From Introversion to Activism: an Analysis of the Foreign Policy Change in Turkey

Abstract

Turkish foreign policy has gone through a remarkable change in the last few decades. “Peace at home, peace in the world” has been the leading principle of the Turkish foreign policy. It guided the first few decades of the newly established Turkish Republic and it meant an introverted approach in foreign policy making. However, Turkey, which had followed a traditionally quietist foreign policy started to become a regional political and economic player. This manifested not only in its growing capabilities and capacities but the ambitions of the political leadership and the elite to make Turkey a regional leader. These changes were influenced both by external and internal factors. The transformation of the international political environment after the end of the Cold War, the newly emerged security challenges and the new opportunities in Turkey’s neighbouring region was complemented by the restructuring of the Turkish society and the domestic political conditions. This article explains the transformation of Turkish foreign policy based on the neo-classical realist theory of Randall Schweller.