Publisher: Atatürk Stratejik Araştırmalar Enstitüsü

Journal of Security Strategies

Güvenlik Stratejileri Dergisi

Frequency: 4 issues / Country: Turkey

The Journal of Security Strategies is an interdisciplinary peer-reviewed journal which is published quarterly (in March, June, September, and December) by the Strategic Research Institute (SRI). Our journal has become an international peer-reviewed journal with its new face as of December 2011 and we accept articles in English, French or German, as well as articles written in Turkish. Potential topics for the Journal of Security Strategies are security, strategy, international relations, political science, history, economics, and administrative sciences, law, sociology, philosophy, and geography.

The ‘Arab Spring’ and the Rise of the 2.0 Version of Turkey’s ‘zero problems with neighbors’ Policy

The ‘Arab Spring’ and the Rise of the 2.0 Version of Turkey’s ‘zero problems with neighbors’ Policy

Author(s): Tarik Oğuzlu / Language(s): English

This brief seeks to explain the challenges facing Turkey’s ‘zero problems with neighbors’ policy in the context of the developments associated with the ‘Arab Spring.’ How Turkey’s foreign policy understanding will be a ected by the tumultuous changes in the region, and how Turkey should cope with these changes require urgent answers. e main argument of the brief is that besides bringing challenges and risks, the recent upheavals in the Middle East simultaneously o er Turkey the opportunity to elevate its existing ‘zpwn’ policy to a much higher level, the 2.0. version, in which normative and humanitarian considerations are likely to become more salient. Put another way, the years ahead will witness a ‘democratic touch’ in Turkish foreign policy in the Middle East, re ecting the spirit of Turkey’s liberal democratization process already underway at home.

Religion and Secularism in the Modern World: A Turkish Perspective

Religion and Secularism in the Modern World: A Turkish Perspective

Author(s): Mehmet Görmez / Language(s): English

This policy brief presents an alternative perspective on the relationship between religion and politics by employing an inter-disciplinary framework. Identifying two problematic approaches to the role of religion in modern world – viewing religion as an artifact of the past and neglecting the everyday realities of religion – the author proposes to view religion from a more comprehensive perspective and rejects the arguments that juxtapose religion and secularization. He argues that the Muslim world, which is going through a process of evaluating its own age, manifests di erent forms of secularism, though in an unconventional sense. The author also dwells on various rami cations of religion in contemporary political developments and maintains that religion needs to be taken into consideration while developing policies for addressing the root causes of tensions and con icts that arise at the national and international levels. He discusses the growing religious divide and polarization in Turkey’s neighborhood, maintaining that Turkey’s interpretation of religion in the contemporary age, emanating from its own tradition, o ers a viable alternative.

Turkey’s New Horizon: Turks Abroad and Related Communities

Turkey’s New Horizon: Turks Abroad and Related Communities

Author(s): Kemal Yurtnaç / Language(s): English

Across the world, there are many countries that have established institutions to serve and engage with their citizens and kin living abroad. Such institutions are called Diaspora Ministry/ Department in some cases, while in others they operate as independent units under the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Progressively, Turkey also went through a similar process. Parallel to the activism in its foreign relations, Turkey’s awareness and ties with the citizens and kin communities beyond its borders have seen an enormous increase. On the one hand, millions of Turkish people have emigrated to various countries, while maintaining their citizenship ties to Turkey. On the other hand, given the unique historical experience of the Turkish Republic, its people enjoy ethnic, religious and cultural ties with several other communities throughout the world. At the same time, with the rising quality of its secondary and higher education institutions, Turkey has been a major destination of international students seeking a better education abroad. As it conducted a proactive foreign policy in its surrounding regions and worldwide, Turkey has come to recognize the importance of forging more intense relations with those various groups of people. The article gives an overview regarding the »Presidency for Turks Abroad and Related Communities« as an government agency associated with the Republic of Turkey Prime Ministry.

Turkey’s Mediation and Friends of Mediation Initiative

Turkey’s Mediation and Friends of Mediation Initiative

Author(s): Bülent Aras / Language(s): English

This brief critically examines a new area of activism in Turkey’s foreign policy agenda: Turkey’s rise as a mediator in regional and international crises zones. It contextualizes Turkey’s reliance on a multitude of actors to support its mediation initiatives, most notably its vibrant civil society and NGOs, as a successful case of total performance, a principle forming Turkey’s new foreign policy doctrine. e brief then outlines the broad frameworks and characteristics of Turkey’s approach to mediation, as laid out by the Minister of Foreign A airs, Ahmet Davuto lu. e brief takes a closer look at the case of Turkey’s involvement in the attempt to seek resolution in the Afghanistan con ict and it illustrates a good example of Turkey’s new style in mediation. e brief concludes with a discussion of the Friends of Mediation Initiative, launched under the UN framework through joint Turkish-Finnish initiative.

Making Sense of Turkish-EU Relations in the Aftermath of the Arab Spring

Making Sense of Turkish-EU Relations in the Aftermath of the Arab Spring

Author(s): Bülent Aras / Language(s): English

Keywords: Arab Spring, Turkey and EU

Both the EU’s recognition of the importance of its value system and Turkey’s rediscovery of its European component in its foreign policy identity have occurred during a period of radical transformation in the Mediterranean region. e Arab Spring has resulted in a process of renegotiation over territory, identity and governance which has eventually fostered the idea of a new regional political community. The EU is in an advantageous position now if it truly wants to build a political community eastwards and southwards. One logical move would be a renegotiation in the EU over Turkey’s role in a new vision for the future of the EU. Turkey’s European identity and policy style will continue to shape its own neighbourhood policy as it is at the centre of a new geopolitical thinking. Ankara sees itself as having an order-instituting role in its changing neighbourhood and is in a process of recalibrating its policies in this direction. The Turkish and EU models complement each other, and there is no possibility for any other model to compete with these perspectives in the foreseeable future.

Turkey’s Regional Approach in Afghanistan: A Civilian Power in Action

Turkey’s Regional Approach in Afghanistan: A Civilian Power in Action

Author(s): Şaban Kardaş / Language(s): English

This policy brief studies Turkey’s contributions to the resolution of the Afghan conflict by focusing on its regional approach. The brief puts forth the argument that Afghanistan pro-vides a good show-case to demonstrate the elements of a new security culture Turkey has adopted in its post-Cold War transformation. Reflecting the growing power of civilians in the making of foreign policy, Turkey’s security culture has evolved in ways that it has em-braced many liberal elements, which can be grouped under the concept of cooperative se-curity. After a review of Turkey’s involvement in Afghanistan in the post-2001 period, the brief traces how the notions of Afghan ownership and regional participation, products of Turkey’s civilian power security culture, have shaped its response to this conflict-ridden country. A special attention is placed on various e orts Turkey has undertaken to regional-ize its objective of political stabilization, and social and economic reconstruction of Af-ghanistan, as well as the question of how its Afghanistan policy figured in Ankara’s rela-tionship with the United States.

A Dictionary of Turkish Foreign Policy in the AK Party Era

A Dictionary of Turkish Foreign Policy in the AK Party Era

Author(s): Murat Yeşiltaş,Ali BALCI / Language(s): English

This study aims to describe the foreign policy discourses and practices which have seen wide use in the era of the Justice and Development Party (the AK Party). Given the fact that concepts do not emerge independently of their historical context, this study argues that the AK Party government’s foreign policy can be analyzed through the dominant concepts that have been used. e study also argues that what is “new” in the AK Party’s foreign poli-cy can be understood by looking at the new concepts and conceptual changes that have occurred in that era. One of the foundational objectives of the study is to outline Turkish foreign policy in the AK Party era by bringing together pertinent concepts and assembling a dictionary of these concepts. Most of the concepts in this study have been defined in the way that they have been used by foreign policy makers, independent of their academic meanings. Lastly, this study has not ordered the concepts in any way to give special mean-ing or to show importance.

Human Rights and the Transformation Process in Turkey

Human Rights and the Transformation Process in Turkey

Author(s): Bülent Arınç / Language(s): English

When discussing the issue of human rights, we should also consider the boundaries, shortcomings, and problematic aspects of today’s human rights rhetoric. I do not agree with those who hold a one-sided view of the norms of universal human rights and interpret their historical evolution as part of the Westernisation and Europeanisation process. Within different intellectual traditions, many philosophers have rejected certain perspectives that suggest a limited and narrow understanding of human rights, and have introduced new approaches that suggest a wider scope. They have adopted a global perspective, instead of those based on white, western or male dominance. Thus, I believe that among the many prominent traditions that have developed throughout the world, approaches that assert reasonable and fair interactions between different communities within a globalist framework and political consciousness are the most valuable.

Turkey's foreign policy in the XXI Century: The Cultural Diplomacy and Soft Power

La política Exterior de Turquía en el Siglo XXI: La Diplomacia Cultural y el Poder Blando

Author(s): Mehmet Özkan / Language(s): Spanish

Democracy, Authoritarianism, International Politics: An Integrated Perspective and Ap-proach

Demokrasi, Otoriterlik, Uluslararası Politika: Entegre Bir Yaklaşım Arayışı

Author(s): Ali Resul Usul / Language(s): Turkish

Keywords: Democracy; Democratization; Authoritarianism; International Relations

The nature of political regimes and their impact on international politics within the context of the Demo-cratic Peace Theory (DPT) is often discussed in the IR literature. e debate between the pro-DPT and anti-DPT circles continues. e DPT is now not only a theoretical approach in the field of IR, but has also become an effective foreign policy strategy. This paper argues that the discipline of IR needs more subtle and sophis-ticated conceptual tools to explain the complexities of the process of democratization and newly emerging hybrid regimes. It also argues that new approaches, concepts and explanations in the field of Democratiza-tion Studies could help the IR discipline to improve its theoretical strength in this regard. e recent debates over the characters of political regimes demonstrate that conceptual advancement in the discipline is a mat-ter of necessity. Thus, the paper recommends greater integration between IR and Democratization Studies.

The United Nations Peace Operations and Motivations at the Roots of Turkey’s Involvement

The United Nations Peace Operations and Motivations at the Roots of Turkey’s Involvement

Author(s): Uğur Güngör / Language(s): English

This policy brief studies the evolution of United Nations peace operations and aims at analyzing the moti-vations that lie at the root of Turkey’s involvement in peace operations, mostly organized under the leader-ship of the United Nations in the post-Cold War era. The brief puts forth the argument that participation in such operations has been an identity-constructing activity in the sense that Turkey has, through this par-ticular way, tried to reinforce its eroding western identity in the 1990s. This brief also discusses alternative motivations behind Turkey’s involvement in peace operations, such as security-related considerations in a neo-realist vein and domestic influence of ethnic and religious pressure groups, but argues that these accounts fall short of offering convincing explanations.

A Forward Looking Vision for the Balkans

A Forward Looking Vision for the Balkans

Author(s): Ahmet Davutoğlu / Language(s): English

The Balkan region is at a historical juncture as the SEECP (South East European Cooperation Process) is soon to celebrate its 15th anniversary. It is high time for regional countries to reflect on the past 15 years and reassess the potential role this process could play in the future of the region. What was the joint vision that prompted the Balkan nations to initiate this process? What have been the achievements of the SEECP? What are the factors that render this process a vital component of regional a airs? What are the challenges that must be met for the further development of the SEECP? These are but a few questions that we, as the stakeholders in the creation of a peaceful and stable regional order in the Balkans, have to seriously ponder. Despite the argument that the forces of globalization will reduce local differences and facilitate the emergence of a single global society, we are still living in a world of regions where local and regional processes increasingly gain prominence. This essay proposes an alternative vision of furthering regional cooperation around the SEECP, based on a set of methodology and policy principles, in an attempt to stimulate a wider debate on the subject in the intellectual and policy circles in the Balkan region. In particular, this essay outlines the normative bases and policy principles for regional cooperation as the Balkan nations contemplate how to reorgan-ize their institutional architecture in this new era.

Global Governance

Global Governance

Author(s): Ahmet Davutoğlu / Language(s): English

Global governance is a topic of serious discussion among students of politics, within both academic and policy circles. To do this important topic justice, one needs to adopt a rigorous methodological approach, and offer a well thought-out definition of the adjective ‘global.’ Only in this way one can develop a comprehensive framework to analyze the complex phenomenon of global governance and suggest the ways through which it may be made more effective. Scientific inquiry sometimes benefits from personal experience, which, in turn, can offer profound insights into our inquiry about the work-ings of global governance. Recognizing this, I will start by recollect ng a personal experience which sparked in me a genuine engagement with the quest on of what ‘global’ actually means. I will then reflect upon the systemic forces at play in global governance, an endeavor which necessitates placing such forces in their proper historical context. I will move on to dealing with the preconditions for a more effective system of global governance, concluding with a discussion of the policy principles upon which such an agenda can be built

Principles of Turkish Foreign Policy and Regional Political Structuring

Principles of Turkish Foreign Policy and Regional Political Structuring

Author(s): Ahmet Davutoğlu / Language(s): English

The world is undergoing tumultuous changes, presenting challenges to countries such as Turkey that are affected by this tectonic transformation. While there is a serious economic crisis currently affecting the international community at large, the regions surrounding Turkey are undergoing the equally sig-nificant process of political transit on. Though challenging, we believe that these transformations are natural and inevitable processes. As it is unwise to confront these processes, the best course of action is to develop a sound understanding of the causes of this transformation and develop suitable strategies to cope with the change. As it conducts foreign policy in such turbulent regional and international envi-ronments, Turkey possesses several advantages, which make it uniquely positioned to respond to the myriad of challenges related to political transition.

A New Vision for Least Developed Countries

A New Vision for Least Developed Countries

Author(s): Ahmet Davutoğlu / Language(s): English

Keywords: Somalia

While pursuing its own development with confidence and success, Turkey has become deeply concerned with all forms of human inequality that exist in the world, especially those forms that impact upon the dignity of the individual and the community. This concern has led Turkey in recent years to turn increasing attention to the plight of countries experiencing acute economic and ecological challenges. In this spirit it has sought to provide assistance and moral support to the people of Somalia who have remained affected by a lethal famine as well as the absence of human security as a result of sustained civil strife and uncontrolled crime. In 2011 the leaders of the Turkish government, along with their families, made a visit to Somalia as a demonstration of solidarity and engagement. It was a dramatic event in part because Somalia had been treated as off limits for world leaders due to the perception of dangerous levels of chaos and the pervasiveness of violence on the ground. This initiative was welcomed with great appreciation by the people of Somalia. Besides showing solidarity and immediate help for famine, Turkey wanted to raise consciousness in the global setting about the tragedy of Somalia so other countries would join in the emergency relief effort. While tragedy of Somalia persists, greater international attention s being given as evidenced by the February 2012 international conference held in London and May 2012 Istanbul conference. Problems of this magnitude, we believe, require not just national or regional responses, but depend on generating a global response

Turkic Republics Since Inde-pendence: Towards A Common Future

Turkic Republics Since Inde-pendence: Towards A Common Future

Author(s): Ahmet Davutoğlu / Language(s): English

During the Cold War, the structure of the bipolar international system, which was based on static polarization, prevented Central Asian countries from exerting their remarkable historical and geographical influences on international politics. However, the dissolution of the bipolar world-system and the collapse of the Soviet Union have radically changed the geopolitical structure of Central Asia in respect of the distribution of power in the international as well as the Eurasian geopolitical systems. To assess the period since the independence of the Turkic republics, one must consider three great transformations at three different levels. These are the geo-political, geo-cultural and geo-economic transformations that have been taking place within the region. Geopolitical transformation concerns the changes in the region’s status in world poli-tics after the Cold War. e geo-cultural transformation is tied to the historical transformation and cultural awakening, while the geo-economic transformation has been dependent on the changing demographic as well as economic dynamics of the region. Within the context of these three important parameters influx, Central Asia has emerged as a new strategic space in the international system, undergoing a serious transformation. These transformations have had a severe impact on three major geographical regions, namely, the Balkans, Eastern Europe, and Central Asia and the Caucasus. Taking the historical systemic transfor-mations into consideration, Turkish policymakers have closely followed the developments in the sur-rounding regions, to which they have attached special importance, since they are likely to have a lasting impact on Turkey and its future orientation. Turkey’s involvement in the region seeks to ensure that there will be a smooth transition and that the developments will move in the right direction.

Turkey’s Mediation: Critical Reflections from the Field

Turkey’s Mediation: Critical Reflections from the Field

Author(s): Ahmet Davutoğlu / Language(s): English

In today’s world there are serious problems in the regional and global systems. The end of the Cold War did not help much in regard to developing mechanisms to resolve those problems. The post-Cold War era continued to present big challenges, and the emergence of new issues complicated the deep problems in international politics. Ethnic, sectarian and religious clashes and geopolitical conflicts, as well as frozen conflicts, throughout the world are in need of effective mediation. In the changing secu-rity environment, in addition to bilateral disputes and state security, the security of individuals as well as crises sparked by non-state threats further complicate this grim picture. In this period, in addition to the global economic crisis, the broader Middle East is experiencing a political earthquake creating new challenges that are domestic rather than interstate. e need for mediation is obvious in this new era. In the last three decades, Turkey’s position has been based on the use of diplomacy in an efficient way to help resolve disputes and conflicts. Turkey works to develop effective dispute resolution instruments for various conflicts. It is located right at the center of all the political conflicts of the surrounding re-gions, and is affected directly or indirectly, historically or culturally, by the myriad crises taking place throughout a wide area. When there was a crisis in Bosnia, all those who were suffering tried to escape to Turkey. When there was a crisis in Nagorno-Karabakh, we felt its bitter consequences before anyone else - and a substantial number of refugees escaping from Syria turn to Turkey as a humanitarian safe haven. In times of crisis - as in Tunisia, in Egypt or in Libya last year - Turkey is always among the countries that try to make a significant contribution to its resolution. This is a challenge for Turkey.

The Restoration of Turkey: Strong Democracy, Dynamic Economy, and Active Diplomacy

The Restoration of Turkey: Strong Democracy, Dynamic Economy, and Active Diplomacy

Author(s): Ahmet Davutoğlu / Language(s): English

Keywords: restoration of Turkey

Comprehending the transformation of the global system depends initially on understanding how Turkey positions itself in this transformation and how it should adjust itself to this process from this point onwards. Turkey has been through a wide range of restoration on economic and social levels over the last 10 years. This period in the 2000s, though not the first in Turkish political history, has been among the most significant restoration periods in Turkey’s political history since the “Tanzimat”. The-re were various restorations during the Ottoman period, but in Turkey’s modern era, after the time of the French Revolution and the Tanzimat, there have been three important ones; that of the 2000s has been the fourth important restoration.