevinç and Öztürk, Aykut ORCID logoORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4877-4617 (2025) A paradox of ethnic politics? Minority language recognition and political trust in an authoritarian setting. Conflict Management and Peace Science, 42(6), pp. 603-623. (doi: 10.1177/07388942241292201)

Neundorf, Anja ORCID logoORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1294-6771, Ozturk, Aykut ORCID logoORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4877-4617, Northmore-Ball, Ksenia, Tertytchnaya, Katerina and Gerschewski, Johannes (2025) A loyal base: support for authoritarian regimes in times of crisis. Comparative Political Studies, 58(9), pp. 1854-1889. (doi: 10.1177/00104140241283006)

Claassen, C. et al. (2025) Conceptualizing and measuring support for democracy: a new approach. Comparative Political Studies, 58(6), pp. 1171-1198. (doi: 10.1177/00104140241259458)

Seçen, Sefa and Öztürk, Aykut ORCID logoORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4877-4617 (2025) How refugees respond to hostile political discourse: no exit, but less voice. Politics, Groups and Identities, 13(3), pp. 534-555. (doi: 10.1080/21565503.2024.2375716)

Eroglu, Melek Hilal, Finkel, Steven, Neundorf, Anja ORCID logoORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1294-6771, Ozturk, Aykut ORCID logoORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4877-4617 and Ramirez, Ericka G. Rascon (2025) Choosing democracy over party? How civic education can mitigate the anti-democratic effects of partisan polarization. British Journal of Political Science, 55, e65. (doi: 10.1017/S000712342500016X)

2024

Laebens, Melis G. and Öztürk, Aykut ORCID logoORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4877-4617 (2024) The Erdoğan government’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic: performance and actuality in an authoritarian context. Government and Opposition, 59(4), pp. 1034-1051. (doi: 10.1017/gov.2022.16)

Neundorf, Anja ORCID logoORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1294-6771 and Öztürk, Aykut ORCID logoORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4877-4617 (2024) Advertising online surveys on social media: how your advertisements affect your study. Public Opinion Quarterly, 89(2), pp. 335-360. (doi: 10.1093/poq/nfaf018) (PMID:40852322) (PMCID:PMC12369937)

2023

Öztürk, Aykut ORCID logoORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4877-4617 (2023) Whisper sweet nothings to me Erdoğan: developmentalist propaganda, partisan emotions, and economic evaluations in Turkey. Democratization, 30(7), pp. 1357-1379. (doi: 10.1080/13510347.2023.2232741)

Neundorf, Anja ORCID logoORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1294-6771 and Öztürk, Aykut ORCID logoORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4877-4617 (2023) How to improve representativeness and cost-effectiveness in samples recruited through Meta: a comparison of advertisement tools. PLoS ONE, 18(2), e0281243. (doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0281243) (PMID:36753470) (PMCID:PMC9907806)

2022

Cleary, Matthew R. and Öztürk, Aykut ORCID logoORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4877-4617 (2022) When does backsliding lead to breakdown? Uncertainty and opposition strategies in democracies at risk. Perspectives on Politics, 20(1), pp. 205-221. (doi: 10.1017/S1537592720003667)

2021

Laebens, Melis G. and Öztürk, Aykut ORCID logoORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4877-4617 (2021) Partisanship and autocratization: polarization, power asymmetry, and partisan social identities in Turkey. Comparative Political Studies, 54(2), pp. 245-279. (doi: 10.1177/0010414020926199)

2018

Öztürk, Aykut ORCID logoORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4877-4617 (2018) Islamists against the class cleavage: identity formation and interest representation in the case of Hak-İş in Turkey. Middle Eastern Studies, 54(3), pp. 459-474. (doi: 10.1080/00263206.2017.1419192)

This list was generated on Thu Oct 1 21:48:16 2026 BST.
Jump to: Articles
Number of items: 18.

Articles

Neundorf, Anja ORCID logoORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1294-6771, Öztürk, Aykut ORCID logoORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4877-4617, Finkel, Steven E. and Rascon Ramirez, Ericka (2026) Promoting democracy online: evidence from a 33 country experiment. American Political Science Review, (Accepted for Publication)

Bayer, Patrick ORCID logoORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1731-1270, Ozturk, Aykut ORCID logoORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4877-4617 and Pardos-Prado, Sergi ORCID logoORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-6944-326X (2026) Climate migration or climate immobility? Evidence from micro-level causal analysis of migration intentions in Nigeria. Journal of Ethnic and Migration Studies, (doi: 10.1080/1369183X.2026.2707755) (Early Online Publication)

Secen, Sefa, Ozturk, Sevinc and Ozturk, Aykut ORCID logoORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4877-4617 (2026) Fearing not belonging: how local attitudes and policies shape refugees’ destination preferences. Political Behavior, (doi: 10.1007/s11109-026-10180-5) (Early Online Publication)

Öztürk, Aykut ORCID logoORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4877-4617, Finkel, Steven E., Neundorf, Anja ORCID logoORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1294-6771 and Rascón Ramirez, Ericka (2026) Keep positive and defend democracy: framing democratic messages under authoritarianism. European Journal of Political Research, (doi: 10.1017/S1475676525100583) (Early Online Publication)

Yameogo, Souleymane, Neundorf, Anja ORCID logoORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1294-6771 and Öztürk, Aykut ORCID logoORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4877-4617 (2025) Promoting democracy in the context of terrorism: experimental evidence from Burkina Faso. Political Science Research and Methods, (doi: 10.1017/psrm.2025.10075) (Early Online Publication)

Neundorf, Anja ORCID logoORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1294-6771, Dahlum, Sirianne, Frederiksen, Kristian and Ozturk, Aykut ORCID logoORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4877-4617 (2025) Elections without constraints? The appeal of electoral autocracy across the world. British Journal of Political Science, 56, e1. (doi: 10.1017/S0007123425101129)

Öztürk, Sevinç and Öztürk, Aykut ORCID logoORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4877-4617 (2025) A paradox of ethnic politics? Minority language recognition and political trust in an authoritarian setting. Conflict Management and Peace Science, 42(6), pp. 603-623. (doi: 10.1177/07388942241292201)

Neundorf, Anja ORCID logoORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1294-6771, Ozturk, Aykut ORCID logoORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4877-4617, Northmore-Ball, Ksenia, Tertytchnaya, Katerina and Gerschewski, Johannes (2025) A loyal base: support for authoritarian regimes in times of crisis. Comparative Political Studies, 58(9), pp. 1854-1889. (doi: 10.1177/00104140241283006)

Claassen, C. et al. (2025) Conceptualizing and measuring support for democracy: a new approach. Comparative Political Studies, 58(6), pp. 1171-1198. (doi: 10.1177/00104140241259458)

Seçen, Sefa and Öztürk, Aykut ORCID logoORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4877-4617 (2025) How refugees respond to hostile political discourse: no exit, but less voice. Politics, Groups and Identities, 13(3), pp. 534-555. (doi: 10.1080/21565503.2024.2375716)

Eroglu, Melek Hilal, Finkel, Steven, Neundorf, Anja ORCID logoORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1294-6771, Ozturk, Aykut ORCID logoORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4877-4617 and Ramirez, Ericka G. Rascon (2025) Choosing democracy over party? How civic education can mitigate the anti-democratic effects of partisan polarization. British Journal of Political Science, 55, e65. (doi: 10.1017/S000712342500016X)

Laebens, Melis G. and Öztürk, Aykut ORCID logoORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4877-4617 (2024) The Erdoğan government’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic: performance and actuality in an authoritarian context. Government and Opposition, 59(4), pp. 1034-1051. (doi: 10.1017/gov.2022.16)

Neundorf, Anja ORCID logoORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1294-6771 and Öztürk, Aykut ORCID logoORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4877-4617 (2024) Advertising online surveys on social media: how your advertisements affect your study. Public Opinion Quarterly, 89(2), pp. 335-360. (doi: 10.1093/poq/nfaf018) (PMID:40852322) (PMCID:PMC12369937)

Öztürk, Aykut ORCID logoORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4877-4617 (2023) Whisper sweet nothings to me Erdoğan: developmentalist propaganda, partisan emotions, and economic evaluations in Turkey. Democratization, 30(7), pp. 1357-1379. (doi: 10.1080/13510347.2023.2232741)

Neundorf, Anja ORCID logoORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1294-6771 and Öztürk, Aykut ORCID logoORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4877-4617 (2023) How to improve representativeness and cost-effectiveness in samples recruited through Meta: a comparison of advertisement tools. PLoS ONE, 18(2), e0281243. (doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0281243) (PMID:36753470) (PMCID:PMC9907806)

Cleary, Matthew R. and Öztürk, Aykut ORCID logoORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4877-4617 (2022) When does backsliding lead to breakdown? Uncertainty and opposition strategies in democracies at risk. Perspectives on Politics, 20(1), pp. 205-221. (doi: 10.1017/S1537592720003667)

Laebens, Melis G. and Öztürk, Aykut ORCID logoORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4877-4617 (2021) Partisanship and autocratization: polarization, power asymmetry, and partisan social identities in Turkey. Comparative Political Studies, 54(2), pp. 245-279. (doi: 10.1177/0010414020926199)

Öztürk, Aykut ORCID logoORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4877-4617 (2018) Islamists against the class cleavage: identity formation and interest representation in the case of Hak-İş in Turkey. Middle Eastern Studies, 54(3), pp. 459-474. (doi: 10.1080/00263206.2017.1419192)

This list was generated on Thu Oct 1 21:48:16 2026 BST.

Grants

GCID Small Research Grant: Fighting Disinformation

In this project, I explore the impact of epistemic virtues and media literacy on vulnerability to authoritarian disinformation. My collaborators are: 

  • Candas Ayan (Hacettepe University & Affiliated Researcher at the University of Glasgow) 
  • Prof. Seda Demiralp (Isik University)
  • Dr. Michael Frazer (University of Glasgow)
  • Dr. Ugur Ozdemir (University of Edinburgh)
  • Dr. Sevinc Ozturk (Cukurova University & Visiting Scholar at the University of Glasgow)

Supervision

I am always excited to supervise PhD students who share a genuine interest in politics and have research interests that overlap with mine.

My supervision will be most useful to you if

  • you are working in the subfield of comparative politics with a focus on non-Western countries, 
  • you plan to use surveys and experiments in your dissertation

Do not hesitate contacting me if you have any questions! 

Current Supervision:

  • Acun, Kutlu
    Uploaded.
  • Aziz, Nabaz
    Navigating Belonging: Transnational Political Islam and the Integration of Middle Eastern Immigrants in Scotland
  • Zhang, Siyuan
    The Gendered Expectations on Chinese Social Media and Chinese Women's Willingness to Pursue Higher Education

Teaching

Autumn 25-26: 

Propaganda & Public Diplomacy (Postgradute level)

Spring 25-26:

Defying Dictators: Political Opposition Under Authoritarianism (Undergraduate level)


Dr Aykut Ozturk on Bluesky Dr Aykut Ozturk on Twitter