04/09/2025
Associate Prof. M. Tahir Kılavuz, a new faculty member at Sabancı University's Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences, has been awarded an ERC-Starting Grant of €1.5 million for his project DEMIG, from the European Research Council, one of Europe's most prestigious and competitive funding schemes in the European Union.
The European Research Council (ERC), which funds groundbreaking projects of Europe's top researchers and fosters innovation, has awarded Starting Grant this year to a single project from Türkiye.
With his project titled "Democracy-Migration Paradox: Anti-Immigrant Attitudes and Commitment to Democracy – DEMIG)"’ in the field of political science, Associate Prof. Kılavuz examines the paradox between widespread commitment to democracy and rising anti-immigrant attitudes across European and Middle Eastern societies. By addressing this tension, it provides critical insights into a challenge that threatens the future of democracy. Utilizing AI-assisted surveys and experimental methods, the research aims to generate evidence that will inform the development of more inclusive democratic governance and migration policies.
During the development phase of his ambitious and groundbreaking ERC Starting Grant project, Associate Prof. M. Tahir Kılavuz benefited from the TÜBİTAK’s Preliminary Evaluation Program (EBAG) and Sabancı University’s institutional support mechanism.
The project will be implemented at Sabancı University over a five-year period with a newly established research team.
