Zeynep Reyyan Erdem

Johns Hopkins SAIS Master of Arts in International Relations Graduate | Human Rights, Governance & Middle East Politics | Conflict Management

Washington, District of Columbia, United States

About

Recent MAIR graduate from Johns Hopkins SAIS with a focus on governance, politics, and society in the Middle East. Academic and professional experience spans human rights, international law, conflict management, policy research, inequality, and international affairs. Experience includes teaching assistance at Johns Hopkins SAIS and Boğaziçi University, policy-oriented research at the Presidency of the Republic of Türkiye, and field research on poverty and inequality with the Deep Poverty Network in İstanbul. Skilled in qualitative research, policy analysis, content coding, dataset construction, policy brief writing, and academic support. Professional interests include human rights, governance, Middle Eastern politics, conflict analysis, institutional reform, and policy-oriented research

Experience

  • Johns Hopkins School of Advanced International Studies (SAIS) ()
    • Teaching Assistant
      Aug 2025 - Dec 2025 · 5 mos

      Supported course instruction for World Order and Disorder under Professor Dipali Mukhopadhyay through participation tracking, grading, and student guidance. Provided individualized support to students on final papers during office hours.

    • Teaching Assistant
      Jan 2025 - Dec 2025 · 1 yr

      Supported instruction for 140+ students by leading review sessions and office hours, assessing assignments, and coordinating communication and logistics among the professor, teaching assistants, and students.

  • Intern at Açık Alan Derneği
    Feb 2024 - Jun 2024 · 5 mos

    Conducted field research on poverty and inequality in disadvantaged İstanbul neighborhoods through surveys and interviews, contributing to a comprehensive Field Observation Study. Supported policy reports and recommendations on systemic reform and sustainable development, designed visual materials in Canva, and facilitated workshops on inequality, rights, and liberties for 150+ women from diverse ethnic and religious backgrounds.

  • Intern at Presidency of the Republic of Türkiye Human Resources Office
    Sep 2023 - Dec 2023 · 4 mos

    Conducted policy-oriented research on skills development, education, and employment in Türkiye, analyzing international frameworks and examples from ASEAN, EU, and OECD contexts. Drafted and edited project proposals, policy briefs, background reports, memos, briefing materials, and country case studies to support evidence-based policymaking and international dialogue.

  • Research Assistant at Boğaziçi University
    Jun 2023 - Sep 2023 · 4 mos

    Reviewed and coded 1,000+ tweets according to the project codebook, built a structured dataset in Excel, and contributed to research on the intersection between the Black Lives Matter and MeToo movements under Professor Başak Taraktaş.

  • Teaching Assistant at Boğaziçi University
    Sep 2022 - Jan 2023 · 5 mos

    Assisted with instruction for Fundamentals of Political Economy under Professor Mine Eder, supporting a class of 70 students through review sessions designed to clarify key concepts, strengthen comprehension, and prepare students for course assessments.