Dr. Berfin Nur Osso (LLB, MSocSc, LLD)
. . .
Education
Jan 2020–Jan 2025 Doctor of Laws (LLD), awarded with distinction. Faculty of Law, University of Helsinki, Finland.
- Dissertation Title: Undoing the Borders of ‘Access’: A Socio-Legal Inquiry into Migration Management and Refugee Struggles at the European Union’s External Borders.
Aug 2017–May 2019 Master of Social Sciences (MSocSc) in Political Science and International Relations. Faculty of Management and Business, Tampere University, Finland.
- Master’s Thesis: Rethinking Rightlessness: The “Right to Have Rights” and the EU-Turkey Statement (Grade: 5/5 – excellent).
Sep 2012–Jun 2017 Bachelor of Laws (LLB) and Minor in International Relations. Koç University Law School, Istanbul, Turkey.
Current Employment
Feb 2025–present Post-doctoral Researcher, Faculty of Law, University of Helsinki, Finland.
- Research work within the ‘REBOUND’ project (Reconceptualizing Boundaries Together Towards Resilient and Just Arctic Future(s)) and teaching at the faculty.
Previous Work Experience
Mar 2021–Jan 2025 Grant-funded Doctoral Researcher, Faculty of Law, University of Helsinki, Finland.
2023, Oct–Dec Teacher (part-time), Faculty of Management and Business, Tampere University, Finland.
2023, Apr–May Visiting Doctoral Researcher, Nijmegen Centre for Border Research, Radboud University (Netherlands), with Prof Henk van Houtum.
2021–2022 Project Researcher (part-time), Academy of Finland, UEF Law School, with Prof. Emilia Korkea-aho.
- 2021– “Expertise In and Out of Government: The Bureaucratic Revolving Door and Its Regulation in EU Member States” (REVOLVE).
- 2016–2021 The Lobbyist. A Socio-Legal Inquiry of Interest Representation in the European Union.
2022, Jan–Jul Visiting Scholar (virtual), Centre of Law and Society, Cardiff School of Law and Politics.
2018, Jun–2020, Aug Legal Assistant, HappyOrNot Ltd, Tampere, Finland.
2017 Undergraduate Research Assistant, Koç University Migration Research Center (MiReKoc), Istanbul, Turkey.
2016 Research Assistant, Institute of International Relations (IIR) Prague, Czech Republic.
2014 Undergraduate Research Assistant, Koç University Law School.
Research Funding, Grants & Scholarships
2025 Finnish Section of the Nordic Federation of Public Administration (NAF), travel grant (500 EUR).
2024 Finnish Academy of Science and Letters (Eino Jutikkala Fund), grant for the doctoral research project (27,000 EUR). I rejected the award as the doctoral project was ending.
2024 University of Helsinki, Doctoral School in Humanities and Social Sciences, travel grant (1,000 EUR).
2023 TelepART Science Mobility Support by Finnland-Institut (grant number: 1621), travel grant for the Digital Democracy Workshop (University of Zurich, Switzerland, 26–27 Oct 2023) (350 EUR).
2023 Finnish Academy of Science and Letters (Eino Jutikkala Fund), grant for the doctoral research project for 2024 (26,000 EUR).
2023 OLVI Foundation, stipend for fieldwork and other expenses of the doctoral project (8,000 EUR).
2023 Makarna M. och O.Hj. Granfelts Stipendiefond, stipend for doctoral research visit (6,000 EUR).
2023 University of Helsinki, Doctoral School in Humanities and Social Sciences, travel grant (1,200 EUR).
2023 Erasmus Traineeship Grant, funding for the researcher’s mobility visit at the Nijmegen Centre for Border Research at Radboud University (Netherlands) taking place during April-May 2023 (1,365 EUR).
2023 Central European University (CEU), full funding for participation in the Conference on “The Aesthetics of International Law” (CEU, Vienna, Austria, 12–13 May 2023).
2022 Finnish Academy of Science and Letters (Eino Jutikkala Fund), grant for the doctoral research project for 2023 (26,000 Euros).
2022 International Studies Association (ISA), travel grant for participation in the ISA 2023 Annual Convention (Montréal, Canada, 15–18 March 2023).
2022 The Otto A. Malm Foundation, stipend for doctoral research project (6,000 Euros).
2022 University of Helsinki, Doctoral School in Humanities and Social Sciences, travel grant (1,000 Euros).
2022 European Consortium for Political Research (ECPR), full funding for participation in the ECPR General Conference 2022 (University of Innsbruck, Austria, 22–26 August 2022).
2022 Edinburgh Europa Institute, full funding for participation in the Early-Career Researcher Workshop on Multidisciplinary Research Methods in EU Law (University of Edinburgh, the UK, 26–27 May 2022).
2021 Finnish Cultural Foundation, grant for the doctoral research project for 2021–2022 (26,000 Euros).
2017–2019 Tampere University, the global student award for academic excellence scholarship (covering the tuition fees and living expenses).
2012–2017 Koç University, full-merit undergraduate scholarship.
2012–2017 Loans and Dormitories Institution of the Turkish Ministry of Youth and Sports, scholarship during the five years of undergraduate education.
Teaching Merits
Pedagogical Training
- University Pedagogy 1: Learning in Higher Education, 5 ECTS (Mar–May 2025).
- University Pedagogy 2.1: Constructive Alignment in Course Design, 5 ECTS (Sep–Nov 2025).
Teaching
- OTT-912 Seminar on Research Methods: Doctoral-level course (University of Helsinki, Autumn 2025).
- RPM 220 Asylum Law in Europe: Tutor in the MA program in Refugee Protection and Forced Migration Studies (University of London, Autumn 2024).
- POL.KV.333 Peace and Conflict Research: Designing and implementing the course on ‘Human Rights and Visual Arts: Migrants, Refugees, and Citizens’ (Tampere University, Autumn 2023).
Guest Lectures
- GGL-360 Methodologies in Law and Legal Studies Seminar: Guest Lecture ‘Visuality in Socio-Legal Studies’ (University of Helsinki, 22 September 2025).
- The 36th Helsinki Summer Seminar: Guest Lecture ‘Defying the Public/Private: Migration Governance and Political Agency’ and a workshop (University of Helsinki, 27 August 2025).
- LFC.POL.399 Master’s Seminar and Thesis: Guest lecture for sharing experiences on writing master’s thesis (Tampere University, 11 Oct 2023).
- POL.KV.242 Migration, Borders, and Security: Guest lecture on ‘Visuality in Border and Migration Research’ (Tampere University, 2 May 2023).
- Guest lecture on ‘Migrants, Refugees, and Human Rights’ (Adapazari ENKA Anatolian High School, Sakarya, Turkey, 4 Jan 2022).
Teaching Assistance
- OTM-822S Master’s Thesis Seminar: Legal Theory; OIK-O400 Crime, Cinema and the Culture of Control; ON-O222 Oikeusteoria (Legal Theory): Assisting Prof. Panu Minkkinen with the organization of courses (University of Helsinki, Autumn 2020 and Autumn 2021).
- LAW-221 and LAW-222 International Law I-II; ACWR-107 Legal Writing: Peer support and course reviews as Undergraduate Teaching Assistant at Koç University Office of Learning & Teaching, Istanbul (2014–2017).
Thesis Assessments
GGL-800 Master’s Thesis: Assessment of master’s theses for the master’s program in Global Governance Law (University of Helsinki, Spring 2024 and Spring 2025).
Awards & Honors
2025 University of Helsinki, Doctor of Laws (LLD) with distinction.
2014, 2015, 2016, 2017 Koç University Law School, Dean’s Honor Roll.
2013 Koç University, Vehbi Koç Honor Scholar Award.
2012 Adapazarı ENKA Anatolian High School, ranked 1st in the graduating class.
Other Key Academic Merits
Memberships in Scientific Communities
- 2025–present Affiliated Researcher, Helsinki Institute of Sustainability Science (HELSUS).
- 2025–present Deputy Member, The Finnish Interdisciplinary Society (FINTERDIS)
- 2022–present Research Affiliate, Refugee Law Initiative, University of London (School of Advanced Study).
- 2021–present Affiliated Research Fellow, Erik Castrén Institute of International Law and Human Rights, University of Helsinki (Faculty of Law).
- 2020–present Convenor, The Helsinki Socio-Legal Initiative (HSLI) (formerly with Prof Panu Minkkinen).
- 2022–present Member, International Studies Association (ISA).
- 2022–present Member, Law & Society Association (LSA).
- 2022–present Member, Socio-Legal Studies Association (SLSA).
- 2021–2024 Member, IMISCOE PhD Academy.
- 2021–2023 Member, European Society of International Law (ESIL).
Referee & Editor for Scientific Publications: International Journal of Refugee Law (referee); Journal of Law & Society (referee); International Journal of Discrimination and the Law (referee); Journal of Borderlands Studies (referee); International Migration Research Network (IMISCOE) PhD Blog (Blog editor, 2023–2024).
Organization of Seminars & Conferences
- Co-organizer of ‘Project Launch Seminar JUST-BOUND: A Key Research Focus Within REBOUND Project‘ (University of Helsinki, 17 Apr 2025).
- Co-organizer of two panel sessions on ‘Unpacking Narratives of Migration: Visual Approaches and Hopeful Engagements’ at ETMU Conference 2024. Acted as co-chair and discussant in one of the sessions (Tampere University, Nov 2024).
- Moderating and co-convening of a hybrid seminar with IMISCOE PhD Network on ‘Time to leave the Ivory Tower? How to claim more space in public debate’ at the 2023 IMISCOE Conference (Warsaw, Poland, 3 Jul 2023).
- 2020–present Moderating and co-convening of academic seminars under the aegis of the Helsinki Socio-Legal Initiative (HSLI), University of Helsinki.
- Book discussion: ‘Grievance Formation, Rights and Remedies’ dedicated to Daniela Alattinoğlu’s new book (University of Helsinki and Online, 20 Mar 2024).
- Multiscalar Legal Studies: A Conversation with Mariana Valverde (Toronto) and Luis Eslava (Kent) (Online, 5 May 2021).
- Jeremy Gould (Helsinki), ‘The Honourable Lady Justice Professor Munalula dissents!’ (Online, 14 Apr 2021).
- Book launch: ‘Constituent Power'(Online, 14 Jan 2021).
- Jacopo Martire (Bristol), ‘A Foucauldian Interpretation of Modern Law’ (Online, 3 Dec 2020).
Scientific & Societal Impact
2025, May Podcast entitled ‘Borders without Mercy and Rights of Migrants’ with Prof Dorota Gozdecka. In this podcast, I discuss with Professor Gozdecka the brutal realities of border regimes and the erosion of migrants’ rights. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ovogst4uMKw&t=0s.
2025, Mar An interview, ‘The reality of borders through the eyes of refugees’ (trans. ‘Rajojen todellisuus pakolaisten silmin’), about my doctoral research with Anssi Bwalya (in Finnish). Published digitally on the University of Helsinki’s webpage and printed in the Yliopisto magazine. https://www.helsinki.fi/fi/uutiset/politiikka/rajojen-todellisuus-pakolaisten-silmin.
2025, Jan Press release on the public examination of the doctoral thesis, entitled ‘Invisible borders deny refugees access to protection, rights, and integration’, authored with Petter Gröning and published on the University of Helsinki’s Faculty of Law webpage. www.helsinki.fi/en/faculty-law/news/invisible-borders-deny-refugees-access-protection-rights-and-integration.
2024, Mar Appearance as an expert in the radio program and podcast entitled ‘Egiptovski stražarji Mediterana’ (trans. ‘Egyptian Guardians of the Mediterranean’) concerning the questions related to migration under the Joint Declaration on the Strategic and Comprehensive Partnership between the Arab Republic of Egypt and the European Union. The program was broadcast on the radio outlet Radio Študent throughout Slovenia. https://radiostudent.si/politika/offsajd/egiptovski-strazarji-mediterana.
2023, Jul Appearance as an expert in the radio program and podcast entitled ‘Vračanja v Puščavo’ (trans. ‘Returning to the Desert’) on the EU–Tunisia Migration Deal of 16 July 2023 (officially, political agreement on a comprehensive partnership package). The program was broadcast on the radio outlet Radio Študent throughout Slovenia. https://radiostudent.si/politika/offsajd/vracanja-v-puscavo.
2023, Apr Radio program and podcast on ‘Visual Arts in Migration and Border Studies’ with Hakan Ünay in the radio program Sınır(lı) Konuşmak (trans.: Speaking with Boundary(s)), which deals with all kinds of aspects of the border. The program is broadcasted in Turkish language in the radio outlet Açık Radyo (Open Radio) throughout Turkey. https://t.co/36ruWBDOif.
2022, Mar An interview published in the Grantor Bulletin of Koç University. ‘At Koç University I exceeded my limits and discovered the potential within me’. https://anadolubursiyerleri.ku.edu.tr/news/koc-universitesinde-sinirlarimi-astim-ve-icimdeki-potansiyeli-kesfettim.
2021, Dec Seminar on ‘A Story of Cartoons, Law, and Migration’ at Adapazari ENKA Anatolian High School, Sakarya, Turkey.
Leadership Experience & Project Management
2018 Founder & CEO, Food for Good. I have initiated and managed a social entrepreneurship project for immigrants interested in sharing their culinary culture in Tampere, Finland.
2016–2018 Vice-President for National Affairs & Academic Activities, Jus Gentium International, Paris, France.
2014–2017 Project Manager, Koç University GlobalAid.
- With a team of three, I have managed a social entrepreneurship project entitled “stART” promoting Syrian refugee children’s mental wellbeing in Istanbul, Turkey. As part of the project, I have made the illustrations of an illustrated story book to be used in art therapy sessions with the children, in collaboration with Turkish Red Crescent and International Blue Crescent (IBC) in Turkey.
- I also partook in a social impact project in Mumbai, India, promoting water and sanitation for the residents of the Dharavi slum.
2013–2017 Co-Founder & Vice-President, Koç University Humor Club, Istanbul, Turkey.
PORTFOLI(O)SSO 