Not Necessarily Existential Threats: Identity-Constitutive Role of the Foreign Policy Discourse on Distant Humanitarian Crises

Yıl 2023, , 445 - 470, 19.10.2023

Erdem Ceydilek

https://doi.org/10.53376/ap.2023.17

Öz

The depiction of identity in foreign policy analysis is typically presented as inherent or predetermined. However, discursive approaches within the field, particularly poststructuralism, have emphasized foreign policy discourse's influence on identity formation. The main aim of this paper is to elucidate the performative relationship between identity and foreign policy through a poststructuralist lens, even in situations that are not existential or geographically proximate crises. This study employs a critical discourse analysis methodology to examine the performative dynamics between foreign policy discourse by the Justice and Development Party (AKP) policymakers and officials from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) about distant natural disasters and the construction of the Turkish national identity. The study presents three primary findings: firstly, the AKP's foreign policy discourse recognizes the Indonesia and Pakistan disasters as significant events, in contrast to the case of Haiti; secondly, this discourse constructs a homogenous Turkish identity; and thirdly, this homogeneous Turkish identity qualifies by several signifiers and is distinguished from external others.

Anahtar Kelimeler

Natural Disasters, Foreign Policy, Critical Discourse Analysis, Poststructuralism, Identity

Varoluşsal Tehditler Olmadan: Uzak İnsani Krizler Hakkındaki Dış Politika Söyleminin Kimlik Üretici Rolü

Öz

Dış politika analizinde kimlik çoğu zaman verili kabul edilse de postyapısalcılık dâhil olmak üzere birçok söylemsel yaklaşım, dış politika söyleminin kimlik inşasındaki rolüne dikkat çekmektedir. Bu çalışmanın temel amacı, varoluşsal tehditler yaratmayan uzak krizlerde bile kimlik ve dış politika arasındaki edimsel bağlantıyı tartışmaktır. Daha spesifik olarak bu çalışma, eleştirel söylem analizi metodolojisini kullanarak, Adalet ve Kalkınma Partisi (AKP) ve Dışişleri Bakanlığı yetkililerinin uzak insani krizler hakkındaki dış politika söylemleri ile Türk kimliğinin inşası arasındaki edimsel bağlantıyı anlamayı amaçlamaktadır. Çalışmanın üç ana sonucu şu şekildedir: (i) Haiti’nin aksine, Endonezya ve Pakistan felaketleri AKP’nin dış politika söyleminde majör olaylar olarak üretilmiştir; (ii) Bu söylem, Türk kimliğini homojen bir topluluk olarak üretmiştir; (iii) Bu homojen Türk kimliği çeşitli “gösteren”lerle pozitif olarak ilişkilendirilirken, olumsuzlanan çeşitli dışsal ötekilerden ayrıştırılmıştır.

Anahtar Kelimeler

Doğal Afetler, Dış Politika, Eleştirel Söylem Analizi, Postyapısalcılık, Kimlik

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