Staten Island Professor Wins Distinguished Award for Media Book

A professor at the College of Staten Island, Bilge Yesil, has been honored with the prestigious Distinguished Scholarship Award – Best Book of 2025 by the National Communication Association’s International and Intercultural Communication Division. This accolade recognizes her significant contributions to the study of international communication through her latest publication, “Talking Back to the West: How Turkey Uses Counter-Hegemony to Reshape the Global Communication Order,” released in 2024.

Yesil’s book critically explores the methods employed by Turkey’s ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) to redefine the nation’s position on the global stage. During the 2010s, the AKP initiated an English-language media strategy aimed at enhancing Turkey’s international image, countering Western criticism of its increasingly authoritarian policies, and promoting its geopolitical and economic interests.

In-Depth Analysis of Media Influence

In her analysis, Yesil details how media outlets supported by the party frame Turkey as a defender of the oppressed and a counterbalance to Western hegemony. The narrative also reveals how these communication initiatives can obscure factual information, utilize identity politics, and deploy anti-Western rhetoric to strengthen domestic authority while advancing Turkey’s regional aspirations.

“It really feels wonderful to receive this recognition from my peers,” said Yesil. “As academics, we invest a great deal of time and energy in our work — often over many years — so it is deeply rewarding to see it recognized and appreciated by readers.”

Yesil expressed her hope that her book will foster discussions and further academic research on communication strategies employed globally, encouraging scholars to analyze these approaches from perspectives beyond conventional frameworks.

Recognition from Scholarly Community

The International and Intercultural Communication Division of the National Communication Association commended Yesil’s innovative approach, emphasizing how her work intersects with themes of authoritarianism, religion, and identity politics. This division is known for its active engagement in advancing research and teaching that examines communication across various cultural and national contexts.

Yesil’s recognition not only highlights her scholarly achievements but also underscores the importance of understanding media’s role in shaping global narratives. Her work serves as a reminder of the critical nature of communication strategies in contemporary geopolitics.

As the academic community celebrates her accomplishments, Yesil’s insights will likely continue to inspire future research in international communication, paving the way for deeper understanding of how media influences global relations.