Political psychology of overconfidence and emotions in Turkey-EU relations

Year 2017, Volume: 8 Issue: 1, 25 - 34, 30.12.2017

Can Büyükbay Ulaş Başar Gezgin

Abstract

In this article, domestic support for Turkish foreign policy and
official Turkish attitude towards Turkey-EU relations are
discussed and analyzed based on a number of political psychogical
concepts such as emotions, overconfidence, system justification
tools and ideology. The Neo-Ottomanist revivalist international
relations model as any other model revolves on emotions to make
its point. International pragmatism and practicalities are
downgraded to open the door for a more ideological and
confrontational understanding of international relations. A
political psychological analysis shows how the “world leader”
rhetoric turns out to be an effective tool for domestic politics, as
“world leadership” perception is mobilized to justify domestic
policy-making as well. The paper concludes with a deeper
understanding of this revivalist rhetoric within the context of
Turkey-EU relations.

Keywords

Turkey-EU relations, political psychology, overconfidence, Eurocynicism, Euroscepticism

References

• Armon-Jones C. (1986) The social functions of emotion. In: Harré R, editor The social construction of emotions. Oxford: Basil Blackwell, p 57-82.