During the leadership of Recep Tayyip Erdo?an and the AKP, the Turkish government shifted from a 'reactive' to an 'activist' foreign policy. As a result, many in the West increasingly began to see Turkey as a key actor in the international relations of the region, and indeed the wider international stage. Turkey and the West offers a unique approach to this transformation and considers questions of Turkish national identity and its relations with the West through the lens of gender studies. From the Ottoman Empire to the present day, the book constructs an image of Turkish foreign policy as reflecting a gendered insecurity - one of a 'non-Western' Turkish masculinity subordinated to a 'Western' hegemonic masculinity - and shows how Turkey's 'subordination' has in turn been internalised by its own politicians. Across a diverse range of sources, Bilgic takes advantage of new theories such as critical security studies (CSS) to paint a picture of a Turkish republic anxious to make its mark on the world stage, yet perennially insecure about its position as a global power. Turkey and the West is essential for students and researchers interested in Turkish politics and the international relations of the Middle East, as well as those with an interest in gender and identity studies.

An incisive account of Erdoğan’s Turkey – showing how its troubling transformation may be short-lived Since coming to power in 2002 Recep Tayyip Erdoğan has overseen a radical transformation of Turkey. Once a pillar of the Western alliance, the country has embarked on a militaristic foreign policy, intervening in regional flashpoints from Nagorno-Karabakh to Libya. And its democracy, sustained by the aspiration to join the European Union, has given way to one-man rule. Dimitar Bechev traces the political trajectory of Erdoğan’s populist regime, from the era of reform and prosperity in the 2000s to the effects of the war in neighboring Syria. In a tale of missed opportunities, Bechev explores how Turkey parted ways with the United States and Europe, embraced Putin’s Russia and other revisionist powers, and replaced a frail democratic regime with an authoritarian one. Despite this, he argues that Turkey’s democratic instincts are resilient, its economic ties to Europe are as strong as ever, and Erdoğan will fail to achieve a fully autocratic regime.

Explains the trajectory of Turkish foreign policy behavior vis-...-vis the West, identifying the major factors behind intra-alliance opposition.

Linked by ethnic and religious affinities to two post-Cold War crisis areas—the former Soviet Union and Yugoslavia—Turkey is positioned to play an influential role in the promotion of regional economic cooperation and in taking new approaches to security. In this book, experts from Turkey, Europe, and the United States address key aspects of Turkey

This book offers a comprehensive account of Turkey's foreign policy narratives in a period of global power shifts. By examining international and national historical processes, the author highlights narrative processes and traditions that describe Turkey and its position in world politics. He also analyzes how global power shifts, such as the rise of China, affect Turkey's increasingly active and confusing foreign policy and the narratives associated with it. The book covers topics such as Kemalist modernization, Islamic conservative views of the New World Order, Turkey's relations with non-Western countries such as Russia and China, and Turkish narratives of the Syrian war and the COVID-19-pandemic. It is intended for scholars of international relations and European and Middle Eastern politics, and appeals to anyone interested in Turkish history and politics.

Linked by ethnic and religious affinities to two post-Cold War crisis areas—the former Soviet Union and Yugoslavia—Turkey is positioned to play an influential role in the promotion of regional economic cooperation and in taking new approaches to security. In this book, experts from Turkey, Europe, and the United States address key aspects of Turkey

Tracing the evolution of Turkey's foreign policy, from isolationism to regional agreements and organizations, this study explores the country's new international posture. Rubin (strategic studies, Bar- Ilan University) and Kirisci (political science, Bogazici University) assess Turkey's policy toward Europe, Russia, Central Asia, and the United States, as well as its growing role in the Middle East. They address the issues central to Turkey's economic, energy, and water policy. They also discuss the interest groups and institutions affecting the policymaking process and the challenges facing the country's rapidly urbanizing and industrializing economy.