Insight Turkey / issues

Editor's Note | Spring 2023

Mon, 26 Jun 2023 1:51:00 GMT

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.

Is a New Opening Possible in Türkiye-EU Relations?

Sun, 25 Jun 2023 1:03:00 GMT

Türkiye’s positive relations with the European Union (EU) in the early 2000s and its enthusiasm for the membership process started to weaken after 2006-2008. The downward spiral in Turkish-EU relations intensified after the failed July 15 coup attempt in Türkiye. Despite the joint strategic interests in many regional issues, including the Black Sea, the MENA Region, the Balkans, security in the Eastern Mediterranean, hydrocarbon projects, the fight against irregular migration, creating the middle corridor with Asia, European energy security, and counter-terror measures, parties can hardly find opportunities to cooperate, frankly. The way those issues of joint interest are managed shall play a crucial role in the future of Turkish-EU relations. The positive atmosphere that emerged after the May 2023 elections could potentially generate more constructive momentum in Türkiye’s relations with the European Union and the U.S. There are, however, some hurdles that should be overcome by building mutual confidence by working on shared agendas.

NATO’s Enlargement Policy and Türkiye’s Position: A Key NATO Ally

Sun, 25 Jun 2023 1:12:00 GMT

NATO’s enlargement policy indicates the admission of new members with full membership status within the framework of mutual mandates and responsibilities and the expansion of NATO’s borders and geographical areas of responsibility. The accession of fifteen members to the Alliance in the post-Cold War period has brought along some controversies. Türkiye supports NATO enlargement in principle. This study discusses Ankara’s stance and cautious attitude towards Finland and Sweden’s applications for NATO membership by evaluating how NATO’s post-Cold War enlargement policy has affected Türkiye’s position within NATO. The main claim of the study is that NATO’s decision-making procedure has had a positive impact on Türkiye’s relations with candidate countries.

Western Perception and Media Coverage of Türkiye’s Elections

Sun, 25 Jun 2023 1:21:00 GMT

Media coverage of the recent elections in Türkiye, especially in the first round, has proven the profound distortion of image and misperception in some Western circles. Although a biased reading of the events, which pivots mainly on ideological connotations, aimed at influencing the outcome of the vote, it resulted in mere wishful thinking. The role of the media in influencing communication through the framing of the agenda has empirical evidence; however, in the case of Türkiye, a cognitive gap has opened up between expectations and reality, which lies on a non-objective and sometimes emotional interpretation of the facts. The electoral results, by denying once again any superficial prediction and manipulation attempt, must be read as a lesson on how to look at Türkiye, its government, and its people and therefore generate more accurate and genuine information.

Turks Vote in Favor of Continuing the Erdoğan Era

Mon, 26 Jun 2023 1:22:00 GMT

The political landscape in Türkiye has changed since the 2010s, setting the stage for the elections in 2023. The Nation Alliance and the People's Alliance were formed as a result of electoral alliances in the center. After the 2019 municipal elections, the Nation Alliance felt more confident, whilst the People's Alliance encountered difficulties because of socioeconomic problems and earthquakes. The Nation Alliance and the HDP collaborated covertly during the campaign in order to win the PKK's backing. They had internal conflicts and placed more emphasis on virtual platforms than on actual issues. President Erdoğan's ruling party demonstrated its capacity to keep its promises by taking action. They were able to gain the legislative majority and re-elect President Erdoğan thanks to their composure, quick reactions, technical foresight, and remoteness from terrorists. The CHP, İP, HDP, and YSP all saw losses as a result of the elections, while fringe groups within the Nation Alliance gained the most. Internal elections are to be held by CHP and İP to quell disagreements about the party's leaders. In this sense, short-term changes remain unlikely in any of the movements that pledged “change.”

Mapping the Genesis of the Abraham Accords Elite Preferences, Rising Nationalism, and the Quest for Political Stability

Mon, 26 Jun 2023 1:30:00 GMT

The Abraham Accords have presented themselves as one of the most significant geopolitical developments in the Middle East in this decade. They represent a trend in which increasingly, Arab states are seeking their own geopolitical arrangements with the State of Israel. This commentary considers the Abraham Accords from the lenses of elite preferences and nationalism –arguing that the recent politicization of the Gulf-Arab elite constitutes the nexus of the Abraham Accords. We argue that the Abraham Accords were born from a desire of bolstering regime security, regional security and extend local transformations to the international domain. Our analysis opens the literature to a wider discussion on the political capital of Gulf elites, and how increasingly their decisions impact wider Middle Eastern geopolitics.

Turkish Foreign Policy in the Face of Regional and Global Challenges

Mon, 26 Jun 2023 1:38:00 GMT

This article essentially posits that Türkiye took advantage of the deepening competition between global powers under the Justice and Development Party (AK Party) to part ways with its traditional foreign policy tradition and pursue a more independent approach. That the country expanded its economic and military capacity significantly during the relevant period to support a balanced policy between the West, Russia, and China is another major argument. To put those claims to the test, this article primarily analyzes the expansion of Türkiye’s economic and military capacity and proceeds to focus on its policy toward the deepening rivalry between the West and Russia (due to the Ukraine war) and how it responded to the “rise of Asia.” Last but not least, this piece analyzes Türkiye’s pursuit of a more independent foreign policy, how the country clashed with the U.S., the European Union, and Russia as well as their allies on the ground, and how Ankara used its policy of balance to keep a lid on those tensions.

Framing Türkiye’s Cosmopolitan Relations with the Western Balkans

Mon, 26 Jun 2023 1:42:00 GMT

This paper aims to divert from the conventional understanding of diplomacy and foreign policy, which is conditioned by postmodern realities. These emerging realities, which transcend national borders, strongly consider science, technology, climate, environment, and security. Thus, the postmodern age, characterized by fragmentation, uncertainty and risk, requires a shift from conventional multilateral and/or bilateral diplomacy to cosmopolitan diplomacy and foreign policy. This paper will apply Ulrich Beck’s theory of cosmopolitanism, reflexivity and risk on Türkiye’s diplomatic relations with the Western Balkans countries. A brief analysis of Turkish relations with the Western Balkans countries shall expand to the common questions of climate, environment, digitalization, and security. What could be the role of involuntary enlightenment, enforced communication across different borders, political catharsis, enforced cosmopolitanism, global system of governance, international legalism, and digitalization in framing Türkiye’s cosmopolitan diplomacy towards the Western Balkans? How the focus on environmental diplomacy, health diplomacy, migration diplomacy, reconciliation diplomacy, digital diplomacy, youth diplomacy and education diplomacy could encounter an exclusive Western Balkans focus on emancipatory politics, ethnonationalism, narratives and ideologies?

The Impact of the Russia-Ukraine War on Türkiye's Foreign Trade

Mon, 26 Jun 2023 1:47:00 GMT

This article analyzes the impact of Russia’s February 24, 2022 invasion of Ukraine and the ongoing war on Türkiye’s foreign trade. Türkiye’s shared maritime borders with Russia and Ukraine in the Black Sea and Russia accounting for a significant percent of Türkiye’s foreign trade renders the conflict all the more important for Ankara. Accordingly, this article compares the import-export data from 2022, after the war erupted, with the relevant figures over the last decade. Furthermore, the effect of the Russia-Ukraine war on the tourism and contracting sectors, which make the most positive contribution to Türkiye’s current account deficit and are at the forefront of the locomotive sectors, is also discussed.

A Comparative Analysis of Turkish Foreign Policy on the Azerbaijan-Armenia Conflicts (1988-2020)

Sun, 25 Jun 2023 1:58:00 GMT

With the collapse of the Soviet Union, the relative stability that prevailed in the Caucasus region during the Cold War period dissolved into instability and conflicts. This article is based on a comparative analysis of Turkish foreign policy in the context of the Azerbaijan-Armenia conflicts. During the First Nagorno-Karabakh War, Türkiye gave political and military support to Azerbaijan, but this support was not sufficient to change the course of the conflict. Türkiye showed an ardent interest in playing a mediator role. However, its mediator role was limited due to domestic and external circumstances. During the Nakhchivan conflict, Turkish policymakers brought up the possibility of interfering militarily to end the conflict in line with Türkiye’s legal commitments. However, Türkiye’s pro-Azerbaijani position took the form of discursive reactions and border militarization. When the Second Nagorno-Karabakh War erupted in 2020, Türkiye played a much more assertive role to the point of actively contributing to tilting the balance in favor of Azerbaijan. This article compares Türkiye’s position on the Azerbajani-Armenian conflicts and discusses its impacts and implications in the context of the regional dynamics.

U.S.-China Cyber Warfare in the 21st Century: Implications for International Security

Sun, 25 Jun 2023 2:03:00 GMT

The power competition between the major powers of the world has always been dependent on the strategic security landscape. Over the years, military operations and warfare have evolved with the development of new weapons, equipment, and technologies. During the 20th century, the world witnessed a transformation from conventional strategic competition to unconventional strategic competition with the advent of nuclear weapons. The genesis of the 21st century marked another revolution in military affairs when electronic warfare was modernized and cyber warfare came into the spotlight. In the current century, new poles of powers have emerged whereby Beijing and Washington started competing at all levels and in all domains. Shortly after the incorporation of digital, electronic, and cyber equipment and techniques by militaries around the world, cyberspace became militarized and emerged as the fifth battlefield. The U.S. armed forces and the Chinese PLA both rely heavily on cyberspace when it comes to their communication, operations, and planning. Cyber campaigns launched by Washington and Beijing on various targets accounted for a cyber arms race and continuous cyberspace strategic competition between the two countries.

Conflict in the Neo-Colonial Order in Africa: The Case of Ethiopia-Tigray

Sun, 25 Jun 2023 2:07:00 GMT

This article analyzes the Tigray crisis in Ethiopia based on the policies of global and regional powers in the context of the African neo-colonial order. The study emphasizes that although the colonial system has ended in the international system, the power struggle in Africa continues through neo-colonialism. The article proceeds with the argument that changing the policies of global and regional actors may result in neo-colonial struggle and instability in Ethiopia. The study aims to define a variable of the approaches of global and regional actors, which is the cause of the instability and neo-colonial struggle experienced due to the crisis in Ethiopia. In this context, the study’s most probable case study method was used and it assumed that the indirect involvement of global and regional actors in the Ethiopian-Tigray conflict has a neo-colonial purpose. Global actors have different interests in line with the regional power struggle and competition. It shows the existence of neo-colonialism as global and regional actors influence Ethiopia’s economic and political systems. Ethiopia’s exposure to neo-colonial interventions hinders these countries’ economic growth and their political, social, and technological development. As a result, it has reached that the neo-colonial struggle has a destabilizing effect on Ethiopia.

Integration Dynamics: The Case of Iraqi Refugees in Syria

Sun, 25 Jun 2023 2:12:00 GMT

Civil wars, foreign interventions, and political instability in the Middle East have caused a mass refugee influx since the end of the Cold War. Therefore, how to integrate these refugees into host countries has become a critical question. To answer this question, the existing literature mainly focuses on ethnic and religious diversities, language barriers, and limited access to fundamental services and labor markets. However, there is little focus on case-specific factors to explain the integration dynamics of refugees. This article aims to fill this gap through the analysis of case-specific factors that play a significant role in understanding barriers to integration. This study classifies these factors as follows: geographical proximity, cultural threat, acceptance processes, political rent, and limited economic resources. To understand the influence of these factors, this study assesses refugee flow from Iraq to Syria since the Iraq War of 2003. This study demonstrates that even though Iraqi refugees in Syria were comparatively advantageous in terms of sharing a common language and residing in neighborhoods with common ethnic and religious backgrounds, they could not successfully integrate into Syrian society. This research utilizes the sources of the IOM, UNDP, UNHCR, UNICEF, and WFP to provide a unique analysis.

Potential Alternatives in the Changing World Order

Sun, 25 Jun 2023 2:21:00 GMT

Discussions on monopolar and multipolar world order started after the Cold War. World order may generally categorize global norms that support international power balance and hierarchy.1 When the American order had frequent crises after the Cold War, alternative world order discussions were re-triggered. These three works can help us interpret the effects of China, Russia, and Iran on the international system and guide us in understanding the discussions about the alternative world order.

Empires of Eurasia: How Imperial Legacies Shape International Security

Fri, 07 Jul 2023 13:53:00 GMT

There are some criticisms, which should be considered, about the book. The most important shortcoming is about the imperial legacy that Türkiye has inherited. Mankoff took the date of 1453 as a starting point for this legacy. However, the aspects of this heritage based on both the Central Asian Turkish Empires and the Seljuk Empire have been neglected. This neglect lead to the overlook of an important dynamic that is effective in Türkiye’s relations with Central Asia and the Caucasus. Another criticism is related to the section in which Türkiye is analyzed. In this section, it is noteworthy that the author makes a one-sided reading with respect to any discussions about the Armenian Question. Had Türkiye’s theses on the Armenian Question been included, the academic flexibility of the author would have been strengthened. A final criticism comes to the fore regarding the author’s approach. The fact that he puts neo-liberal values in the center and evaluates the four states here as abnormal actors deviating from these values naturally leaves out questions that different theoretical approaches can answer. For this reason, the discussions initiated by the author in this book should be evaluated with other theoretical approaches.

The Social Lives of Numbers: Statistics, Reform and the Remaking of Rural Life in Turkey

Fri, 07 Jul 2023 14:05:00 GMT

In terms of narration, the book is written simply and understandably. A comparative approach with official documents and statements and a more detailed expression would have enriched the study even more. However, this potential may be utilized for upcoming research. This book is recommended for those who want to qualitatively study the concept of statistics on any subject.

Water Resources of Turkey

Fri, 07 Jul 2023 15:12:00 GMT

This publication is suitable for all members of the country’s water communities, including authorities, institutions, water users, academics, and other professionals. Water professionals, practitioners, managers, government agencies, and scientists at the international level can also benefit from the information provided, in terms of identifying common and different aspects of the world’s water resources. In particular, Türkiye’s unique geographical position linking Europe and Asia and the presence of significant transboundary river basins will be important factors in generating international interest in this compendium. It should be noted that, in Türkiye, no book has yet been published that would cover all aspects of water resources in the country, related problems, and water management issues as comprehensively.

Military Innovation in Türkiye: An Overview of the Post-Cold War Era

Fri, 07 Jul 2023 15:16:00 GMT

This book will contribute to readers in various ways. The students of international relations who will read this book will eventually realize that their discipline is not all about defining realist theory and its critical approaches but also about why and how the notion of power becomes operational with concepts of effectiveness or with acts of influence in a contemporary operational environment. Their tutors and scholars will become acquainted with how to critically challenge the current and ‘hegemonic’ literature of military innovation with different and indigenous interpretations. The military officers who are going to read this book will sharpen their judgments that will eventually contribute to their future staff duties and their decisions to imply operational measures, domestically and nationally. However, the main contribution of this book is that military innovation is not a magic bullet that will solve structural problems of Turkish defense policy, but it ought to be a tradition in military affairs that will innovate defense solutions for Türkiye.

The Grand Design: The Evolution of the International Peace Architecture

Fri, 07 Jul 2023 15:21:00 GMT

Richmond brings together the realist, liberal, and even critical paradigms that the IR theory literature puts in opposing camps. With its intense interdisciplinary tones, the book aims to meet the need for an advanced theoretical read in peace studies and IR. An average level of IR theories and diplomatic history background is required to get the maximum benefit from the book. In other words, the book is not appropriate for a quick read, so background knowledge is required to be familiar with the references and concepts. Additionally, Richmond’s broad historical narrative would maximize its scientific contribution by guiding micro-scale case analyses. Therefore, there is a need for collateral studies that demonstrate how to apply IPA in conflict resolution case studies.

The American Passport in Turkey: National Citizenship in the Age of Transnationalism

Fri, 07 Jul 2023 15:33:00 GMT

The American Passport in Turkey offers readers an in-depth analysis regarding American citizenship’s transnational meanings and ideals which are ultimately tied to the country’s global dominance. By exploring the concept of the value of U.S. citizenship in Türkiye from different perspectives, the book fills a significant gap in the literature and richly deserves the award it won in 2021; American Sociology Association, Global and Transnational Sociology Section, Best Book by an International Scholar Award. It is a perfect read for sociology and international relations students and academics, as well as anyone curious about the unequal opportunities that any national citizenship offers outside of the nation’s recognized state borders, or what has been referred to as “inequalities at the transnational level” by the authors.

Energy Politics in the MENA Region: From Hydrocarbons to Renewables?

Fri, 07 Jul 2023 15:38:00 GMT

Energy Politics in the MENA Region: From Hydrocarbons to Renewables? could be a good resource for scholars, students, and even politicians interested in understanding the possible effects on the EU of MENA’s energy sources. The book is well-organized and academically rigorous, and it provides relevant insights into the problems and potential of energy diversification, as well as the implications for the EU’s energy security.

Informal Politics in the Middle East

Fri, 07 Jul 2023 16:07:00 GMT

Informal Politics in the Middle East is a significant contribution to the literature on Middle Eastern politics and provides valuable insights into the complex dynamics that shape the region’s political landscape. The interdisciplinary approaches and focus on local actors make this book a must-read for Middle East scholars seeking to understand the region beyond the traditional readings.

The Nation Form in the Global Age: Ethnographic Perspectives

Fri, 07 Jul 2023 16:07:00 GMT

The Nation Form in the Global Age: Ethnographic Perspectives propels us to imagine ourselves without nation-states or think beyond them. The volume urges scholars and future works to think of a few questions such as: Can we think of an alternative to nationalism and nation-states? Does religion play a uniform role in forming or obstructing a national identity? Apart from the anthropologists, the book will also enrich the under-standing of historians, sociologists, scholars of politics, and anyone interested in reading an alternative account of nationalism, modernity, and non-western experiences of secularism.

Iran, Revolution, and Proxy Wars

Fri, 07 Jul 2023 16:11:00 GMT

The book could be enriched further if a few additional points had been addressed. While the book focuses on asymmetrical warfare strategy and proxy wars, a brief explanation at the beginning would be helpful to understand these terms and what they involve in a general context. Secondly, although there was a great deal of information on the military supplies that Iran has provided to various groups, its economic impact on Iran’s economy was not emphasized to understand the budget of the IRGC-QF. All in all, the book’s scope would be considered a significant reference guide for researchers focusing on Iran’s proxies in the Middle East and North Africa.