The Universalist and Particularist Threads of Turkish Foreign Policy
Özet
This article by Emrullah Ataseven examines the evolution of contemporary Turkish foreign policy through the dual lenses of universalism and particularism. It argues that under successive Justice and Development Party (AKP) governments, Turkish foreign policy has consistently oscillated between universalist pursuits—such as promoting civilizational dialogue, soft power, and multilateral initiatives like the Alliance of Civilizations—and particularist tendencies rooted in nationalist-conservative identity, political pan-Islamism, and neo-Ottomanism. The author outlines how initial diplomatic strategies, including the "Zero Problems with Neighbors" policy and model-country rhetoric, gradually shifted toward hard particularism following the Arab Spring. This shift manifested in a proactive and aggressive security concept known as the Erdoğan doctrine, characterized by unilateral military interventions in Syria and Iraq, expanded regional military presence, and centralized decision-making centered around executive leadership. Despite anti-Western rhetoric and strained relations with traditional allies, the study highlights that Turkey's foreign policy relies on flexible alliances and dynamic pragmatic adjustments to achieve strategic autonomy rather than a complete departure from the Euro-Atlantic framework. Ultimately, the paper demonstrates that Turkish foreign policy remains a complex synthesis of universal moral claims, regional power projection, and historical civilizational narratives.
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