Berkay Koçak, PhD

About

I am a political science doctoral researcher from Türkiye, currently based in New Zealand, with a research focus on political theory and critical political economy.

I completed my PhD in the Political Science and Public Policy programme at the University of Waikato (2018–2024) and have taught courses in political theory and political economy at both the University of Waikato (2019–2020) and the University of Otago (2022–2023).

My research is situated within the tradition of critical political economy and historical materialism. I examine how historically specific social (property) relations shape political authority, state formation, and the development of political thought, combining theoretical reconstruction with comparative historical analysis. This broader research agenda also informs my work on the political economy of Türkiye, where I examine the historical development and transformation of political authority and the state, with particular attention to class struggles over the social and material conditions of political and economic life.

I recently completed the IDEAs Advanced Certificate Programme in Political Economy (2025–2026), an intensive programme focused on heterodox approaches to development economics and the political economy of the Global South.

Since January 2025, I have been working as a Policy Analyst at Dunedin City Council, where I contribute to the development and evaluation of local strategies, policies, and processes, with a focus on community well-being, equity, and sustainable development.