РЕВИЗИОНИЗАМ КАО ИЗАЗОВ РЕГИОНАЛНОЈ БЕЗБЕДНОСТИ: ТЕОРИЈСКА ПАРАДИГМА И СТУДИЈА СЛУЧАЈА ТУРСКЕ
REVISIONISM AS A CHALLENGE TO REGIONAL SECURITY: THEORETICAL PARADIGM AND CASE STUDY OF TURKEY

Author(s): Dušan S. Spasojević
Subject(s): Security and defense, Military policy, Geopolitics
Published by: Institut za strategijska istraživanja
Keywords: revisionism; international relations; security studies; theory; realism; doctrine; strategy; neo-Ottomanism; Turkey
Summary/Abstract: Revisionism represents a significant and widely debated topic within the social sciences and humanities, spanning fields such as history, literature, political philosophy, and law. It is particularly relevant in international relations and security studies due to its connections with contemporary global crises, such as the war in Ukraine, tensions in the Middle East, and the increasing prevalence of political narratives advocating for the redrawing of borders in the foreign policies of major powers. By nature, the concept of revisionism is problematic, as it is often tied to modern political agendas, making it a frequent subject of debate and conflicting interpretations. Frequently seen as a political objective and a leading cause of war—a view shared by many prominent historians and theorists of international relations—revisionism is situated at the intersection of scholarly and political knowledge. Its dual character particularly affects disciplines like history, international relations, and security studies, where research often intertwines academic work with the interests of states, political organisations, or influential social groups. These groups, whose priorities often hinder objective investigation, tend to instrumentalise revisionism for political or ideological goals. Considering these complexities, the primary aim of this paper is to clearly and thoroughly conceptualise and define revisionism, making it suitable for operationalisation and empirical research within international relations and security studies. In this regard, the research identifies the fundamental definitional characteristics of revisionism and provides a detailed critical review of the most significant theoretical approaches to the phenomenon, particularly from the standpoint of the realist school of thought. The theoretical paradigm is complemented by a case study on contemporary Turkish revisionism. Using qualitative analysis and triangulation of various data sources, the case study examines the processes of formulating, articulating, and implementing revisionist foreign policy objectives and tests the core assumptions of realism in explaining revisionism. From the realist perspective, revisionism relies on several key premises: the anarchic structure of the international system, power as the essence of international relations, and the need to differentiate states based on their objectives. Within an anarchic international system, states are compelled to accumulate power as the primary method of ensuring their security and autonomy. The more states prioritise these values, the greater the likelihood that they will adopt revisionist behaviour. The most reliable parameter for identifying revisionist states is their relationship to power, with changes in relative power serving as the starting point for explaining revisionism. Rising states often pursue revisionist goals, particularly when, along with their allies, they possess greater overall power than their adversaries. Such states are influenced by both domestic and international factors in formulating their foreign policy objectives, but they will adopt revisionist plans only when they assess that they have realistic prospects to implement them. Since power is the central concept upon which realism is based, international law plays a secondary role in defining and analysing revisionism. The case study of Turkish revisionism reveals its key characteristics. An examination of discourse, doctrine, strategy and practice in Turkish foreign policy indicates that revisionism is its primary goal, with animus dominandi as its fundamental driving force. As a limited-range aggressor, Turkey opportunistically selects strategies that enable it to align with stronger powers in order to achieve territorial objectives. Rooted in neo-Ottoman ideology and the myth of the Ottoman Empire, Turkish revisionism is largely a product of dissatisfaction with its current international position and is shaped by the interaction of internal and international security factors. The implementation of revisionist policy heavily depends on Turkey’s readiness to await favourable opportunities. In the Balkans, Turkey perceives the natural political compatibility between Serbia and Greece as the primary threat to achieving its ambitions. In this context, regional security depends on a balance between revisionist and status quo forces. If status quo states, such as Serbia and Greece, maintain an advantage over revisionist coalitions in the Balkans, the regional security system will remain stable. Conversely, if the revisionist coalition overpowers the defenders of the status quo, the system will undergo change. This raises the question of when, how, and to whose benefit such a change will occur.

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