People generally don't know anything about it, but London is highly famous for its free lectures, events, social meetings and entertainment. As a human being who is deeply interested in politics, art, history and culture, I do follow organizations very deeply when the topic especially comes to Turkey related meetings. A good variety of Turkish institution in London hold conferences, panels and prestigious universities like London School of Economics give an opportunity to get free lectures about Turkey and Turkish history. I prepared a list of organizations hosting this kind of meetings which is very valuable for the people who are curious about Turkey and its politics.
SOAS (School of Oriental and African Studies) – Seminars on Turkey
SOAS is a very well-known institution even in Turkey. Seminars are convened by Professor Benjamin Fortna, who is particularly interested in the years of Sultan Abdulhamid the Second during Ottoman Empire. The seminars usually hold in Room 116, SOAS, Fridays 12.00-2.00 pm. If you want to see latest seminars and upcoming events please see the link: http://www.soas.ac.uk/lmei/events/turkey/
LSE (London School of Economics) -- Seminar Series on Contemporary Turkey
The Chair in Contemporary Turkish Studies at LSE organizes seminars on current affairs of Turkey. Professor Sevket Pamuk, who is responsible for the chair, is much respected academician in both Europe and Turkey. There are three different events in 2013 about Gender Equality in Turkey, Kurdish Question and Sex-Segregation in Turkish Academic Careers. For more information, please see the link: http://www2.lse.ac.uk/europeanInstitute/research/ContemporaryTurkishStudies/TurkishEvents.aspx
CTS (Centre for Turkey Studies)
The Centre is little bit controversial because of its founder and current director İbrahim Doğuş. Mr. Doğuş had links with the PKK which is recognized as a terrorist organization by EU and USA. Somehow Doğuş fired or resigned its mission in Kurdish Centre in London and found CTS. Apart from the debates about Doğuş, he is a friend of Prime Minister David Cameron, Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg and Labour Leader Ed Miliband. Doğuş periodically invited important journalists and scholars from Turkey to hold conferences and meetings on Turkish foreign policy and current affairs. Latest guest of the meeting at House of Commons was Tuna Beklevic, adviser of Turkish Minister of European Union and Chief Negotiator. You can check the centre’s website out from this link:
http://ceftus.org/category/events/
LCSS (London Centre for Social Studies)
LCSS is a semi academic organization especially helps people who study masters or PHD in UK’s universities. They are very serious about their panels and conferences that sometimes you need to apply with your research proposal and presentation to speak in the meetings. Generally all of the events are public meetings and you can use their every service for free. For more information, click: http://www.socialstudies.org.uk/events
NOS (Network of Students)
NOS is Turkish a student organization which was established in 2007. According to the website, they “have more than 40 undergraduates and postgraduates volunteering “. They are in touch with 6000 students and more than 2000 students are active members of their network. Generally NOS holds conferences on interesting issues, they’re more concerned about European identity and Turkish role in the EU. Latest forthcoming event is “The Issue of Multiculturalism in Europe.” Mahinur Ozdemir, headscarved MP in the Belgian Parliament, is going to talk about the on-going problems in Europe related with "Multicultural Society".
http://www.networkofstudents.org/
