The Foreign Policy of Modern Turkey: Power and the Ideology of Eurasianism, I.B. Tauris Publishers, 2017

by Ozgur Tufekci, Ph.D.

In the last three decades, Turkey has attempted to build close relationships with Russia, Iran and the Turkic World. As a result, there has been ongoing debate about the extent to which Turkey’s international relations axis is shifting eastwards. Ozgur Tufekci argues that Eurasianist ideology has been fundamental to Turkish foreign policy and continues to have influence today. The author first explores the historical roots of Eurasianism in the 19th century, comparing this to Neo-Eurasianism and Pan-Slavism. The Özal era (1983-1993), the Cem era (1997-2002) and Davuto?lu era (since 2003) are then examined to reveal how foreign policy making has been informed by discourses of Eurasianism, and how Eurasianist ideas were implemented through internal and external socio-economic and political factors.

“One of the most striking aspects of Eurasianism ideology today its spread beyond Russia to influence political discourses in other countries. Ozgur Tufekci’s new study is an important contribution to understanding how this process is unfolding in Turkey”
– Mark Bassin – Baltic Sea Professor in the History of Ideas, Center for Baltic and East European Studies, Södertörn University, Stockholm

“During the current turbulent times in Turkey, Ozgur Tufekci provides an important and original analysis of Turkish foreign policy from a perspective that is not only unorthodox but is highly thought-provoking. This work is an excellent contribution to the literature.”
– Birol Yesilada – Professor of Political Science and International Studies, Portland State University