Reassessment of Turkish Foreign Policy: Turkey's Changing Role in the Middle East

ISBN-13: 9783656318408 / Angielski / Miękka / 2012 / 62 str.

Tugba Akyazi

Opis

Bachelor Thesis from the year 2012 in the subject Politics - International Politics - Region: Near East, Near Orient, grade: 1,3, University of Cologne (Wirtschafts- und Sozialwissenschaftlichen Fakultat der Universitat zu Koln), course: Internationale Politik, language: English, abstract: During the recent years Turkey has put immense efforts in healing relations with its neighbors, establishing closer ties regarding various interest areas, be it economic, cultural or political issues and acting as a facilitator in its close environment. Interestingly, this kind of approach was increasingly voiced at various international occasions since the Justice and Development Party (Adalet ve Kalkınma Partisi-AKP) came to power in 2002. However, once one looks back in history, Turkey during the 1900s conducted a very different foreign policy strategy and viewed its close neighbors with suspicion and mistrust. This study argues that there has been a reassessment in Turkish foreign policy which has helped Turkey to acquire a new role in the Middle Eastern region. In this regard, this research aims to analyze whether there has been a changeover in Turkish Foreign policy and if so, what were the consequences regarding Turkey's relations with its neighbors. Along with that purpose, this paper will elaborate on the factors which have shaped Turkish foreign policy, primarily on economic aspirations. Furthermore, the goal of this research is to focus particularly on Turkey's relations towards its Middle Eastern neighbors. In this context this study provides an overview about the different phases Turkish foreign policy has undergone and examines Turkey's changing role in the Middle East. Consequently, this research will help to understand fully Turkey's recent involvement regarding the Arab uprisings and increasing commitment to the Middle East. This study is relevant in order to follow up Turkey's increasing new role in the international arena. Nowadays, Turkey fills the news an

O autorze

Tugba Akyazi was born in Germany and grew up in Remscheid. She graduated with a degree in SocialSciences from the University of Cologne in 2012. During her studies she has focused on economics,international politics and empirical research. As a young Fulbright Diversity-Scholar she has visited theUniversity of Kentucky in the States and absolved one year at the Sabanci University as an exchange studentin Istanbul, Turkey. She has worked as a consultant in various industries in Germany. Currently she is product manager at a telecommunication company in Switzerland.