LLC Commons: Denizcan Dede and Gavin Lawson In brief Date - 23 April 2026Venue - Project Room 1.06, 50 George SquareSpeakers - Denizcan Dede (PhD candidate in Islamic and Middle Eastern Studies) and Gavin Lawson (PhD candidate in Japanese)Theme - Alternative Publics and Political Expression About the eventJoin us for the next event of the LLC Commons initiative!The session brings together research around the theme of 'Alternative Publics and Political Expression' and will feature two speakers: Denizcan Dede, PhD candidate in Islamic and Middle Eastern Studies; and Gavin Lawson, PhD candidate in Japanese. The session will be followed by a Q&A and general discussion. Stay on for an informal pub social after.This space is to build community across the six departments in the School and hold interdisciplinary conversations among research staff and students - so come along!About the speakersDenizcan Dede has meticulously explored various dimensions of Turkic history alongside the intricate historical narratives of the Eurasian Steppes as a researcher specialising in the expansive region of "Eurasia". His academic pursuits extend into the realm of linguistics, where he has engaged deeply with multiple facets of Turcology, surveying an impressive geographical range from Siberia to Anatolia.After his MA thesis, completed in 2023, on the Karabagh-originated Turcoman tribes in Western Anatolia, Denizcan's scholarly focus has evolved to encompass the intricate triangle that connects the Transcaucasus, Mesopotamia, and the Iranian Plateau, especially in the Early Modern Period (after 16th century). Presently, his research is concentrated on examining the demographic ramifications of the Safavid-Ottoman Wars, particularly within the borderland regions of these two significant realms.Gavin Lawson graduated with an MA Japanese undergraduate degree from the University of Edinburgh in 2023. He then went on to obtain an MSc in East Asian Studies, also from Edinburgh. Presently, he is a PhD student in Japanese in our Asian Studies department, under the supervision of Dr Chris Perkins.How to attendThis event is free to attend, and open to all. No registration is required - just show up!About the seriesLLC Commons, coordinated by research colleagues and postgraduate research students, aims to embed work undertaken across the School’s six departments in a supportive seminar series. The initiative responds to calls from staff and students alike who have indicated that they would like more opportunities to share their work and invite feedback. The series aims to build a more integrated research culture among the School community, and to connect researchers across all its departments.Presentations might take a variety of formats: work in progress for conference papers or publications, outline plans for a chapter, a book proposal, or further research or grant plans. Tags Research Asian Studies Islamic and Middle Eastern Studies Apr 23 2026 16.00 - 18.00 LLC Commons: Denizcan Dede and Gavin Lawson Join us on 23 April for the fifth event in the new LLC Commons cross-discipline and cross-departmental events series with Denizcan Dede (PhD candidate in Islamic and Middle Eastern Studies) and Gavin Lawson (PhD candidate in Japanese) giving presentations around the theme of 'Alternative Publics and Political Expression'. Project Room 1.06 50 George Square University of Edinburgh EH8 9LH Find the venue: 50 George Square
LLC Commons: Denizcan Dede and Gavin Lawson In brief Date - 23 April 2026Venue - Project Room 1.06, 50 George SquareSpeakers - Denizcan Dede (PhD candidate in Islamic and Middle Eastern Studies) and Gavin Lawson (PhD candidate in Japanese)Theme - Alternative Publics and Political Expression About the eventJoin us for the next event of the LLC Commons initiative!The session brings together research around the theme of 'Alternative Publics and Political Expression' and will feature two speakers: Denizcan Dede, PhD candidate in Islamic and Middle Eastern Studies; and Gavin Lawson, PhD candidate in Japanese. The session will be followed by a Q&A and general discussion. Stay on for an informal pub social after.This space is to build community across the six departments in the School and hold interdisciplinary conversations among research staff and students - so come along!About the speakersDenizcan Dede has meticulously explored various dimensions of Turkic history alongside the intricate historical narratives of the Eurasian Steppes as a researcher specialising in the expansive region of "Eurasia". His academic pursuits extend into the realm of linguistics, where he has engaged deeply with multiple facets of Turcology, surveying an impressive geographical range from Siberia to Anatolia.After his MA thesis, completed in 2023, on the Karabagh-originated Turcoman tribes in Western Anatolia, Denizcan's scholarly focus has evolved to encompass the intricate triangle that connects the Transcaucasus, Mesopotamia, and the Iranian Plateau, especially in the Early Modern Period (after 16th century). Presently, his research is concentrated on examining the demographic ramifications of the Safavid-Ottoman Wars, particularly within the borderland regions of these two significant realms.Gavin Lawson graduated with an MA Japanese undergraduate degree from the University of Edinburgh in 2023. He then went on to obtain an MSc in East Asian Studies, also from Edinburgh. Presently, he is a PhD student in Japanese in our Asian Studies department, under the supervision of Dr Chris Perkins.How to attendThis event is free to attend, and open to all. No registration is required - just show up!About the seriesLLC Commons, coordinated by research colleagues and postgraduate research students, aims to embed work undertaken across the School’s six departments in a supportive seminar series. The initiative responds to calls from staff and students alike who have indicated that they would like more opportunities to share their work and invite feedback. The series aims to build a more integrated research culture among the School community, and to connect researchers across all its departments.Presentations might take a variety of formats: work in progress for conference papers or publications, outline plans for a chapter, a book proposal, or further research or grant plans. Tags Research Asian Studies Islamic and Middle Eastern Studies Apr 23 2026 16.00 - 18.00 LLC Commons: Denizcan Dede and Gavin Lawson Join us on 23 April for the fifth event in the new LLC Commons cross-discipline and cross-departmental events series with Denizcan Dede (PhD candidate in Islamic and Middle Eastern Studies) and Gavin Lawson (PhD candidate in Japanese) giving presentations around the theme of 'Alternative Publics and Political Expression'. Project Room 1.06 50 George Square University of Edinburgh EH8 9LH Find the venue: 50 George Square
Apr 23 2026 16.00 - 18.00 LLC Commons: Denizcan Dede and Gavin Lawson Join us on 23 April for the fifth event in the new LLC Commons cross-discipline and cross-departmental events series with Denizcan Dede (PhD candidate in Islamic and Middle Eastern Studies) and Gavin Lawson (PhD candidate in Japanese) giving presentations around the theme of 'Alternative Publics and Political Expression'.
