Dr Janroj Yilmaz Keles

Classical and Contemporary Sociological Theories, Sociology of Work, Comparative International Communications, Globalisation and the Mass Media, Media Representations, and Globalisation, Locality and Youth, Migration and Refugee Studies, Diaspora, Statelessness, Nationalism, Ethnicity,Peace and Conflict Studies (in the Middle East context), Kurdish and Turkish Migration (Germany, the UK and Sweden) as well as Transnational Political and Economic Mobility and Research Methods (Doing Sensitive Research,Visual Research and Ethnography of Computer-Mediated Communication (Nethnography).

1. Migration, Ethnic/Immigrant Entrepreneurship, Undocumented Migrants, Asylum and Refugee Issues, Forced Migration, Forced Labour and Trafficking in Europe, Diaspora, Statelessness, Superdiversity, Multi-culturalism, Industrial relations and ME groups in the UK, Identity Driven Entrepreneurship, Kurdish and Turkish Migration (Germany, the UK and Sweden), Alevis in the homeland and in Diaspora

2. Nationalism, Ethnicity, Peace and Conflict Studies (in the Middle East context), Kurdish and Turkish Studies.

3.  Nationalism and Mass Communication, Media, Identity and Representation, Media and Migration, Discourse and Content Analysis and Audience Research

4. Research Methods (Doing Sensitive Research, Visual Research, and Ethnography of Computer-Mediated Communication (Nethnography)).

 

RESEARCH SUPERVISION 

Doctoral students welcome in the areas of media studies, multiculturalism, migration, diaspora, ethnicity, nationalism, conflict, identity and enterprise, laboour market, research methods (virtual and visual) as well as issues related to the ongoing development in the Middle East, Turkey and Kurdistan. 

Ph.D. Supervision ongoing

1. External supervisor of Shwan Adam W. Aivas: Kurdish Journalism Cultures; Shifting boundaries of privacy understanding in the professional role perceptions of journalists (Nottingham Trent University).

2. Second supervisor of Mohammed Salman Khan: Governance beyond government: the role of Batkhela Bazaar in improving governance in the Malakand Region (Pakistan).

3. Supervisor of Bander Almoqbel: Reducing Unemployment in Saudi Arabia: The Role of Government Policies in Job Creation in Rural Saudi Arabia.

 

PUBLICATIONS

BOOK

Media, Diaspora, and Conflict: Nationalism and Identity amongst Kurdish and Turkish Migrants in Europe, I.B.Tauris,  September 2015

 

BOOK CHAPTERS 

Keles, J (2015) ‘Diaspora, the Internet and Social Capital’ in Migrant Capital: networks, identities, and strategies, edited by Louise Ryan, Umut Erel, Alessio D’Angelo, Palgrave Macmillan

Keles, J (2014) ‘The Politics of Religious and Ethnic Identity among Kurdish Alevis in the Homeland and in Diaspora‘, in Omarkhali, Khanna (ed.), Religious  Minorities in Kurdistan: Beyond the Mainstream. Series: Studies in Oriental  Religions, vol. 68. Harrassowitz, Wiesbaden, 2014, pp. 173–224 (Translated into Turkish).

 

INTERNATIONAL REFEREED JOURNALS

Keles, J. Y (2016) Digital Diaspora and Social Networks. Middle East Journal of Culture & Communication

Holgate, J., Keles, J and  Kumarappen, L (2012) Visualizing ‘community’: an experiment in participatory photography among Kurdish diasporic workers in London, The Sociological Review, Volume 60, Issue 2, pages 312–332, May 2012

Holgate, J. Pollert, A. Keles, J. and Kumarappan, L. (2012) ‘De-collectivisation and employment problems: the experiences of minority ethnic workers seeking help through Citizens Advice‘. Work Employment & Society October 2012 vol. 26 no. 5 772-788

Holgate, J.,Keles, J., Pollert, A., and Kumarappen, L (2012)Workplace Problems Among Kurdish Workers in London: Experiences of an `Invisible’ Community and the Role of Community Organisations as Support Networks, Journal of Ethnic and Migration Studies, Volume 38,  Number 4,  pp. 595-612(18)

Holgate, J. Pollert, A., Keles, J and Kumarappan, L. (2011) Geographies of isolation: how workers (don’t) access support for problems at work,  Antipode Volume 43, Issue 4, pages 1078–1101

Holgate, J. Pollert, A., Keles, J and Kumarappan, L (2011) Social Networks Help to Fill the Gap? Union Decline and Voice among Minority Ethnic Workers : Do Community-based Social Networks Help to Fill the Gap? Urban Stud 2012 49: 613

Holgate, J. Pollert, A and Keles, J (2009) Union decline, minority ethnic workers and employment advice in local communities. Industrial Law Journal 38:3. 412-416.

King R, Thomson M, Mai N, and Keles J.Y. ‘Turks’ in the UK: Problems of Definition and the Partial Relevance of Policy, Journal of Immigrant & Refugee Studies, Volume 6, Issue 3 October 2008 , pages 423 – 434.

 

REPORTS 

– Keles, J.Y (2016) ” Returning Home ” Transnational mobility and social networks among highly skilled British- Kurdish young people https://www.academia.edu/27726243/_Returning_Home_Transnational_mobility_and_social_networks_among_highly_skilled_British-_Kurdish_young_people 

-Drakopoulou Dodd, S. and Keles, J (2014), “Expanding the networks of disadvantaged entrepreneurs”, prepared for the OECD LEED Programme. For further details click at http://tinyurl.com/lys4cqz

-Keles, J., Markova, E., Fatah R., Deen, S and Salihy, R (2013) Iraqi undocumented migrants in the UK (2013), The International Organization for Migration Iraq (IOM Iraq)

-Mckay, S., Jeffersy, S., Paraskevopolou, A and Keles J(2012) Precarious work and social rights, Carried out for the European Commission, (VT/2010/084)  ec.europa.eu/social/BlobServlet?docId=7925&langId=en

– Clark, N., Jefferys, S., Keles, J., Contrepois, S.,Dizdarevič, M.S.,Kubisa, J.,Revilla Castro, C. J.,Perocco, F and Lulle, A (2011) Precarious work amongst students in Europe (PRECSTUDE). A seven country study funded by the European Commission (DG Employment, Social Affairs and Inclusion)

Keles, J (2011) The responses of Germany to trafficked/ forced Labour and extreme form of labour exploitation, Working Lives Research Institute, London Metropolitan University

-Holgate, J, Keles, J, Kumarappan, L, Pollert, A (2010) Help and Representation for Problems at Work: what has happened to support networks and advice centres? London: Working Lives Research Institute.

-Holgate, J. Keles, J.Kumarappan, and Pollert, A. (2010) Diaspora, work, employment and community. A report on Kurdish workers in London, Working Lives Research Institute.

 

DEPARMENTAL WORKING PAPERS 

Holgate, J. Keles, J. Pollert, A. (2009) To whom do I turn when I am invisible?: The experience of Kurdish workers who have problems at work?Working Lives Research Institute

Holgate, J. Pollert, A. Keles, J. and Jha, M. (2009) Ethnic minority representation at work: An initial review of literature and concepts, Working Lives Research Institute

Holgate, J.  Pollert, A and Keles, J. (2009) The influence of identity, ‘community’ and social networks on how workers access support for work-based problems, Working Lives Research Institute

Holgate, J. Pollert, A and Keles, J. (2009) Union decline and the lack of employment advice for minority ethnic workers in the UK: can community support organisations help to fill the gap?, Working Lives Research Institute

King R, Thomson M, Mai N, and Keles J.Y. ‘Turks’ in London : Shades of Invisibility and the Shifting Relevance of Policy in the Migration Process. Working Paper, Sussex Centre for Migration Research, University of Sussex.

 

FEATURE ARTICLES 

Keles, J, (2014) The European Kurds rallying to fight IS, Opendemocrasy.net, Republished by Foreign Policy and European Union Foreign Affairs Journal

Shareef, M and Keles, J (2014) Why an independent Kurdistan makes sense, Opendemocrasy.net

Keles, J. Y (2014) Avrupa Ülkelerinin Mülteci ve İltica Politikaları – Refugees and Asylum Policy in EU Member States, PolitikArt (Turkish)

Keles, J. Y (2015) Akdenizde gocmen olumleri ve AB – Mediterranean migrant deaths and EU, daily Yeni Ozgur Politika (Turkish)

Keles (2012) Kurds in Syria and the Old concepts of “Good Kurds” and “Bad Kurds“, Kurdnet.com

Keles(2012) Roj Tv Neden Kapatilmamali? ( Why  should Roj TV not be shut down?), Gelawej.net,  2011 (Turkish)

Keles, J(2006) Bi Nihêrînek Gelemperî Sînema (An overview of the development of film art) Kovara Zende 1, (Kurdish)

Keles, J (1994) Gorsel Tumceler (Visual Semiotics), Iskenderiye Yazilari (Turkish).

 

RECENT CONFERENCE PAPERS 

Keles, J.K (2016), Transnational mobility and the labour market, WES Conference, University of Leeds, 6-8 Sep 2016

Keles, J.Y (2016) Diaspora, Identity and Enterprise, iMigMob, Loughborough University, 18-20 July

Keles, J.Y (2016) Return Migration to Kurdistan, ISA conference, Vienna, 10-14 July

Syrett S and Keles, J (2015) Understanding Politicised Ethnic Entrepreneurship: Enterprise, Diasporas, and Identity, ISBE Conference, 10-13 Nov  2015

Keles, J (2014) Stateless media: The case of Kurdish media, paper presented at the ISA, Yokohama, Japan, 13-19 July 2014

Keles, J (2014) Contemporary Forced Labour in Germany, Paper presented at the International Labour Process Conference, London, 7-9 April 2014.

Keles, J (2013) Insecurity in an endless circle: Iraqi-Kurdish migrants with insecure immigration status in the UK, Paper presented at UndocNet, London Metropolitan University,  6th Dec 2013

Keles, J (2012), Precarious situation among the UK students, Concept of Precariousness and Students, Brussels, 30 Nov 2012,

Keles, J (2012), Mediated homeland politics and transnational ethnic audiences: The case of Kurdish and Turkish migrant,  Second International Conference on Kurdish Studies ‘The Kurds and Kurdistan: Considering Continuity and Change’ University of Exeter, 6-8 September 2012

Keles, J (2011) The responses of Germany to trafficked forced Labour and extreme form of labour exploitation, conference on review of responses to forced labour in the EU, Working Lives Research Institute, London Metropolitan University, 5th July 2011, London.

Keles, J. Kumarappan, L. Holgate, J. Pollert, A. (2010) Visual methods for exploring work, identities and belonging: the case of Kurdish workers in London Paper presented at Work, Employment and Society Conference, 7–9 September 2010 Brighton

Keles, J. Kumarappan, L. Holgate, J. Pollert, A. (2010) Visualising ‘community’: an experiment in participatory photography among Kurdish Diaspora in the UK. Paper presented at Visual Sociology Study Group, BSA Annual Conference,  7-9 April 2010, Glasgow.

Holgate, J. Pollert, P. Keles, J. (2009) Union decline and the lack of employment advice for minority ethnic workers in the UK: can community support organizations help to fill the gap? Paper presented at the International Industrial Relations Association Annual Conference, Sydney, 24-27 August 2009.

Keles, J. Holgate, J. Pollert, P. (2009) To whom do I turn when I am invisible? The experiences of Kurdish workers who have problems at work. Paper presented at the British Sociological Association Annual Conference, Cardiff, 15-17 April 2009.

Holgate, J. Pollert, P. Keles, J. (2009) The influence of identity, ‘community’ and social networks on how workers access support for work-based problems. Paper presented at the International Labour Process Conference, Edinburgh, 6-8 April 2009.

Keles J (2008) Banal Nationalism in Turkish media. Paper presented to “4th BRISMES Annual Graduate Conference 2008, organised by London School of Economics, London, 3rd – 4th September 2008

Keles J (2008) The representation of Turkish and Kurdish conflict in the media, Paper presented to “Summer School in Media & Nationalism” organized by Universitat de Vic (UVic), Barcelona / Catalonia , 07 July 2008

Keles J (2007)The Turkish and Kurdish ethnic-nationalist conflict and the role of Turkish and Kurdish media in the conflict. Paper presented to “Communication and Conflict: Propaganda, Spin and Lobbying in the Global Age” organised by University of Strathclyde n Glasgow / UK on 7-9 September 2007

Keles J (2007) The Development of Kurdish media in Diaspora. Paper presented to “KSSO seminar series”, SOAS, London/UK, 14 May 07

 

EDITORIAL ACTIVITIES 

Editor of Work, Employment & Society (WES) ABS4 ranked journal of the British Sociological Association (BSA)

 

MEMBER OF THE EDITORIAL BOARD

Journal of Immigrant and Refugee Entrepreneurship (JIRE), Migration Letter and Goc Dergisi (in Turkish)

 

CO-ORGANISED CONFERENCES

1. Co-organiser of Kurdish Migration Conference, Middlesex University, 27 May 2016/ 15-16 June 2017

2. Workshop “Migration, Transnational Mobility and Digital Social Networking, Kurdistan Parliamentarian Union, Hawler, Kurdistan-Iraq, 18 April 2016

2. Concept of Precariousness and Students in EU, 30 Nov 2012, Brussels, delegates (academics and practitioners e.g. government bodies, trade unions, NGO)  from 7 EU countries

3. Study on precarious work and social rights, 30th March 2012, London. Delegates (academics and practitioners e.g. government bodies, trade unions, NGO)  from 12 EU countries

4. A review of responses to forced labour in the EU, 5th July 2011, London. Delegates (academics and practitioners e.g. government bodies, trade unions, NGO) from 9 EU countries.

 

INVITED LECTURES

1.  University of Kurdistan, Hawler/Kurdistan to talk on media and diaspora, 26 April 2016
2.  American University Suilamania, Kurdistan to talk on Digital Diaspora and Social Networks, 22 April 2016
3.  Peace Research Institute Oslo (PRIO) to talk on Migration and Transnational Mobility, 8 May 2015
4. Communication, Culture and Media Research Group at the University of Bradford on Media and Nationalism, 3rd Dec 2014
5. Iraq Institute for Strategic Studies and International Development Research Centre’s conference on Governing diversity: The Kurds in a new Middle East, Beirut, Lebanon (28-30 Nov 2013)
6. Youth, education and migration, seminar organised by North London Communities, London, 13 June 2012
7. International Kurdish Social media Network conference to talk as key speaker on “Diaspora and New Media: Re-mediating Kurdishness in networked transnational communities”,  21 January 2012, London/ UK
8. Oxford University’s Refugee Studies Centre seminar series to talk on “The re invention of the Kurdishness through the transnational Kurdish media as part of seminar series on  Stateless Diasporas and Forced Migration (Nov 09, 2011)
9. CRER Open Seminar Series to give a seminar on ‘ Visualising an Invisible ‘Community’: an Experiment in Participatory Photography Among Kurdish Diaspora in London’ Centre for Research in Ethnic Relations Seminar (CRER ), Warwick University (17 May 2011)
10. ‘Understanding Diaspora: The Case of Kurds in London’ BSA Theory Study Group Symposium, organized in association with the Department of Sociology, University of Leicester  (May 14th, 2010)
11. Minority ethnic groups: work and Representation. Presented to TUC Black Workers Committee, TUC, 03 June 2010)
12. Debating integration policy: Danish and British perspectives, organized by H.E. Ambassador Birgir Riis-Jorgensen, Embassy of Denmark and the British Equality and Human Rights Commission, London (03.09)

 

PUBLICATION FEED

Dr Janroj Yilmaz Keles has been interviewed by Times Higher Education, BBC, Skynews, France 24, Voice of Russia, Voice of America, Monocle 24 Radio, Sputnik, Kurdish,Turkish, Iranian, Arab and Brazilian  media including Rudaw TV, NRTTV, Nuce TV, Mednuce TV, Hayat TV, IMC TV,  Levant TV, Shargh, Yeni Ozgur Poitika and  Hurriyet Newspapers.

Invited  by Communication, Culture and Media Research Group at the University of Bradford, Iraq Institute for Strategic Studies and International Development Research Centre (Beirut- Lebanon), Oxford University’s Refugee Studies Centre, Centre for Research in Ethnic Relations Seminar (CRER ), Warwick University, Embassy of Denmark and the British Equality and Human Rights Commission,TUC Black Workers Committee as well as  the Trade unions and grassroot social movements to present his work and /or  talk about the ongoing political instability in the Middle East.

In addition to this, he has been invited by various Think Tank or Policy Institutions to participate in round table discussions on migration, “integration”, social cohesion but also on Turkey,Turkey’s Kurdish question, Kurdistan Regional Government, Syrian conflict.

Since 2007, he has been organising seminars on issues ranging identity, ethnicity, nationalism, ethnic conflicts, gender, forced migration, racism, citizenship, human rights and minority rights and transnational media in the context of Turkey, Iran, Iraq and Syria/Kurdistan and also co-organised conferences on “Responses to Forced Labour in the EU”(July 2011, WLRI, London) and on “Study on precarious work and social rights”. The academics, government authorities, trade union officials and NGO from 12 member states of EU attended above-mentioned conferences.

Public Engagement / Media Dissemination

2016: Turkey’s Kurdish policy, BBC World Service/The History Hour, 15.11.16, http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p04f9s6g

 2016: Turkey, Syrian conflict and the Kurds, SkyNew (28 Agust 16)

2010  BBC on crime, education, employment and Kurdish and Turkish young people in the UK (21.10) http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-11325134 

2016: Turkish government current policies in Kurdistan Region of Turkey, ARA News (8 Sep 2016),  http://kurdishquestion.com/article/3429-turkey-launches-renewed-crackdown-on-kurds-detains-prominent-politician

2016: The role of returning diaspora in Kurdistan, Australian SBS (9 May 2016)  http://www.sbs.com.au/yourlanguage/kurdish/en/content/role-returning-diaspora-kurdistan 

2015:  Iran’s most prominent pro-reform Shargh newspaper, on Turkey-Iran relations(04.05) http://tinyurl.com/lgcp5jc

2015: MedNuce TV on general election in Turkey, Brussels (12 April)

2015: NRTTV on “Kurds’ Lonely Fight” against ISIS

2014: AEETV on Russia and Turkey economic ties and the crisis in Syria and Iraq

2013: Voice of Russia on Turkey’s Kurdish question (20 Dec)

2012  IMC TV, Invisible communities, (11.10)

2012 Voice of Russia, Turkish and Syrian border conflict (08.10)

2012 Hayat TV on Kurdish and Turkish young people in the UK (25.06)

2012 Rudaw on Transnational Kurdish lobby activities in the UK (20.06)

2012 Yeni Ozgur Poitika on education and diaspora (12/04)

2011 Voice of America (Radio) on Census 2011 and ethnic minorities in the

UK (17.03)

2016: Westminster Debate ‘Academic Freedom in Turkey’, The House of Commons, 29 Feb 2016

http://ceftus.org/2016/02/13/westminster-debate-academic-freedom-in-turkey/

2014: Invited to talk about “Forced Migration and Internally Displaced People in Iraq and Syria”, by Kurdistan Regional Government Representative to the UK, at the British Parliament

2013: Syria in the Context of the Arab Spring, organised by the Trade Unions and grassroots social movements and  the Syrian National Coalition, London (15 Dec)