The Transformation of Turkish Foreign Policy: Islamism and Nationalism

by Hasan Kösebalaban

Overview

This book examines the evolution of Turkish foreign policy under the Justice and Development Party (JDP). It traces the shift from the early liberal era (2002–16), which was characterised by EU integration efforts, economic globalisation and regional engagement, to a nationalist, security-driven approach. Particular focus is given to the consolidation of authoritarian rule and Turkey’s transition to a presidential system in 2018.

Initially, the Arab Spring positioned Turkey as a model for political Islam, but regional upheavals, the 2013 Gezi Park protests and the 2016 coup attempt accelerated a turn toward authoritarianism and securitisation. The study explores how the JDP leadership moved from democratic pluralism to nationalist and authoritarian consolidation, reshaping Turkey’s diplomatic and geopolitical posture. Hasan Kösebalaban argues that domestic political struggles have shaped Turkish foreign policy as much as external pressures. Through a multidisciplinary lens, this book provides a nuanced understanding of Turkey’s geopolitical trajectory and its broader implications for international relations. Kösebalaban implements a new framework to examine the divisions within both secularism and Islamism, and explores how foreign policy choices both shape and are shaped by these internal divisions.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781399542937
Publisher:	Edinburgh University Press
Publication date:	12/31/2025
Series:	Edinburgh Studies on Modern Turkey
Pages:	208
Product dimensions:	6.14(w) x 9.21(h) x 0.00(d)

About the Author

Hasan Kösebalaban is a Research Associate at the Center on Democratic Performance at Binghamton University, SUNY, Binghamton, US. He completed his undergraduate degree in Political Science at the International Islamic UniversityMalaysia in 1995 and his MA degree in International Relations at the International University of Japan in 1997. In 2006, he earned his Ph.D. in Political Science from the University of Utah. He has served as a faculty member at institutions such as Mississippi State University, Michigan State University, Lake Forest College, and Mount Holyoke College in the United States. He also worked at Istanbul Şehir University’s Department of Political Science and International Relations until 2019, and at Fatih Sultan Mehmet Vakıf University’s Department of Political Science and International Relations.

Kösebalaban’s research focuses on Turkish foreign policy and Middle Eastern politics. He is the author of Islam, Nationalism, and Globalization (Palgrave Macmillan, 2011) and Religion and Politics in Saudi Arabia (co-authored with Muhammad Ayoob, Lynne Rienner, 2008), along with numerous articles published in academic journals.

Table of Contents

Preface

Introduction

Part I. Theoretical and Historical Background

1. Turkey's Ideological Polarisations: A Multi-dimensional Theoretical Analysis
2. Contesting Islamisms: One Ideology, Multiple Perspectives

Part II. The Liberal Age of JDP Foreign Policy

3. The Liberal Age of the JDP (2002-2009)
4. Liberal Integrationism: JDP’s Middle East Pivot (2009-2011)
5. Liberal Interventionism: Idealism and Realpolitik (2011-2016)

Part III. The Nationalist Age of the JDP Foreign Policy

6. The Return of Securitisation in Turkish Foreign Policy (2016-2022)
7. Normalization or Authoritarian Pragmatism in Turkish Foreign Policy? (2022-2024)

Conclusion

References