Banu Akdenizli

Banu Akdenizli is an Associate Professor of Communication at Northwestern University in Qatar. She has established herself as an expert in digital media studies, public diplomacy, political communication, and media systems in the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries and Turkey.

Academic Background and Career

Akdenizli earned her PhD in media and communication from Temple University in Philadelphia. Prior to joining Northwestern University in Qatar, she served as an associate professor at Yeditepe University in Istanbul, Turkey. She also worked as a methodologist and analyst for the Pew Research Center's Journalism Project in Washington, DC.1

Research and Expertise

Her current research focuses on social media use, particularly Twitter, by government officials in public diplomacy (digital diplomacy) in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region.2 Akdenizli was named a Research Fellow at the University of Southern California (USC) Annenberg Center on Public Diplomacy from 2016 to 2018.1

Publications and Contributions

Akdenizli has made significant contributions to her field through various publications:

• Editor of "Digital Transformations in Turkey: Current Perspectives in Communication Studies" (2015)
• Author of "Toward a Healthier Understanding of Internet Policy Development, The Case of Turkey" (2007)
• Co-author of "Democracy in the Age of New Media: A Report on the Media and the Immigration Debate" (2008)1

She has also authored numerous book chapters and articles in both English and Turkish, covering topics such as digital diplomacy, media perceptions, and the role of information and communication technologies in the Gulf region.1

Teaching

At Northwestern University in Qatar, Akdenizli teaches courses including:

• Media and Society
• Internet and Society
• Media and Public Diplomacy
• Politics in the Digital World
• International and Intercultural Communication1

Recent Activities

Recently, Akdenizli shared insights on the evolving landscape of digital diplomacy in the Middle East, demonstrating her ongoing engagement with current developments in her field of expertise.3