Dr. R. Melis Baydag
Department
Inter- and Transnational Cooperation
Function
Associate Researcher
Specialization
Political Science
Work areas
- International Political Economy
- Domestic Politics Theories
- Development policy and domestic politics of aid
- International Cooperation
- Global Governance
- Middle Powers
Vita
| since 4/2026 | Technical University of Munich Postdoctoral Researcher and Lecturer, Chair of European and Global Governance |
| 10/2025 - 3/2026 | University of Freiburg Postdoctoral Researcher and Lecturer, Chair of International Relations |
| 10/2024 - 10/2025 | Technical University of Munich Lecturer, Chair of European and Global Governance |
| 4/2024 - 9/2025 | German Institute of Development and Sustainability (IDOS) Researcher, Research department "Inter- and Transnational Cooperation" |
| 4/2020 - 9/2024 | Ruhr University Bochum Research Associate and Lecturer, Chair of International Politics |
| 11/2023 | Ruhr University Bochum PhD in Social Science Dissertation: "Material Interests and Societal Ideas in Development Policy Preferences: A Comparative Analysis of Mexico, South Korea, and Turkey" |
| 10/2023 - 12/2023 | German Institute of Development and Sustainability (IDOS) Guest Researcher, Programme "Inter- and Transnational Cooperation" |
| 5/2023 | University of Wrocław, Poland Visiting Lecturer, Institute of International Studies |
| since 10/2018 | Ruhr University Bochum Lecturer, Chair of International Politics |
| 7/2017 | Middle East Technical University, Turkey Master of Science (M.Sc.) in International Relations |
| 10/2015 - 9/2016 | Philipps-Universität Marburg Exchange Year, M.A. International Development Studies |
| 6/2014 | Middle East Technical University, Turkey Bachelor of Science (B.Sc. High Honours) in International Relations |
| 10/2013 - 2/2014 | Universität Duisburg-Essen Exchange Semester, B.A. Political Science |
Member of
- International Studies Association (ISA)
- European International Studies Association (EISA)
- German Political Science Association (DVPW)
- Turkish Political Science Association (TPSA)
- European Platform of Women Scientists (EPWS)
Refereed Publications
-
Fouquet, Stephan / R. Melis Baydag / Klaus Brummer / Stefan A. Schirm / Sibel Oktay / Francesco Niccolò Moro / Manuela Moschella / Cameron G. Thies / Leslie Wehner
(2026)
Dialogue instead of mutual neglect? International political economy meets foreign policy analysis
in: Cooperation and Conflict, first published 19.03.2026 -
Hackenesch, Christine / R. Melis Baydag / Niels Keijzer / Julian Bergmann
(2026)
Rechtspopulistische Parteien in Europa und die Entwicklungspolitik: direkte und indirekte Einflussmechanismen
in: Zeitschrift für Politik 73 (1), 45-61 -
Baydag, R. Melis
(2025)
The political economy of aid giving: a literature review
in: Zeitschrift für Politikwissenschaft, first published 17.12.2025 -
Baydag, R. Melis / Rebecka Villanueva Ulfgard
(2025)
Populist narratives and personalized national role conception in middle powers: The cases of Mexico and Turkey during the COVID-19 Pandemic
in: Politics & Policy 53 (1), article e12645 -
Baydag, R. Melis
(2025)
Domestic ideas and interests in development cooperation of emerging donors: the case of Mexican development policy
in: Contemporary Politics 31 (5), 684–706 -
Baydag, R. Melis
(2024)
Positions of established and emerging powers towards climate finance: the cases of Germany and Korea
in: Stephan Klingebiel / Thomas Kalinowski / Niels Keijzer (eds.), Emerging trends in International development and climate policy: a focus on Korea and Germany, Cham: Palgrave Macmillan, 39-52 -
Baydag, Melis / Stephan Klingebiel
(2023)
Partner country selection between development narratives and self-interests: A new method for analysing complex donor approaches
in: Review of Development Economics 27 (2), 1199-1223 -
Baydag, R. Melis
(2021)
Middle powers in international development cooperation: Assessing the roles of South Korea and Turkey'
in: Sachin Chaturvedi / Heiner Janus / Stephan Klingebiel / Xiaoyun Li / André de Mello e Souza / Elizabeth Sidiropoulos / Dorothea Wehrmann (Eds.), The Palgrave Handbook of development cooperation for achieving the 2030 Agenda, Cham: Palgrave Macmillan, 435-449
Non-refereed Publications
-
Crumpton, Ben / Melis Baydag / Niels Keijzer / Camilla Rocca / Benedikt Erforth
(2026)
Digital Transformation in Africa: From Gaps to Goals
in: IAI (Hrsg.), EU-Africa Digital Partnership: Strategic Pathways through the Mattei Plan and Global Gateway , Rom: Istituto Affari Internazionali (IAI), 23-40 -
Crumpton, Ben / Melis Baydag / Niels Keijzer / Camilla Rocca / Benedikt Erforth
(2025)
Digital transformation in Africa: from gaps to goals
in: ETTG Policy Brief 7/2025, Brussels: European Think Tanks Group -
Baydag, R. Melis / Rebecka Villanueva Ulfgard
(2025)
Not all populists turn inward – and for a reason: Mexican and Turkish development cooperation in an era of global fragmentations
in: Stephan Klingebiel / Andy Sumner (eds.), Development and development policy in the Trump era, Bonn: German Institute of Development and Sustainability (IDOS), 67-72 -
Baydag, Rena Melis / Stephan Klingebiel / Paul Marschall
(2018)
Shaping the patterns of aid allocation: a comparative analysis of seven bilateral donors and the European Union
(Discussion Paper 22/2018)
Opinion Pieces
-
Keijzer, Niels / Baydag, Melis
(2025)
Turkey, the EU, and China in the world: does turbulence lead to convergence?
published on ettg.eu, 17.11.2025