The ‘New Turkey’ in the Broader Middle East

This book offers a fresh rethinking of Turkish foreign policy under the Justice and Development Party (AKP), drawing on both mainstream and critical approaches within International Relations (IR) theory. Through a series of region-specific case studies—including Turkey’s evolving policies toward Syria, Iraq, Israel, the Gulf, and the Eastern Mediterranean—it explores the complex interplay of domestic, regional, and global drivers that shape foreign policy choices. The chapters engage with diverse theoretical perspectives such as Neo-Realism, Constructivism, Neo-Marxism, Critical Geopolitics, and Ontological Security. The contributors critically assess how well-established IR frameworks account for Turkey’s foreign policy behaviour in a shifting international landscape. In doing so, they test not only the boundaries of conventional theory but also contribute to the development of more nuanced, context-sensitive approaches to foreign policy analysis. Accessible to both scholars and general readers, this book enriches IR scholarship while providing new perspectives on Turkey’s shifting role in a transforming Middle East.