Dr Janroj Keles


Dr Janroj Keles
NameDr Janroj Keles
Job titleAssociate Professor
Research institute
Primary appointmentLaw and Social Sciences
Email addressJ.Keles@mdx.ac.uk
ORCIDhttps://orcid.org/0000-0003-3525-9760
Contact categoryResearcher

Biography

Biography

Janroj Yilmaz Keles is an Associate Professor in Politics at Middlesex University Law School. He also holds visiting positions as a Senior Fellow at the London School of Economics (LSE) and a Visiting Professor at the University of Kurdistan Hewler. His teaching and research interests encompass globalisation, digital media and the social world, peace and conflict, gender, political violence, ethnicity and nationalism, statelessness, migration, migrant entrepreneurship, international relations, social movements, media and political communication, as well as student employment.

Keles has extensive international education experience, having studied in Turkey, Germany, and the United Kingdom. He received his PhD in Sociology and Communications from Brunel University. His PhD thesis, titled "Media, Diaspora and Conflict: Nationalism and Identity among Kurdish and Turkish Migrants in Europe," is an interdisciplinary and comparative cross-national study based on a sociologically informed analysis of mass communication, national-ethnic identity, multiple belonging, and inter-group relations/conflict within diasporic and transnational settings.

Previously, he worked as a Lecturer in sociology and media studies at the Faculty of Applied Social Sciences, London Metropolitan University, and as an Associate Lecturer in the Department of Media and Cultural Studies at Birkbeck. He also worked at the Working Lives Research Institute, London Metropolitan University, participating in several cross-national and interdisciplinary research projects on migration, visual and work sociology, civic engagement and participation, forced labour, human trafficking, precarious work, labour movements and trade unions, community, identity, ethnicity, racism, and globalization.

During his PhD, Keles was part of a research team exploring 'Legitimising the Discourses of Radicalisation: Political Violence in the New Media Ecology' for the University of Warwick, worked for Harvard University in London on the political participation and religious integration of Muslims in Europe after 9/11, and participated in the MIGSYS research project (Professor Russell King) to examine the growing diversity of migrant types, nationalities, ethnicities, cultures, languages, and motivations, especially in "super-diversity" within urban settings such as London.

Teaching

Keles is module leader of  UG Dissertation, Digital Media and the Social World and Sociology and Social Change and Societies from Global Perspectives and International Relations of the Middle East and North Africa as well as Migration Theories and Approaches (MA), and co-module leader of Politics of Globalization (MA). He supervises both MA and PhD students.

Keles employs student-centered, inclusive, and critical pedagogies combined with interactive learning activities. This approach aims to raise students' interest in learning, help them present their ideas convincingly, and communicate their understanding effectively. One of his former students, now a journalist, stated, "You benefitted me greatly through your teaching and insight into global and Middle Eastern affairs. The interdisciplinary knowledge gained from your studies and personal experience provided us with a well-rounded, impactful, and balanced understanding of the topics at hand. Your encouragement to record our insights and views through blogging also contributed to my current occupation as a journalist and political analyst."

Doctoral supervision 

 1. DoS of Khasro Ajgahi: The successful para-diplomacy of Sub-State Actors: The case of Kurdistan Regional Government of Iraq

2.  DoS of Haider Alkhateeb: Deconstructing the political construction of Sectarianism in Iraq: the role of violence in its imposition and perpetuation.

3. DoS of Aein Khezri: Terrorism from the Perspective of Shia Muslim

4. DoS of Abdulrahman Rashed: New Media & Global Terrorism; the Cyber Battle Space (Completed March 2021)

5. Second Supervisor of Mohammed Salman Khan: Governance beyond government: the role of Batkhela Bazaar in improving governance in the Malakand Region (Pakistan) ( Nov 2014 – Completed).

6. External supervisor of Shwan Wasim : Kurdish Journalism Cultures; Shifting boundaries of privacy understanding in the professional role perceptions of journalists (Nottingham Trent University) (April 2015- August 2017- Completed).

Employment

Associate Professor
Business and Law School, Middlesex University
01 Sept 2013
Lecturer
Working Lives Research Institute and Faculty of Applied Social Sciences, London Metropolitan University
01 Sept 2007
01 Sept 2013
Associate Lecturer
Department of Media and Cultural Studies at Birkbeck
01 Sept 2010
01 May 2011
Ethnographic Fieldworker
Compas, Oxford University
01 Jul 2010
01 Oct 2010
Research Assistant
Faculty of Social Sciences, University of Warwick
01 Dec 2008
01 Apr 2009
Research Assistant in London
Harvard University
01 Oct 2007
01 Feb 2008

Education and qualifications

PhD

He received his PhD in Sociology and Communications from Brunel University. His PhD thesis, titled "Media, Diaspora and Conflict: Nationalism and Identity among Kurdish and Turkish Migrants in Europe," is an interdisciplinary and comparative cross-national study based on a sociologically informed analysis of mass communication, national-ethnic identity, multiple belonging, and inter-group relations/conflict within diasporic and transnational settings.

01 Jul 2011
Brunel University
B.A. in Media Studies, Faculty of Communication
01 Jun 1995
University of Istanbul
Postgraduate Certificate in Learning & Teaching in Higher Education
01 Apr 2018
Middlesex University
Senior Fellowship | Advance HE
01 Jun 2020
Middlesex University
Sociology

Foundation Studies

01 Sept 2000
Berlin University of Technology, Germany

Grants

Janroj Yilmaz Keles

Afghan resettlement in England: outcomes and experiences

This project aims to improve the effectiveness of Afghan resettlement schemes in England, by generating knowledge of newly arriving Afghan refugees’ experiences and outcomes and using this to inform implementation by regional migration partnerships and Local Authorities (LAs).

How it will make a difference

Home Office policy makers, select committees, and parliamentarians will be engaged through briefings, workshops, and roundtables.

Findings from the project will enable national government, Strategic Migration Partnerships, Local Authorities, and NGOs to assess how resettlement schemes are working and how experiences vary regionally and by different populations.

The project team will work with Refugee NGOs and the All-Party Parliamentary Group on Afghanistan and Afghan Women and Children.

01 Jan 2024
Keles
Nuffield Fundation
Janroj Yilmaz Keles

GCRF Gender, Justice and Security Hub- A network of practitioners, researchers and activists raising awareness of gender insecurities and injustices to work towards inclusive peace. The Hub works with local and global civil society, practitioners, and researchers to to advance gender justice and inclusive peace. The Hub is based at the LSE Centre for Women, Peace and Security and includes over 40 partner organisations and 120 researchers around the world.By bringing researchers from multiple disciplines and practices together, the Hub seeks to advance the delivery of Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 5 on gender equality; SDG 16 on peace, justice and strong institutions; and the implementation of the Women, Peace and Security (WPS) agenda by developing an evidence-base around gender justice and inclusive security in conflict-affected societies.

13 Jul 2018
UKRI GCRF
Janroj Yilmaz Keles

Government Engagement with Diaspora Communities in the UK

01 Apr 2024
UK Government

Projects

  • GCRF Hub Impact Fund
  • Government engagement with diaspora communities in the UK
  • Afghan resettlement in England: outcomes and experiences
  • GCRF Gender, Justice and Security Hub

Prizes and Awards

The best paper in the 'Entrepreneurship in Minority Groups, with Prof Syrett

2015-11-01

ISBE

Evidence to public body

Policy Brief on Expanding Networks for Inclusive Entrepreneurship
The Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD)
01 Mar 2009

Reviewing the EU policy approaches of inclusive Entrepreneurship: Expanding the networks of disadvantaged entrepreneurs - • The EU Commission and OECD used research I co-conducted on disadvantaged entrepreneurs in a 2015 policy briefing to develop policies for people from social groups under-represented or disadvantaged in entrepreneurship (e.g. women, youth, seniors, the unemployed, ethnic minority and migrant groups, people with disabilities) in 37 OECD countries and build bridges between entrepreneurs, business service providers and relevant EU, national and local stakeholders in Europe.

https://ec.europa.eu/social/BlobServlet?docId=13739&langId=en
Expert Advice on refugees from the Middle East
The Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada
27 Sept 2016

Expert advice to the Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada regarding refugees from the Middle East, which resulted in positive decisions on asylum.

Afghan Refugees
The UN Global Compact on Refugees

I was also invited to present my most recent research on Afghanistan to the members of the UN Global Compact on Refugees (GCR), organised by the Global Academic Interdisciplinary Network and UNHCR, aiming to translate academic research into effective responses to forced displacement and support GCR stakeholders around the world in making evidence-based decisions and policies.

Ethnic minority representation at work
Equality and Human Rights Commission
01 Mar 2009

Presented empirical data on the experiences of minority ethnic workers seeking advice and support for employment problems in the context of the de-collectivization of employment relations in Britain

Unpaid Britain Student Worker pilot
Newham Council
01 Jan 2020

Unpaid Britain Student Worker pilot, with Clark and Stumbitz and in partnership with the Borough Council piloted the development of pedagogy and an advice/advocacy service on employment rights to support MDX students working during their studies. The research findings were presented to Newham Council with recommendations to develop the locally delivered employment rights advice service in Newham. Thanks to our research, Newham Council recruited employment rights advisors to provide individual support to those with employment rights issues, through intensive, one-to-one casework

Research outputs

Learning from labour: Critical pedagogy for working students: Project preliminary report

Morrison, C., Dashtipour, P. and Keles, J. 2023. Learning from labour: Critical pedagogy for working students: Project preliminary report. Middlesex University.

Refugee entrepreneurship and institutional voids: the case of Syrian refugee entrepreneurs in Egypt

Soliman, S., Keles, J. and Fottouh, N. 2023. Refugee entrepreneurship and institutional voids: the case of Syrian refugee entrepreneurs in Egypt. Academy of Management Discoveries. 9 (3), pp. 363-382. https://doi.org/10.5465/amd.2020.0200

A contextual understanding of diaspora entrepreneurship: identity, opportunity and resources in the Sri Lankan Tamil and Kurdish diaspora

Syrett, S. and Keles, J. 2022. A contextual understanding of diaspora entrepreneurship: identity, opportunity and resources in the Sri Lankan Tamil and Kurdish diaspora. International Journal of Entrepreneurial Behavior & Research. 28 (9), pp. 376-404. https://doi.org/10.1108/IJEBR-08-2021-0658

Displacement, diaspora, and statelessness: framing the Kurdish case

Bezwan, N. and Keles, J. 2022. Displacement, diaspora, and statelessness: framing the Kurdish case. in: Mayer, T. and Tran, T. (ed.) Displacement, Belonging, and Migrant Agency in the Face of Power London Routledge. pp. 212-224

Working Lives in India: current insights and future directions

Hammer, A., Keles, J. and Olsen, W. 2022. Working Lives in India: current insights and future directions. Work, Employment and Society. 36 (6), pp. 1139-1154.

Expanding the networks of disadvantaged entrepreneurs

Drakopoulou Dodd, S. and Keles, J. 2015. Expanding the networks of disadvantaged entrepreneurs. OECD.

Populism as new wine in old bottles in the context of Germany: 'symbolic violence' as collective habitus that devalues the human capital of Turks

Vassilopoulou, J., Ozbilgin, M., Groutsis, D. and Keles, J. 2022. Populism as new wine in old bottles in the context of Germany: 'symbolic violence' as collective habitus that devalues the human capital of Turks. Societies. 12 (2). https://doi.org/10.3390/soc12020045

Gender equalities: what lies ahead. Work, Employment and Society, 35 (4) . pp. 615-620. ISSN 0950-0170

Cotton, E., Beauregard, T. and Keles, J. 2021. Gender equalities: what lies ahead. Work, Employment and Society, 35 (4) . pp. 615-620. ISSN 0950-0170. SAGE Publications.

Playing politics with the plight of refugees. How the EU went into Erdogan’s political receivership

Bezwan, N. and Keles, J. 2021. Playing politics with the plight of refugees. How the EU went into Erdogan’s political receivership. The Commentaries. 1 (1), pp. 9-15. https://doi.org/10.33182/tc.v1i1.1991

Migrants at work: perspectives, perceptions and new connections [Editorial]

D’Angelo, A., Kofman, E. and Keles, J. 2020. Migrants at work: perspectives, perceptions and new connections [Editorial]. Work, Employment and Society. 34 (5), pp. 745-748. https://doi.org/10.1177/0950017020946571

Newham working student pilot project summary report

Clark, N., Keles, J., Stumbitz, B. and Woodcock, J. 2020. Newham working student pilot project summary report. London, UK Middlesex University. https://doi.org/10.22023/mdx.12937253.v1

Migrants with insecure legal status and access to work: the role of ethnic solidarity networks

Keles, J., Markova, E. and Fatah, R. 2022. Migrants with insecure legal status and access to work: the role of ethnic solidarity networks. Equality, Diversity and Inclusion: An International Journal. 41 (7), pp. 1047-1062. https://doi.org/10.1108/EDI-10-2018-0203

Diasporas, agency and enterprise in settlement and homeland contexts: politicised entrepreneurship in the Kurdish diaspora

Syrett, S. and Keles, J. 2019. Diasporas, agency and enterprise in settlement and homeland contexts: politicised entrepreneurship in the Kurdish diaspora. Political Geography. 73, pp. 60-69. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.polgeo.2019.05.008

Return mobilities of highly skilled young people to a post-conflict region: the case of Kurdish-British to Kurdistan – Iraq

Keles, J. 2022. Return mobilities of highly skilled young people to a post-conflict region: the case of Kurdish-British to Kurdistan – Iraq. Journal of Ethnic and Migration Studies. 0, pp. 1-21. https://doi.org/10.1080/1369183X.2019.1600401

Media and nationalism beyond borders

Keles, J. 2019. Media and nationalism beyond borders. in: Retis, J. and Tsagarousianou, R. (ed.) The Handbook of Diasporas, Media, and Culture WileyBlackwell. pp. 329-342

Kurdistan-Iraq between hope and uncertainty

Keles, J. 2018. Kurdistan-Iraq between hope and uncertainty. Chartist - bi-monthly political magazine, London, UK.

Digital diaspora and social capital

Keles, J. 2016. Digital diaspora and social capital. Middle East Journal of Culture and Communication. 9 (3), pp. 315-333. https://doi.org/10.1163/18739865-00903004

Media, diaspora and conflict: nationalism and identity amongst Turkish and Kurdish migrants in Europe

Keles, J. 2015. Media, diaspora and conflict: nationalism and identity amongst Turkish and Kurdish migrants in Europe. London/New York I.B.Tauris.

The politics of religious and the ethnic identity among Kurdish Alevis at homeland and in diaspora

Keles, J. 2014. The politics of religious and the ethnic identity among Kurdish Alevis at homeland and in diaspora. in: Omarkhali, K. (ed.) Religious minorities in Kurdistan: beyond the mainstream Harrassowitz, Wiesbaden, Germany Harrassowitz.

De-collectivization and employment problems: the experiences of minority ethnic workers seeking help through Citizens Advice

Holgate, J., Pollert, A., Keles, J. and Kumarappan, L. 2012. De-collectivization and employment problems: the experiences of minority ethnic workers seeking help through Citizens Advice. Work, Employment and Society. 26 (5), pp. 772-788. https://doi.org/10.1177/0950017012451641

Visualizing 'community': an experiment in participatory photography among Kurdish diasporic workers in London

Holgate, J., Keles, J. and Kumarappan, L. 2012. Visualizing 'community': an experiment in participatory photography among Kurdish diasporic workers in London. Sociological Review. 60 (2), pp. 312-332. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1467-954X.2012.02075.x

Study on precarious work and social rights

McKay, S., Jefferys, S., Paraksevopoulou, A. and Keles, J. 2012. Study on precarious work and social rights. European Commission.

Workplace problems among Kurdish workers in London: experiences of an invisible community and the role of community organisations as support networks

Holgate, J., Keles, J., Pollert, A. and Kumarappen, L. 2012. Workplace problems among Kurdish workers in London: experiences of an invisible community and the role of community organisations as support networks. Journal of Ethnic and Migration Studies. 38 (4), pp. 595-612. https://doi.org/10.1080/1369183X.2012.659124

Union decline, minority ethnic workers and employment advice in local communities

Holgate, J., Keles, J. and Pollert, A. 2009. Union decline, minority ethnic workers and employment advice in local communities. Industrial Law Journal. 38 (4), pp. 412-416. https://doi.org/10.1093/indlaw/dwp023
  • 1333
    total views of outputs
  • 235
    total downloads of outputs
  • 49
    views of outputs this month
  • 7
    downloads of outputs this month