Structural Characteristics and Political Correlates of Public Opinion on Turkish Engagement with the Syrian Civil War

Ebru Canan Sokullu; Mustafa Aydın; Özgehan Şenyuva

doi:10.33458/uidergisi.1768825

EN TR

Structural Characteristics and Political Correlates of Public Opinion on Turkish Engagement with the Syrian Civil War

Abstract

This study conducts a comprehensive quantitative examination of Turkish public opinion about its foreign and security policies, focusing on policy towards the Syrian civil war. By linking scholarly literature to policy, the paper analyzes structural characteristics and political correlates of foreign policy attitudes and perceptions of using military force in the Turkish public. The empirical analysis reveals that (i) increased soft power activism reduces support for policies favoring military interventions; (ii) the type of militarism affects support for a policy that resorts to cross-border military operations; (iii) foreign policy attitudes towards the war vary depending on the internationalization type; (iv) immigration policies shape support for foreign policy concerning the country-of-origin of immigrants affected by the conflict; (v) public support for foreign policy actions is contingent upon the level of knowledge on political matters; and (vi) on the alliance preferences and the self-image. Utilizing a binary logistic regression model, the study employs 2019 Turkish Foreign Policy Trends data, encompassing a wide range of foreign policy indicators on structural characteristics and political correlates of foreign policy attitudes in Turkey and a comprehensive set of indicators on the Syrian conflict. The findings contribute to the theoretical and practical understanding of the problem under examination, with implications for international relations and foreign policy policymaking.

Keywords

public opinion, foreign policy, military interventionism, Turkey, Syria

Structural Characteristics and Political Correlates of Public Opinion on Turkish Engagement with the Syrian Civil War

Abstract

This study conducts a comprehensive quantitative examination of Turkish public opinion about its foreign and security policies, focusing on policy towards the Syrian civil war. By linking scholarly literature to policy, the paper analyzes structural characteristics and political correlates of foreign policy attitudes and perceptions of using military force in the Turkish public. The empirical analysis reveals that (i) increased soft power activism reduces support for policies favoring military interventions; (ii) the type of militarism affects support for a policy that resorts to cross-border military operations; (iii) foreign policy attitudes towards the war vary depending on the internationalization type; (iv) immigration policies shape support for foreign policy concerning the country-of-origin of immigrants affected by the conflict; (v) public support for foreign policy actions is contingent upon the level of knowledge on political matters; and (vi) on the alliance preferences and the self-image. Utilizing a binary logistic regression model, the study employs 2019 Turkish Foreign Policy Trends data, encompassing a wide range of foreign policy indicators on structural characteristics and political correlates of foreign policy attitudes in Turkey and a comprehensive set of indicators on the Syrian conflict. The findings contribute to the theoretical and practical understanding of the problem under examination, with implications for international relations and foreign policy policymaking.

Keywords

public opinion, foreign policy, military interventionism, Turkey, Syria

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Details

Primary Language

English

Subjects

Turkish Foreign Policy

Journal Section

Research Article

Authors

Ebru Canan Sokullu
0000-0003-1182-4112
Türkiye

Mustafa Aydın
0000-0002-4029-6681
Türkiye

Özgehan Şenyuva
0000-0003-2433-0736
Türkiye

Early Pub Date

September 16, 2025

Publication Date

-

Submission Date

October 2, 2023

Acceptance Date

August 20, 2025

Published in Issue

Year 2025 Number: Advanced Online Publication

DOI

https://doi.org/10.33458/uidergisi.1768825

IZ

https://izlik.org/JA25CX55JP

APA

Canan Sokullu, E., Aydın, M., & Şenyuva, Ö. (2025). Structural Characteristics and Political Correlates of Public Opinion on Turkish Engagement with the Syrian Civil War. Uluslararası İlişkiler Dergisi, Advanced Online Publication, 1-22. https://doi.org/10.33458/uidergisi.1768825

AMA

1.Canan Sokullu E, Aydın M, Şenyuva Ö. Structural Characteristics and Political Correlates of Public Opinion on Turkish Engagement with the Syrian Civil War. Uluslararası İlişkiler Dergisi. 2025;(Advanced Online Publication):1-22. doi:10.33458/uidergisi.1768825

Chicago

Canan Sokullu, Ebru, Mustafa Aydın, and Özgehan Şenyuva. 2025. “Structural Characteristics and Political Correlates of Public Opinion on Turkish Engagement With the Syrian Civil War”. Uluslararası İlişkiler Dergisi, no. Advanced Online Publication: 1-22. https://doi.org/10.33458/uidergisi.1768825.

EndNote

Canan Sokullu E, Aydın M, Şenyuva Ö (September 1, 2025) Structural Characteristics and Political Correlates of Public Opinion on Turkish Engagement with the Syrian Civil War. Uluslararası İlişkiler Dergisi Advanced Online Publication 1–22.

IEEE

[1]E. Canan Sokullu, M. Aydın, and Ö. Şenyuva, “Structural Characteristics and Political Correlates of Public Opinion on Turkish Engagement with the Syrian Civil War”, Uluslararası İlişkiler Dergisi, no. Advanced Online Publication, pp. 1–22, Sept. 2025, doi: 10.33458/uidergisi.1768825.

ISNAD

Canan Sokullu, Ebru - Aydın, Mustafa - Şenyuva, Özgehan. “Structural Characteristics and Political Correlates of Public Opinion on Turkish Engagement With the Syrian Civil War”. Uluslararası İlişkiler Dergisi. Advanced Online Publication (September 1, 2025): 1-22. https://doi.org/10.33458/uidergisi.1768825.

JAMA

1.Canan Sokullu E, Aydın M, Şenyuva Ö. Structural Characteristics and Political Correlates of Public Opinion on Turkish Engagement with the Syrian Civil War. Uluslararası İlişkiler Dergisi. 2025;:1–22.

MLA

Canan Sokullu, Ebru, et al. “Structural Characteristics and Political Correlates of Public Opinion on Turkish Engagement With the Syrian Civil War”. Uluslararası İlişkiler Dergisi, no. Advanced Online Publication, Sept. 2025, pp. 1-22, doi:10.33458/uidergisi.1768825.

Vancouver

1.Ebru Canan Sokullu, Mustafa Aydın, Özgehan Şenyuva. Structural Characteristics and Political Correlates of Public Opinion on Turkish Engagement with the Syrian Civil War. Uluslararası İlişkiler Dergisi. 2025 Sep. 1;(Advanced Online Publication):1-22. doi:10.33458/uidergisi.1768825

Structural Characteristics and Political Correlates of Public Opinion on Turkish Engagement with the Syrian Civil War

Abstract

Keywords

Structural Characteristics and Political Correlates of Public Opinion on Turkish Engagement with the Syrian Civil War

Abstract

Keywords

References

Details

Primary Language

Subjects

Journal Section

Authors

Early Pub Date

Publication Date

Submission Date

Acceptance Date

Published in Issue

DOI

IZ

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