From Prescription to Treatment: The Disciplinary (under)Achievement of IR in Turkey

Year 2023, Volume: 12 Issue: 2, 261 - 280, 16.06.2023

İsmail Erkam Sula , Buğra Sarı , Çağla Lüleci-sula

https://doi.org/10.20991/allazimuth.1310654

Cited By: 1

Abstract

International Relations (IR) in Turkey has been assessed by scholars on topics,
including but not limited to the need to increase contributions from Turkish IR
scholars to theoretical discussions, the need for homegrown theorizing, and
to improve the methodological quality of IR research originating in Turkey.
This literature has revolved around the diagnosis of and prescriptions for
what is referred to as the ‘disciplinary underachievement’ of IR in Turkey.
Recently, an increasing number of scholars have focused on disciplinary self-reflection
discussing the limitations and prospects in the state of IR discipline
in Turkey. Adding to this emergent literature, this paper identifies the reasons
for the ‘disciplinary underachievement’ in Turkish IR. The paper discusses
the conditions that hamper IR education in Turkey under three groups: 1) the
structure and content of undergraduate and graduate curricula, 2) the state of IR
as an academic discipline in Turkey, and 3) the state of IR literature in Turkish.
The paper also offers suggestions for a prospective treatment to improve the state
of the IR discipline and pedagogy in Turkey. It argues that an improvement in the
quality of IR education has significant potential to contribute to further inclusion
of locally produced IR knowledge into ‘global IR,’ which is widely cited in the
existing literature as a significant sign of ‘disciplinary progress.’

Keywords

Global IR, Pedagogy, Methodology, Self-reflection, Turkey

Thanks

An earlier version of this research was presented at the 6th All Annual Azimuth Workshop: “Think Global Act Local: The Globalization of Turkish IR”, Bilkent University. November 6-7, 2021, Ankara. The authors would like to acknowledge the contributions received from the participants of, and discussions at, the workshop. The authors also appreciate the comments and contributions of the anonymous reviewers of All Azimuth.

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