Degree in International Relations; Master’s in Gender and Women’s Studies; PhD in Political Science. Award-winning novelist and most widely read woman writer in Turkey. Political commentator and public speaker. Women’s rights, minority rights and LGBT rights advocate. Writes in both Turkish and English; has published 15 books, 10 of which are novels, including The Bastard of Istanbul and The Forty Rules of Love. Books have been translated into 47 languages. Has taught at various universities in Turkey, UK and USA. Member, Global Agenda Council on Creative Economy, World Economic Forum. Founding Member, European Council on Foreign Relations. TED Global speaker. Has sat on various judging panels. Has been featured in newspapers and periodicals, including the Financial Times, the Guardian, the New York Times, the Wall Street Journal, Der Spiegel and La Repubblica. Recipient of awards and honours, including: Chevalier des Arts et des Lettres, France (2010); longlisted for the Orange Prize, MAN Asian Prize; the Baileys Prize and the IMPAC Dublin Award; shortlisted for the Independent Foreign Fiction Prize and RSL Ondaatje Prize.