Nur Gizem Yalçın is a critical social scientist whose research focuses on the politics of sustainability transitions, particularly in the context of the circular economy (CE). Her research offers a critical analysis of CE policy in the EU, addressing how dominant narratives, institutional dynamics, and epistemic authority shape the trajectory of circular transitions. Grounded in discourse and power theory, her work investigates not only how certain visions of circularity become dominant, but also how alternatives, such as relational, care-based, and justice-oriented circularities are marginalized. As part of the C-PlaNeT (Circular Plastics Network for Training, in the framework of the H2020 Marie Skłodowska Curie Actions) project, she worked at the intersection of political critique and interdisciplinary engagement, advocating for reflexivity and pluralism in CE governance in the EU. She holds a joint PhD in Political Sciences from Ghent University (Belgium) and in Economics and Social Sciences from Brandenburg University of Technology (Germany).
Nur obtained her MSc in Sustainable Development from the Science Policy Research Unit (SPRU) at the University of Sussex, United Kingdom. She is a founding member of the STRN Art-Science Thematic Group, where she actively organises webinars, workshops, and creative engagements on the intersection of art & science & sustainability. Nur is also an active member of the STRN (Sustainability Transitions Research Network) and the ACCESS (Advancing Capacity for Climate and Environment Social Science) networks.
