YALITKAN, AKTÖR YA DA ATILGAN YALITKAN? TÜRKİYE’NİN DOĞU AKDENİZ’DEKİ ROLÜNÜ YENİDEN DEĞERLENDİRMEK

Year 2025, Volume: 8 Issue: 1, 1 - 25, 30.06.2025

Tuğçe Ersoy Ceylan

Abstract

Bu çalışma, Türkiye’nin Doğu Akdeniz’deki değişen konumunu Bölgesel Güvenlik Kompleksi Teorisi çerçevesinde yeniden değerlendirmektedir. Türkiye, uzun yıllar boyunca farklı bölgesel güvenlik komplekslerinin kesişiminde yer alıp hiçbirine tam olarak entegre olmayan bir “yalıtkan ülke” olarak sınıflandırılmıştır. Ancak Adalet ve Kalkınma Partisi döneminde dış politikada yaşanan dönüşüm, bu yapısal dışlanmışlığın aşılmasına yönelik atılgan bir çabayı ortaya koymuştur. Bu bağlamda çalışma, mevcut teorik tipolojilerin ötesine geçerek “atılgan yalıtkan” kavramını önermektedir. Bu kavram, bölgesel etki kurma arzusuyla hareket eden ancak sistemsel ve jeopolitik kısıtlar nedeniyle merkezî aktörlüğe ulaşamayan devletleri tanımlamak üzere geliştirilmiştir. Türkiye’nin enerji politikası, bölgesel ittifaklar ve stratejik davranışları üzerine yapılan derinlemesine analiz, bu dış politika aktivizminin beklenen bütünleşmeyi sağlayamadığını; aksine, Türkiye’nin geçişken ve belirsiz bir konumda sıkıştığını ortaya koymaktadır. Sonuç olarak çalışma, Bölgesel Güvenlik Kompleksi Teorisinin açıklayıcılığını teyit etmekle kalmamakta, aynı zamanda geçiş halinde olan melez aktörlerin analizine imkân tanıyacak kavramsal bir açılım da önermektedir.

Keywords

bölgesel güvenlik kompleksi teorisi , türk dış politikası , doğu akdeniz , atılgan yalıtkan , enerji politikaları

INSULATOR, PLAYER, OR ASSERTIVE INSULATOR? REASSESSING TÜRKİYE’S ROLE IN THE EASTERN MEDITERRANEAN

Abstract

This study reassesses Türkiye’s evolving position in the Eastern Mediterranean through the lens of the Regional Security Complex Theory. While Türkiye has long been categorized as an insulator state, situated at the intersection of multiple regional security complexes without full integration into any; recent shifts in foreign policy under the Justice and Development Party reflect an assertive attempt to transcend this structural marginality. Against this backdrop, the study introduces the concept of an assertive insulator, a state that actively seeks regional influence but remains constrained by systemic and geopolitical realities. Through an in-depth analysis of Türkiye’s energy politics, regional alignments, and strategic behavior, the paper demonstrates that Türkiye’s foreign policy activism has not yielded full inclusion in emerging regional configurations. Instead, it has reinforced its liminal status. The findings thus not only reaffirm the explanatory power of RSCT but also call for a conceptual refinement to better account for hybrid and transitional actor roles in regional security dynamics.

Keywords

regional security complex theory , turkish foreign policy , eastern mediterranean , energy politics , assertive insulator

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