Muhittin Ataman

This special issue offers a comprehensive and multidisciplinary examination of ongoing conflicts, state policies, media narratives, and societal responses, shedding light on the political, legal, and humanitarian challenges at the heart of the Israel-Palestine war and its global reverberations. Together, the contributions call for deeper analytical nuance, ethical awareness, and proactive engagement with the complex dynamics shaping the region today. We hope this issue will serve as a meaningful contribution to the growing body of analysis on the Gaza war and its broader implications.

Emerging technologies are also transforming the political dimensions of state power and sovereignty. Technologies such as semiconductors, 5G infrastructure, cloud computing, and big data are no longer neutral tools of efficiency, they have become strategic assets wielded by states and corporations alike as instruments of foreign policy, economic leverage, and geopolitical coercion.

Membership in international organizations (IOs) is regarded as a significant indicator of a state’s foreign policy activism. The more organizations a state is a member of, the more active its foreign policy. However, this article contends that mere membership in IOs does not necessarily reflect genuine foreign policy activism. Instead, we introduce and define the concept of the initiator state, which more accurately captures foreign policy activism than the terms member state or founder state. The article then provides a historical mapping of Türkiye’s participation in IOs and identifies three distinct leadership periods that illustrate Türkiye’s evolving role as an initiator state in its international engagements. These periods, namely the Atatürk, Özal, and Erdoğan eras, stand out as years in which Türkiye played an initiator role and pursued a more active foreign policy in the establishment and management of IOs.

In this special issue of Insight Turkey, we will focus on Türkiye’s increased activism in international organizations. Through comprehensive examinations, the articles in this issue shed light on Türkiye’s evolving strategies in navigating complex geopolitical landscapes, from its leadership in shaping the governance structures of international institutions to its mediation in conflicts and its active participation in addressing pressing international issues. This collection of works provides a rich perspective on Türkiye’s growing influence as an initiator state, highlighting its capacity to shape and redefine international norms and practices in the pursuit of a more equitable and multilateral global order.

This issue of Insight Turkey seeks to address many of these topics, offering in-depth analyses to enhance our understanding not only of Turkish foreign policy but also of the regional and global dynamics in which Türkiye plays a pivotal role.

This issue of Insight Turkey offers a thorough examination of the current state of Middle Eastern politics, exploring the characteristics, patterns, and progress in the region and their impact on global politics. Additionally, we address other subjects such as Türkiye’s bilateral relations with the Balkans and Indonesia, Indonesia’s foreign and domestic policy, and educational changes in Türkiye. We hope that the detailed discussions and diverse viewpoints presented in this edition will provide our readers with valuable insights and deepen their understanding of the complex geopolitical landscape

As we bid farewell to another eventful year, we are thrilled to present this latest issue of Insight Turkey, enriched with six thought-provoking commentaries and six in-depth research articles. Each piece has been carefully selected to enhance and diversify our coverage, providing our readers with a multifaceted and profound understanding of the various topics discussed. It is our earnest hope that this issue not only enlightens but also engages our readers in meaningful reflection and dialogue, furthering the pursuit of knowledge and understanding in these dynamic times.

Insight Turkey has included in this issue valuable research that both reflects on Turkish foreign policy from historical perspectives and looks ahead to the future. This exploration is part of our third special issue of the year, commemorating the Centennial of the Republic of Türkiye and unveiling the vision of the Century of Türkiye. We are confident that the thought-provoking and enlightening discussions within this issue will greatly benefit our esteemed readers.

On the centenary of the Turkish Republic, President Erdoğan, who has been ruling Türkiye for the last two decades, has announced a new perspective on foreign policy for Türkiye’s second century. He has named the long-term foreign policy vision as the ‘Century of Türkiye’ and declared his determination for building a ‘Türkiye Axis.’ After a fierce struggle against both domestic and international tutelage, President Erdoğan has succeeded to attain autonomy in Turkish foreign policy. Ankara has built a powerful economy and increased its military capacity at the national level. Also, it has improved its relations with both Turkic and Muslim countries and begun to take initiatives and to play a leadership role at the regional level. Furthermore, Türkiye has diversified its relations with other actor and elevated its status at the global level. Within this perspective, it has begun to contribute to resolving global challenges and to play an influential role in international organizations. This article will provide a comprehensive analysis of the evolving foreign policy of Türkiye in recent years. It will delve deep into the shifts and transformations that have taken place and explore the underlying principles and objectives that define Türkiye’s new foreign policy vision, the Century of Türkiye.

As we witnessed one of the most significant elections –both for Türkiye and the world– on the centennial of the Turkish Republic’s founding, Insight Turkey proudly presents a special issue that meticulously evaluates the elections and examines how Türkiye’s foreign policy will be shaped in their aftermath. Through this special edition, our aim is to offer our readers a comprehensive analysis of Turkish foreign policy, while outlining the implications of the election results in this regard.

As Türkiye is on the eve on one of the most important elections in its history, this issue of Insight Turkey addresses some of the issues that have been dominating the political agenda lately. Through this issue, we hope to provide our readers with a thorough analysis and the necessary foundations for a better understanding of some of the main issues that will influence the outcome of the May 14 elections.

With one more year coming to an end, we are pleased to present to our readers yet another insightful issue of Insight Turkey that has attempted to analyze current regional and international developments comprehensively. We are looking forward to providing you with more next year!

We endeavored to explore as many facets as possible of the interplay between new technology advancements and Turkish technopolitics in the Summer 2022 issue of Insight Turkey. We hope and believe that the insightful and stimulating debates raised on the issue will be helpful to our readers.

While the importance of environmental security certainly is going to increase in the following years as more regional and global actors will join the fight against the climate change, it is critical to examine and understand the issue from geopolitical, economic, and legal perspectives. With that said, we are confident that this issue of Insight Turkey entitled “Rethinking Environmental Security in Türkiye and Beyond” will present timely studies regarding environmental security, a complex and increasingly important issue for Türkiye and the world.  

We hope that Insight Turkey panel on Climate change and Migration will bring a fresh and useful perspective in understanding one of the biggest environmental challenges facing the world and its effects on humans.