Suzy Hansen | Age of Erdogan: What Explains the Dominance of Turkey's Longtime Leader? | CC26_05

Journalist Suzy Hansen, a 2018 Pulitzer Prize finalist and author of the forthcoming book "From Life Itself: Turkey, Istanbul, and a Neighborhood in the Age of Erdoğan" (April 2026), explains how and why Recep Tayyip Erdogan, the former Prime Minister and current President of Turkey, has been able to remain in power for over twenty years. Hansen also explains what has happened to Turkey during this time and its transformation from "aspiring democracy" to "strange new autocracy." She draws a remarkable parallel between the Turkish and American political scenes. Hansen's talk was delivered at the 39th Annual Camden Conference, "Today's Middle East: Power, Politics & Players," held February 20-22, 2026 in Camden, Maine.