issues | Insight Turkey https://www.insightturkey.com/ issues EN Editor's NoteIn its new issue Insight Turkey explores the potentials and limits of Turkey's soft power.https://www.insightturkey.com/editors-note/editors-note-3https://www.insightturkey.com/editors-note/editors-note-3Sat, 22 Nov 2008 18:19:00 GMTCommentariesRussia's new president, Dmitry Medvedev, should be expected to broadly continue his predecessor Vladimir Putin's foreign policy toward 'Turkey and the broader Black Sea region. Analysts who cast Medvedev as a mere Putin puppet, or those- who anticipate a gradual increase in power for the new man in the Kremlin miss the crucial question about decision-making in Russia: how much influence will the siloviki - current and former security service officers -- wield t0 implement policies based largely on mistrust and calculation? Russia's policies in the Black Sea region are unlikely to change much in substance, although Medvedev may adopt a more subtle, effective style in seeing them through. Their exclusionary nature - a product of the silovik worldview - should be expected to continue. Therefore, despite recent significant improvements in Turkey's relations with Russia, over time Turkey may find itself in an uncomfortable middle ground between its Western allies and its new-found friend in Moscow.https://www.insightturkey.com/commentary/russias-presidential-transition-implications-for-turkey-and-the-black-sea-regionhttps://www.insightturkey.com/commentary/russias-presidential-transition-implications-for-turkey-and-the-black-sea-regionSat, 22 Nov 2008 15:54:29 GMTCommentariesThe recent closure case brought against the ruling Justice and Development Party is a direct assault on Turkish democracy. For this reason. America should not lose the opportunity to swiftly and unequivocally repudiate the establishment's attempts to re-assert control over Turkish politics by undemocratic means. 'The lack of a concrete resolution on the part of the U.S. in regard to the case has already resulted in a credibility gap. Given America's emphasis on and interest in Turkey's democracy and attendant reform process, a simple re-attenuation of its commitment to citizens choices in free and fair elections would send a powerful message to a country that is on edge. Instead, Turkey is left with 'friends' who lack credibility and resolve at the worst possible moment. If the ruling party and its leadership are banned from political life, not only will Turkey lose its credibility in the Middle East as the only indigenous Muslim-majority democracy. the United States will also lose credibility in the world theatre for failing to support democracy in Turkeyhttps://www.insightturkey.com/commentary/the-challenge-for-turkeys-true-friends-the-ak-party-closure-case-and-the-westhttps://www.insightturkey.com/commentary/the-challenge-for-turkeys-true-friends-the-ak-party-closure-case-and-the-westSat, 22 Nov 2008 17:53:00 GMTCommentariesThis article analyzes relations between Turkey and the European Union (EU) in the aftermath of the closure case against the ruling Justice end Development Party (AK Party.The indictment targeting the governing party, which is widely considered to amount to a judicial coup, has received belated but strong criticism from EU officials in charge of relations with Turkey. Although the pace of reforms did decelerate in the period following the vigorous efforts of the early 2000s, the EU continues to serve as a catalyst for Turkish democracy. In this article, the possible impact of the indictment and the closure case on Turkish-El. I relations and Turkish democracy at large is evaluated on the basis of the reactions it has elicited from both domestic and foreign actors. Despite the lack of genuine liberal democracy in Turkey, especially on the part its political parties, the EU anchor could still serve as a driving force for democratization if managed successfully.https://www.insightturkey.com/commentary/the-eu-anchor-turkish-democracy-and-the-future-of-the-ak-partyhttps://www.insightturkey.com/commentary/the-eu-anchor-turkish-democracy-and-the-future-of-the-ak-partySat, 22 Nov 2008 18:01:00 GMTCommentariesThis article discusses the limits of the freedom of political parties in Turkey. 'The political party bans constitute one of the most important problems threatening the freedom of political parties in Turkey. The restriction on the political parties come to the fore in two different forms: dissolution after the military coups and closure by means of legislation. In the current context of the case opened against the AK Party, it may be possible and advisable to apply an amendment, bringing Turkish jurisprudence in such matters in line with the standards of the European community. It is concluded that the Constitutional Court should interpret cases of the dissolution of political parties in the context of the principles of secularism" and the "unitary state" in such a way as to take into account the requirements of the principle of "the rule of law" and to allow different political alignments to express themselves in a "human rights respecting" and "democratic" country.https://www.insightturkey.com/commentary/containing-the-political-space-party-closures-and-the-constitutional-court-in-turkeyhttps://www.insightturkey.com/commentary/containing-the-political-space-party-closures-and-the-constitutional-court-in-turkeySat, 22 Nov 2008 18:06:00 GMTArticlesThis article builds on the insights of critical approaches to the study of power and seeks to lay bare the poverty of power analysis in mainstream International Relations (IR). Part I presents a critical account of prevalent conceptions of ‘hard power’ in mainstream studies informed by realist IR and maintains that realism’s power analysis is rather unrealistic insofar as it over-privileges material forms of power and focuses on the visible dimension of power relations to the neglect of the multiple (visible and non-visible) processes through which power is produced and expressed. Part II scrutinizes the concept of ‘soft power’. While Nye’s soft power analysis complements realist IR by highlighting non-material forms of power and looking at non-visible forms of power relations, it, too, remains shallow insofar as the production and various expressions of ‘attraction’ remain unaccounted for. Presenting more realistic accounts of the work power does in world politics requires following Lukes’ footsteps to produce three- (if not four-) dimensional power analyses.https://www.insightturkey.com/article/hard-power-soft-power-toward-a-more-realistic-power-analysishttps://www.insightturkey.com/article/hard-power-soft-power-toward-a-more-realistic-power-analysisSat, 22 Nov 2008 15:20:12 GMTArticlesSoft power is based on attraction and the ability to persuade others to further one's goals. The key sources of soft power are said to derive from one's culture. democratic political system. and fair-minded foreign policy. Yet it is often left unsaid that soft power is a Weberian archetype. All the three of the above sources are ideal types: they may not necessarily exist in complete forms, because one's culture, political system, and foreign policy are all subject to flaws, weaknesses, and gaps. In order for Turkey to project its soft power in turbulent neighborhoods like the Middle East and Central Asia, and indeed as a matter of strategic policy in general, it is vital to have a strong conceptual clarity first. Only then can soft power be applied by going beyond attraction and persuasion purely. Home grown reforms that are strong, ethical, and sustainable, for example. can be sources of appeal and attraction to the Middle East and Central Asia too, given that both regions long to see good governance and exemplary leadership.https://www.insightturkey.com/article/turkeys-potential-as-a-soft-power-a-call-for-conceptual-clarityhttps://www.insightturkey.com/article/turkeys-potential-as-a-soft-power-a-call-for-conceptual-claritySat, 22 Nov 2008 15:24:04 GMTArticlesTurkey has been traditionally viewed mostly as a hard power in the Middle East, due to its military and economic strength. In recent years, however, there has been a discussion on Turkey’s soft power. This article focuses on two aspects of Turkey’s soft power in the region. First, Turkey’s relevance to the debate on political and economic reform is discussed. It is argued that because of Turkey’s internal transformations its attractiveness has increased. In addition to having assets, Turkey is generally more willing to project soft power as well as having increasing credibility in the region. Second, the article focuses on Turkey’s use of soft power tools, especially its eagerness to play third party roles in the management and resolution of regional conflicts. Turkey’s roles in the Israeli-Syrian, Israeli Palestinian and Lebanese conflicts are considered as an example. The article argues that Turkey’s soft power has increased in these two aspects and yet it also elaborates on existing and possible constraints in this regard.https://www.insightturkey.com/article/the-possibilities-and-limits-of-turkeys-soft-power-in-the-middle-easthttps://www.insightturkey.com/article/the-possibilities-and-limits-of-turkeys-soft-power-in-the-middle-eastSat, 22 Nov 2008 15:31:00 GMTArticlesThe article reviews the relevance of soft power for the case of Turkey, and assesses whether Turkey does have meaningful soft power potential. or whether such a potential is likely to remain elusive for the time being. Recent changes in Turkey are reviewed in terms of their affect on Turkey's soft power potential. Concrete steps in operationalizing Turkey's soft problem, as well possible challenges, are discussed. The article argues that EU accession provides a virtuous circle of feedback for enhancing Turkey's soft power, but maintains that Turkish political class and foreign policy elite becoming cognizant of this potential would be the single most important step forward. The article concludes that Turkey has very important soft power assets. Proper deployment of these assets is anything but automatic, and Turkey's society and political elites must realize that this potential exists, and conduct themselves accordinglyhttps://www.insightturkey.com/article/turkeys-soft-power-an-unpolished-gem-or-an-elusive-miragehttps://www.insightturkey.com/article/turkeys-soft-power-an-unpolished-gem-or-an-elusive-mirageSat, 22 Nov 2008 15:34:05 GMTArticlesThis article discusses Kosovo’s independence from a framework of political and legal perspectives and assesses regional and global responses to the declaration of independence. Kosovo’s independence, it is argued, has revealed shifting strategic landscapes, security concerns and domestic developments in regional and international politics with significant implications for all actors in the region. Russia, for instance, calculated to restore its lost ‘superpower’ status and control Serbia’s strategic oil industries while Turkey’s prompt recognition of independence has increased its impact in the region. Kosovo’s independence will be a test case for keeping peace and stability in the Balkans within the new dynamics of regional and international politics. The way to escape from regional and international rivalries in Kosovo and its environs is to enhance the forces of cooperation in this volatile region and avoid zero-sum games among regional and international actorshttps://www.insightturkey.com/article/a-new-power-play-in-the-balkans-kosovos-independencehttps://www.insightturkey.com/article/a-new-power-play-in-the-balkans-kosovos-independenceSat, 22 Nov 2008 15:42:25 GMTArticlesThis article examines the December 2, 2007 State Duma elections in Russia in terms of their significance and implications for Russian politics. The article argues that the success of the United Russia party in the State Duma elections created the most conducive conditions for Vladimir Putin's handling of the presidential succession problem in 2008. By keeping the State Duma under the control of his 'Party of Power; Vladimir Putin became able to nominate his close ally Dmitry Medvedev to the Presidency since the election results enabled him to use the State Duma to counterbalance the overwhelming presidential power which will be transferred to Dmitry Medvedev in 2008. The article begins by examining the significance and the actual organization of the December 2, 2007 State Duma elections in Russia. On the basis of the analysis of the election results, the article goes on to discuss the implications of the December 2, 2007 State Duma elections for Russian politics.https://www.insightturkey.com/article/analyzing-the-duma-elections-in-russiahttps://www.insightturkey.com/article/analyzing-the-duma-elections-in-russiaSat, 22 Nov 2008 15:46:17 GMTArticlesThe Cyprus tragedy of the past and the Iraq predicament of our times bear striking similarities. Cyprus of the 1960s and 1970s is not too far from Iraq in 2008. The main thrust of this article is that Cyprus presents a useful case study for contemporary decisionmakers in the United States, Turkey, and Iraq. Just like the Cyprus question, which has caused nearly irreparable damage to the relations between 'Turkey, Greece, and the United States. policies that are not carefully crafted by Washington. Ankara, Erbil, and Baghdad could lead to a very problematic future for the Middle East. In a nutshell, this article offers a cautionary analysis by drawing on the experiences of the Cyprus tragedy for the purpose of avoiding a similar one in Iraq.https://www.insightturkey.com/article/not-too-far-the-cyprus-crises-of-1963-74-and-lessons-for-present-day-iraqhttps://www.insightturkey.com/article/not-too-far-the-cyprus-crises-of-1963-74-and-lessons-for-present-day-iraqSat, 22 Nov 2008 16:03:10 GMTBook ReviewsIn his latest monograph on Turkey, veteran RAND foreign policy analyst Stephen Larrabee strikes the right cord between analysis and alarm. "Turkey as a U.S. Security Partner" provides a highly readable and balanced account of Turkish-American relations over the last decade. The opening sentence of the report sets the prevailing tone for the study: "In the future, Turkey is likely to be an increasingly less predictable and more difficult ally for the United States:'https://www.insightturkey.com/book-reviews/turkey-as-a-us-security-partnerhttps://www.insightturkey.com/book-reviews/turkey-as-a-us-security-partnerSat, 22 Nov 2008 17:23:36 GMTBook Reviewsİsmet Inonu, the second president of the Republic of Turkey (1938-1950), is often neglected by historians in favor of Mustafa Kemal Atatiirk, the republic's founder and first president (1923-1938)https://www.insightturkey.com/book-reviews/the-kemalists-islamic-revival-and-the-fate-of-secular-turkeyhttps://www.insightturkey.com/book-reviews/the-kemalists-islamic-revival-and-the-fate-of-secular-turkeySat, 22 Nov 2008 17:42:00 GMTBook Reviewsİsmet Inonu, the second president of the Republic of Turkey (1938-1950), is often neglected by historians in favor of Mustafa Kemal Atatiirk, the republic's founder and first president (1923-1938https://www.insightturkey.com/book-reviews/the-politics-of-turkish-democracy-ismet-inonu-and-the-formation-of-the-multi-party-system-1938-1950https://www.insightturkey.com/book-reviews/the-politics-of-turkish-democracy-ismet-inonu-and-the-formation-of-the-multi-party-system-1938-1950Sat, 22 Nov 2008 17:46:00 GMTBook ReviewsThis book was a Festschrift in honor of Professor John C. Alexandropoulos, prepared by four of his students in memory of his 2007 retirement from a long career in teaching. The book includes 21 papers by scholars from all over the world, all of them A!exandropoulos'friends and his students. A bibliography of Alexandropoulos'works is also included in the bookhttps://www.insightturkey.com/book-reviews/the-ottoman-empire-the-balkans-and-the-greek-lands-toward-a-social-and-economic-historyhttps://www.insightturkey.com/book-reviews/the-ottoman-empire-the-balkans-and-the-greek-lands-toward-a-social-and-economic-historyThu, 22 Nov 2018 16:50:00 GMTBooks for Review İn the aftermath of 9/11 the relations between İslam and the secular have increasingly become a matter of scholarly interest.https://www.insightturkey.com/books-for-review-and-guidelines/between-islam-and-the-state-the-politics-of-engagementhttps://www.insightturkey.com/books-for-review-and-guidelines/between-islam-and-the-state-the-politics-of-engagementSat, 22 Nov 2008 17:37:00 GMTReviewsThe Hebrew University and the European Commission are to be congratulated on the publication of these trenchant conference papers presented in Berlin in May 2006. In the words of Shlomo Avineri (p. 17), "Just as most European societies have now learned .... to view Jews as an integral part of European history and legacy, so Islam - and Muslims - has to be seen as one of the constitutive elements of Europe- both historically as well as regarding the future':https://www.insightturkey.com/reviews/the-importance-of-being-european-turkey-the-eu-and-the-middle-east-1https://www.insightturkey.com/reviews/the-importance-of-being-european-turkey-the-eu-and-the-middle-east-1Thu, 22 Nov 2018 16:36:36 GMT