Hi everyone! My name is Andrew Swank, and I’m a rising sophomore at Georgetown University in the School of Foreign Service. I’m currently undeclared but I plan on majoring in Regional and Comparative Studies with a focus on Eastern Europe, Russia, and Eurasia. I’m originally from Bloomington, Indiana. My research question for this summer is: How has Turkish national identity affected Turkey’s policies about the war in Ukraine? Especially given the recent elections in Turkey, I think this topic is really fascinating and important. Turkey has taken a more neutral stance despite being a NATO member. Turkey has offered to mediate peace talks between President Putin and President Zelensky, maintained strong trade ties with Russia, but also sent drones to Ukraine. Turkish President Erdogan and Russian President Putin are friendly with each other, and both presidents have similarly autocratic leadership. I’m hoping my project will help me understand the reasoning behind Turkey’s unique policy. Turkey’s national identity is very complex; many different ideologies and identities have a major impact on the country’s perception of itself. President Erdogan is probably the most influential figure in shaping modern Turkey’s identity, so I hope my research can provide more insight into Erdogan’s role in shaping Turkey’s foreign policy. I hope to develop better research skills through the program and better understand how to do research about international relations. I also want to improve my time management and get better at structuring my own work. This is the biggest independent project I’ve ever done so hopefully I’ll be able to rise to the challenge and learn how to keep myself focused and on task. I’m very excited to be a part of the Laidlaw Programme and I’m very grateful for this opportunity to learn more about myself and the world through research!