Burcu Özçelik is a teaching associate in Conflict, Peacebuilding and the Politics of the Middle East at Cambridge University’s Department of Politics and International Studies (POLIS). Burcu’s research engages with the contemporary politics of the Middle East, with particular reference to transnational Kurdish politics, Syria, Iraq and Turkey’s national and foreign policy. Thematic interests involve human rights discourse, self-determination claims, and the politics of recognition and identity. She is currently working on her book Kurds Across Borders: Turkey, Syria and Iraq. She has a PhD in Politics and International Studies from the University of Cambridge.