All Azimuth: A Journal of Foreign Policy and Peace

2146-7757 2757-9026

İhsan Doğramacı Barış Vakfı

10.20991/allazimuth.1872950

Turkish Foreign Policy

Türk Dış Politikası

Türkiye as a Cusp State: Conceptualization and Implementation

https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8435-6682

Altunışık

Meliha

MIDDLE EAST TECHNICAL UNIVERSITY

01 29 2026

15 1 28 43 04 15 2025 12 13 2025

2012

All Azimuth: A Journal of Foreign Policy and Peace

This article revisits the concept of the “Cusp State” with a specific focus on Türkiye, aiming to deepen both its theoretical and empirical relevance. It begins by re-examining the definitional foundations of the concept, which refers to states situated at the intersection of regional and global dynamics, exhibiting hybrid characteristics and adaptive foreign policy behaviors. The article argues that the Cusp State framework offers a valuable lens for analyzing Türkiye’s foreign policy, particularly due to its blend of ideational and material factors and its geostrategic positioning. The analysis explores how Türkiye navigates its cuspness by employing region-building strategies, enhancing connectivity, and repositioning itself within global hierarchies. The article also investigates the limitations and contradictions inherent in these strategies, including domestic-international linkages, geopolitical constraints, and normative tensions. In doing so, it demonstrates that Türkiye's trajectory exemplifies the dynamic nature of cuspness—not merely as a structural condition but as a set of evolving practices shaped by agency and context. Ultimately, the article contributes to the literature by refining the Cusp State concept and offering empirical insights into Türkiye’s foreign policy conduct in a rapidly shifting international environment.

Türkiye’s Foreign Policy Cusp State Regionalism Balancing Connectivity

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