Can Gökçen
@cangokcen.bsky.social
Lecturer in Government Studies at the Strand Group, King’s College London. Interested in the history of the British state, ideas about politics & strategy, geopolitics, Turkey, and all things defence & security.
Together with Visiting Prof Simon Case and Sir Jonathan Phillips, former Perm Sec of the Northern Ireland Office, this week our students dived into the political, security & diplomatic history behind “The Troubles”.
Applications for 2026/27 are now open!
www.kcl.ac.uk/study/postgr...
Applications for 2026/27 are now open!
www.kcl.ac.uk/study/postgr...
February 9, 2026 at 11:24 AM
Together with Visiting Prof Simon Case and Sir Jonathan Phillips, former Perm Sec of the Northern Ireland Office, this week our students dived into the political, security & diplomatic history behind “The Troubles”.
Applications for 2026/27 are now open!
www.kcl.ac.uk/study/postgr...
Applications for 2026/27 are now open!
www.kcl.ac.uk/study/postgr...
Great to have the masterful Professor Sir David Omand at our class on the History of Prime Ministerial and Whitehall Defence, Intelligence and Security Decision Making.
This week students learned about how governments have survived crises in the recent past.
@strandgroup.bsky.social
This week students learned about how governments have survived crises in the recent past.
@strandgroup.bsky.social
February 3, 2026 at 10:27 AM
Great to have the masterful Professor Sir David Omand at our class on the History of Prime Ministerial and Whitehall Defence, Intelligence and Security Decision Making.
This week students learned about how governments have survived crises in the recent past.
@strandgroup.bsky.social
This week students learned about how governments have survived crises in the recent past.
@strandgroup.bsky.social
Reposted by Can Gökçen
Join us @kingscollegelondon.bsky.social on 26 February when David Williams (Permanent Secretary Ministry of Defence 2021-25) will be in conversation with Visiting Professor Lord Case (Cabinet Secretary 2020-24)
Tickets: thestrandgroup.kcl.ac.uk/event/in-con...
Tickets: thestrandgroup.kcl.ac.uk/event/in-con...
In Conversation with David Williams - The Strand Group
The seventy-ninth Strand Group event, where David Williams, Permanent Secretary at the Ministry of Defence from 2021-2025, will be in conversation with Visiting Professor Lord Simon Case, Cabinet Secr...
thestrandgroup.kcl.ac.uk
February 2, 2026 at 3:58 PM
Join us @kingscollegelondon.bsky.social on 26 February when David Williams (Permanent Secretary Ministry of Defence 2021-25) will be in conversation with Visiting Professor Lord Case (Cabinet Secretary 2020-24)
Tickets: thestrandgroup.kcl.ac.uk/event/in-con...
Tickets: thestrandgroup.kcl.ac.uk/event/in-con...
Great to kick off "Prime Ministerial & Whitehall defence, intelligence and security decision-making", co-taught with Lord Simon Case.
This week’s guest was Professor John Bew, former Chief Foreign Policy Adviser to the PM.
Applications open for MA Government Studies 2026/27 👇
lnkd.in/e27J7UHC
This week’s guest was Professor John Bew, former Chief Foreign Policy Adviser to the PM.
Applications open for MA Government Studies 2026/27 👇
lnkd.in/e27J7UHC
January 26, 2026 at 12:42 PM
Great to kick off "Prime Ministerial & Whitehall defence, intelligence and security decision-making", co-taught with Lord Simon Case.
This week’s guest was Professor John Bew, former Chief Foreign Policy Adviser to the PM.
Applications open for MA Government Studies 2026/27 👇
lnkd.in/e27J7UHC
This week’s guest was Professor John Bew, former Chief Foreign Policy Adviser to the PM.
Applications open for MA Government Studies 2026/27 👇
lnkd.in/e27J7UHC
Reposted by Can Gökçen
So pleased to be joined for the first time by ace new teacher and @strandgroup.bsky.social PhD @clearys.bsky.social for our 'Conservative Years, 2010-24' module.
And what better way to kick off than discussing the inner workings of the Coalition with former Deputy Chief of Staff Baroness Fall...
And what better way to kick off than discussing the inner workings of the Coalition with former Deputy Chief of Staff Baroness Fall...
January 23, 2026 at 2:22 PM
So pleased to be joined for the first time by ace new teacher and @strandgroup.bsky.social PhD @clearys.bsky.social for our 'Conservative Years, 2010-24' module.
And what better way to kick off than discussing the inner workings of the Coalition with former Deputy Chief of Staff Baroness Fall...
And what better way to kick off than discussing the inner workings of the Coalition with former Deputy Chief of Staff Baroness Fall...
Reposted by Can Gökçen
All smiles as we're back underway with our 'London: Governing the Global City' module on @strandgroup.bsky.social
MA Government Studies - Prof Tony Travers delivering his masterful '2000 years of London history in 45 mins' lecture to kick off... (1/2)
MA Government Studies - Prof Tony Travers delivering his masterful '2000 years of London history in 45 mins' lecture to kick off... (1/2)
October 14, 2025 at 9:44 AM
All smiles as we're back underway with our 'London: Governing the Global City' module on @strandgroup.bsky.social
MA Government Studies - Prof Tony Travers delivering his masterful '2000 years of London history in 45 mins' lecture to kick off... (1/2)
MA Government Studies - Prof Tony Travers delivering his masterful '2000 years of London history in 45 mins' lecture to kick off... (1/2)
PhD thesis is finished, checked, and ready for one final proof read. 🥳
July 8, 2025 at 4:25 PM
PhD thesis is finished, checked, and ready for one final proof read. 🥳
Reposted by Can Gökçen
Tell you who and what's profoundly un-English - anyone adopting a Blood And Soil definition of it.
June 30, 2025 at 1:15 PM
Tell you who and what's profoundly un-English - anyone adopting a Blood And Soil definition of it.
Reposted by Can Gökçen
‘Israeli military says… it has bombed the building of Iran’s state broadcaster in Tehran. centre was used by the armed forces to promote military operations under civilian cover, while using its own means and assets,” it said, without giving any evidence’ www.aljazeera.com/news/liveblo...
ISRAEL BOMBS IRANIAN STATE TV
Israel launches new attacks on Tehran as confrontation escalates and death toll rises.
www.aljazeera.com
June 16, 2025 at 5:32 PM
‘Israeli military says… it has bombed the building of Iran’s state broadcaster in Tehran. centre was used by the armed forces to promote military operations under civilian cover, while using its own means and assets,” it said, without giving any evidence’ www.aljazeera.com/news/liveblo...
Reposted by Can Gökçen
Looking forward to discussing my new book ‘The Art of Delivery: The Inside Story of How the Blair Government Transformed Britain's Public Services’ with Sir Michael Barber
28 May 1830 @strandgroup.bsky.social
@policyatkings.bsky.social
@kingscollegelondon.bsky.social
Do join us! Sign up here 👇
28 May 1830 @strandgroup.bsky.social
@policyatkings.bsky.social
@kingscollegelondon.bsky.social
Do join us! Sign up here 👇
Join us on 28 May for @mlclem.bsky.social's book launch - 'The Art of Delivery: The Inside Story of How the Blair Government Transformed Britain's Public Services'
Dr Clement will be in conversation with
Sir Michael Barber.
Tickets: thestrandgroup.kcl.ac.uk/event/book-l...
Dr Clement will be in conversation with
Sir Michael Barber.
Tickets: thestrandgroup.kcl.ac.uk/event/book-l...
Book Launch – The Art of Delivery: The Inside Story of How the Blair Government Transformed Britain’s Public Services - The Strand Group
Join us on the 28 May when Dr Michelle Clement and Sir Michael Barber will be launching Dr Clement's new book 'The Art of Delivery.'
thestrandgroup.kcl.ac.uk
March 3, 2025 at 12:32 PM
Looking forward to discussing my new book ‘The Art of Delivery: The Inside Story of How the Blair Government Transformed Britain's Public Services’ with Sir Michael Barber
28 May 1830 @strandgroup.bsky.social
@policyatkings.bsky.social
@kingscollegelondon.bsky.social
Do join us! Sign up here 👇
28 May 1830 @strandgroup.bsky.social
@policyatkings.bsky.social
@kingscollegelondon.bsky.social
Do join us! Sign up here 👇
Reposted by Can Gökçen
Reality check.
Thank you, Financial Times.
Thank you, Financial Times.
February 25, 2025 at 8:19 PM
Reality check.
Thank you, Financial Times.
Thank you, Financial Times.
Reposted by Can Gökçen
More dodgy maths, too. "An extra 0.2% of GDP is around £6bn [i.e.] the cut to the aid budget. Yet [Starmer] trumpeted a £13 billion increase in defence spending...seems to make sense if one thinks the defence budget would otherwise have been frozen" ifs.org.uk/articles/ifs...
February 25, 2025 at 3:03 PM
More dodgy maths, too. "An extra 0.2% of GDP is around £6bn [i.e.] the cut to the aid budget. Yet [Starmer] trumpeted a £13 billion increase in defence spending...seems to make sense if one thinks the defence budget would otherwise have been frozen" ifs.org.uk/articles/ifs...
Reposted by Can Gökçen
It's like how a lot of people think historians' job is to memorize historical facts!
Maps are inherently political. Whenever I tell people I'm a geographer I usually get a version of that Arrested Development bit, like "haven't we already mapped everything?". But people don't realize how much maps are part of their every day lives. And mapping is never finished.
Re: the whole Google Maps / Gulf of 🇺🇸 debacle: In my old Maps classes, we dedicated a lesson to geographic disputes + how Google Maps, responding to state demands, alters labels on opposite sites of contested borders. We used to use this Disputed Territories site, now accessible only via Wayback:
February 12, 2025 at 5:26 PM
It's like how a lot of people think historians' job is to memorize historical facts!
Reposted by Can Gökçen
And here we go. Mostly a PR stunt for now, but cumulative radicalization is a thing and we have it going mainstream. Once it fully does, rolling it back would be extremely hard.
February 6, 2025 at 11:01 AM
And here we go. Mostly a PR stunt for now, but cumulative radicalization is a thing and we have it going mainstream. Once it fully does, rolling it back would be extremely hard.
Reposted by Can Gökçen
Myles Lewis-Skelly, by the way, is unreal.
January 15, 2025 at 10:20 PM
Myles Lewis-Skelly, by the way, is unreal.
Restores my faith in brutalism (pun intended)
#100: Gottfried Böhm, Church of Mary, Queen of Peace, Velbert-Neviges (1966-68)
December 24, 2024 at 12:17 AM
Restores my faith in brutalism (pun intended)
Reposted by Can Gökçen
'Beigel Bake, Brick Lane' (2020) by Marc Gooderham
marcgooderham.co.uk
marcgooderham.co.uk
March 19, 2024 at 1:37 PM
'Beigel Bake, Brick Lane' (2020) by Marc Gooderham
marcgooderham.co.uk
marcgooderham.co.uk
Reposted by Can Gökçen
Just been reminded of this piece by Beth McKernan, less than six months old - and from a different era.
‘We can’t take any of this for granted’: Gaza’s fight to keep its treasures safe at home
Local archaeologists dedicate their lives to protect priceless artefacts from smugglers, Hamas and Israeli attacks in a land at history’s crossroads
www.theguardian.com
March 9, 2024 at 7:15 AM
Just been reminded of this piece by Beth McKernan, less than six months old - and from a different era.
Reposted by Can Gökçen
“The working class did not rise like the sun at an appointed time. It was present at its own making.”
EP Thompson. Were he still alive he would have been 100 today.
EP Thompson. Were he still alive he would have been 100 today.
February 3, 2024 at 8:03 PM
“The working class did not rise like the sun at an appointed time. It was present at its own making.”
EP Thompson. Were he still alive he would have been 100 today.
EP Thompson. Were he still alive he would have been 100 today.
Looks fascinating! Straight on to my ‘read once the PhD is (finally) finished’ reading list.
My first book, Empire of Refugees: North Caucasian Muslims and the Late Ottoman State (February 2024), is available for preorder! Stanford University Press is running a 30% off sitewide sale through the end of February 2024! www.sup.org/books/title/...
February 2, 2024 at 12:06 PM
Looks fascinating! Straight on to my ‘read once the PhD is (finally) finished’ reading list.
Calling all potential students! King’s College London’s MA in Government Studies launches this September.
Our MA in Government Studies will feature:
- a small cohort.
- learning from and with practitioners.
- tutorials.
- extra curricular events and activities.
🔗 t.co/miwMU48989
- a small cohort.
- learning from and with practitioners.
- tutorials.
- extra curricular events and activities.
🔗 t.co/miwMU48989
Government Studies
The only course of its kind to go beyond teaching theory to apply an in-depth perspective of how the British state is run, taught by those within government.
t.co
January 22, 2024 at 2:25 PM
Calling all potential students! King’s College London’s MA in Government Studies launches this September.
Reposted by Can Gökçen
“Doctors in Gaza said that children, weakened by lack of food, had died from hypothermia and that several newborn babies with mothers who were undernourished had not survived for more than a few days.”
www.theguardian.com/world/2024/j...
www.theguardian.com/world/2024/j...
Aid officials believe there are ‘pockets of famine’ in Gaza
UN agencies issue joint plea for entry routes to Gaza, where Israeli attacks have destroyed swaths of territory
www.theguardian.com
January 16, 2024 at 11:04 PM
“Doctors in Gaza said that children, weakened by lack of food, had died from hypothermia and that several newborn babies with mothers who were undernourished had not survived for more than a few days.”
www.theguardian.com/world/2024/j...
www.theguardian.com/world/2024/j...
