@article{article_1749306, title={The Impact of Self-Orientalism on Türkiye’s Foreign Policy Towards the Middle East}, journal={International Journal of Kurdish Studies}, volume={11}, pages={665–682}, year={2025}, DOI={10.21600/ijoks.1749306}, author={Karataş, İbrahim}, keywords={Middle East, Turkish Foreign Policy, Orientalism, Self-Orientalism, Arab World, Occidentalism}, abstract={This study aims to reveal how self-Orientalism affects relations between states in the Middle East by analyzing Türkiye-Middle East relations. It argues that Türkiye’s foreign policy towards the Middle East has mainly been based on self-Orientalist views of the founding elites of the country, the impact of which will likely continue into the future. There has been hostility between those who preferred a holistic self-Orientalism and those that supported a technological-only version. While the latter is not Occidentalist, it argues that relations with the Arab-Muslim world can be improved without being anti-West. The other side, complete self-Orientalists, see Middle Eastern culture as backward, thereby alienating themselves from the region. Moreover, efforts to be an EU member have complicated debates about self-Orientalism as Türkiye could be considered to be part of the Occident. Available literature is systematically reviewed.}, number={2}, publisher={Hasan KARACAN}