Turkish Foreign policy, state identity and elites: Continuity and Transformation

Year 2021, Volume: 2 Issue: 2, 88 - 103, 20.06.2021

Harumi Arai

Abstract

Turkey is an important player in international politics due to their military power, geo-political situation, historical background and many other factors. There is a need to analyse the consistency and changing aspects of Turkish foreign policy. There are many studies that examine its foreign policy, not a many that focus on the issue of identity. Identity is critical factor to decide foreign policy. Especially for Turkey, foreign policy is as same as seeking the state identity which would be accepted by other countries.
There are not so many studies to analyse who choice one identity which influence foreign policy from a various kind of identity, and how the identity influences the foreign policy.
This article mentions, first, Turkish state identity consists of three aspects. Sometimes they are impossible to exist together at the same time. Second, while reviewing foreign policies follow the change of foreign policy. Sometimes Turkey is not worth of, however they do not change foreign policy because of identity.
Third, how elites' consciousness decided and influenced foreign policy, their identity reflected foreign policy. fourth, how identity is kept and change in Turkey. Traditional elites gradually lost their power foreign policy transformed.
Therefore, relation state identity and foreign policy and the role of elites would be cleared to understand Turkish foreign policy easily.

Keywords

Türkiye, kibilik, dış politikası, seçkinler, batılılaşma

Turkish Foreign policy, state identity and elites: Continuity and Transformation

Abstract

Turkey is an important player in international politics due to their military power, geo-political situation, historical background and many other factors. There is a need to analyse the consistency and changing aspects of Turkish foreign policy. There are many studies that examine its foreign policy, not a many that focus on the issue of identity. Identity is critical factor to decide foreign policy. Especially for Turkey, foreign policy is as same as seeking the state identity which would be accepted by other countries.
There are not so many studies to analyse who choice one identity which influence foreign policy from a various kind of identity, and how the identity influences the foreign policy.
This article mentions, first, Turkish state identity consists of three aspects. Sometimes they are impossible to exist together at the same time. Second, while reviewing foreign policies follow the change of foreign policy. Sometimes Turkey is not worth of, however they do not change foreign policy because of identity.
Third, how elites' consciousness decided and influenced foreign policy, their identity reflected foreign policy. fourth, how identity is kept and change in Turkey. Traditional elites gradually lost their power foreign policy transformed.
Therefore, relation state identity and foreign policy and the role of elites would be cleared to understand Turkish foreign policy easily.

Keywords

Turkey, identity, foreign policy, elite, westernization

References

• Akan Makovsky and Sabri Sayarı, Turkey's New World: Changing Dynamics in Turkish Foreign Policy, (Washington Institute for Near East Policy,2000)
• Iver Neuman, Uses of the Other, (Minnesota: University of Minnesota,1999)