Information Package / Course Catalogue
Current Issues in Turkish Foreign Policy
Course Code: INT403
Course Type: Required
Couse Group: First Cycle (Bachelor's Degree)
Education Language: English
Work Placement: N/A
Theory: 3
Prt.: 0
Credit: 3
Lab: 0
ECTS: 9
Objectives of the Course

The aim of this course is to analyze the main developments in Turkish foreign policy in the aftermath of Cold War from theoretical perspectives. Within the framework of approaches such as strategic culture and role theory, Turkey's changing foreign policy behavior will be examined; current issues will be evaluated through energy, security, institutional relations and regional dynamics.

Course Content

The end of Cold War changed the international system and produced great transformation over the states' foreign policies. In 1990s, Turkey's foreign policy agenda was quiete different comperatively with the previous period. In this course, firstly, we will try to analyze how Turkish foreign policy effected by the new developments and transformations of post-Cold War era. Specificly, we will focused on Turkey's relations with Greece, Iraq, USA and Syria. Formerly, the effects of 9/11 events over the world politics and specificly Turkey's near environment will be discussed. ın addition some new concepts, discourses and preferences of Turkish foreign policy which are belonged to 2000s (especially about Middle East and Balkans) will try to be explained with examples.

Name of Lecturer(s)
Prof. Murat Necip ARMAN
Learning Outcomes
1.To be able to learn the current issues of Turkish foreign policy
2.To be able to analyse the current issues of Turkish foreign policy through cases
3.Students will be able to explain the relationships between facts with an analytical structure.
4.Students will be able to learn the theoretical knowledge they learned in practice in practical life.
5.Turkey will be able to learn the recent history of foreign policy
Recommended or Required Reading
1.Özkeçeci-Taner B., Açıkmeşe S. A. (Eds), 2023, One Hundred Years of Turkish Foreign Policy (1923–2023): Palgrave Macmillan.
2.Murinson, A., 2006, "The Strategic Depth Doctrine of Turkish Foreign Policy.” Middle Eastern Studies.
3.Öniş, Z. & Yılmaz, Ş., 2009, “Between Europeanization and Euro-Asianism.” Journal of Balkan and Near Eastern Studies.
4.Taşpinar, Ö., "The Three Strategic Visions of Turkey", US – EUROPE ANALYSIS SERIES NUMBER 50, March 8, 2011, The Brookings Institution, Center on the United States and Europe.
5.Başer, E. T. 2015, "Shift-of-axis in Turkish Foreign Policy: Turkish National Role Conceptions Before and During AKP Rule", Turkish Studies.
6.Kutlay, M. and Öniş, Z., 2021, "Turkish foreign policy in a post-western order: strategic autonomy or new forms of dependence?", International Affairs.
Weekly Detailed Course Contents
Week 1 - Theoretical
Introductionary course
Week 1 - Preparation Work
Syllabus presentation
Week 2 - Theoretical
Understanding Turkish Foreign Policy - Conceptual and Historical Framework
Week 2 - Preparation Work
Binnur Özkeçeci-Taner and Sinem Akgül Açıkmese, Historical and Theoretical Aspects of Turkey’s Foreign Policy (in) Özkeçeci-Taner B., Açıkmeşe S. A. (Ed.), 2023, One Hundred Years of Turkish Foreign Policy (1923–2023): Palgrave Macmillan.
Week 3 - Theoretical
Strategic Culture: Turkiye's Geopolitical Identity and Historical Codes
Week 3 - Preparation Work
Taşpinar, Ö., "The Three Strategic Visions of Turkey", US – EUROPE ANALYSIS SERIES NUMBER 50, March 8, 2011, The Brookings Institution, Center on the United States and Europe.
Week 4 - Theoretical
Role Theory: Turkey's Perception and Perception of its Role in the International System
Week 4 - Preparation Work
Başer, E. T. 2015, "Shift-of-axis in Turkish Foreign Policy: Turkish National Role Conceptions Before and During AKP Rule", Turkish Studies.
Week 5 - Theoretical
AK Party Era Foreign Policy: “From Strategic Depth to Blue Homeland”
Week 5 - Preparation Work
Murinson, A., 2006, "The Strategic Depth Doctrine of Turkish Foreign Policy.” Middle Eastern Studies.
Week 6 - Theoretical
Turkey's Energy Policy: Energy Corridor, Exploration Activities and the Eastern Mediterranean
Week 6 - Preparation Work
Bezen Balamir Coşkun, One Hundred Years of Turkish Foreign Policy in Eastern Mediterranean (1923–2023): A Neoclassical Realist Analysis of Turkey as a Middle Power (in) Özkeçeci-Taner B., Açıkmeşe S. A. (Ed.), 2023, One Hundred Years of Turkish Foreign Policy (1923–2023): Palgrave Macmillan.
Week 7 - Theoretical
Turkiye-US--NATO Relations: Security Complex and Institutional Ties
Week 7 - Preparation Work
Evren Çelik-Wiltse, Turkey’s Transatlantic Connections: The United States and the North Atlantic Treaty Organization, (in) Özkeçeci-Taner B., Açıkmeşe S. A. (Ed.), 2023, One Hundred Years of Turkish Foreign Policy (1923–2023): Palgrave Macmillan.
Week 8 - Theoretical
Turkey-EU Relations: Customs Union, Candidacy Process and Europeanization
Week 8 - Preparation Work
Meltem Müftüler-Baç, An Impasse in Turkey’s Relations with the European Union: The Interplay of Democratic Lapse and External Differentiated Integration (içinde) Özkeçeci-Taner B., Açıkmeşe S. A. (Ed.), 2023, One Hundred Years of Turkish Foreign Policy (1923–2023): Palgrave Macmillan.
Week 9 - Intermediate Exam
Midterm Exam
Week 10 - Intermediate Exam
Midterm Exam
Week 11 - Theoretical
Turkiye-Russian Federation Relations
Week 11 - Preparation Work
Evren Balta and Habibe Özdal, One Hundred Years of Turkish-Russian Relations: From Balancing Act to Flexible Alignment
Week 12 - Theoretical
Turkiye-MENA Relations
Week 12 - Preparation Work
Meliha Benli Altunışık, Domestic Sources of AKP’s Foreign Policy Toward the MENA Region: Ideology and Pragmatism, (içinde) Özkeçeci-Taner B., Açıkmeşe S. A. (Ed.), 2023, One Hundred Years of Turkish Foreign Policy (1923–2023): Palgrave Macmillan.
Week 13 - Theoretical
Strategic Authonomy in Turkish Foreign Policy
Week 13 - Preparation Work
Kutlay, M. and Öniş, Z., 2021, "Turkish foreign policy in a post-western order: strategic autonomy or new forms of dependence?", International Affairs.
Week 14 - Theoretical
East and West in Turkish Foreign Policy
Week 14 - Preparation Work
Öniş, Z. ve Yılmaz, Ş., 2009, “Between Europeanization and Euro-Asianism.” Journal of Balkan and Near Eastern Studies.
Week 15 - Theoretical
Soft Power Instrument in Turkish Foreign Policy
Week 15 - Preparation Work
Aslı Ilgıt, Two Hallmarks of “New” Turkey’s Foreign Policy: Humanitarianism and Africa , (içinde) Özkeçeci-Taner B., Açıkmeşe S. A. (Ed.), 2023, One Hundred Years of Turkish Foreign Policy (1923–2023): Palgrave Macmillan.
Week 16 - Final Exam
Final Exam
Assessment Methods and Criteria
Type of AssessmentCountPercent
Midterm Examination1%40
Final Examination1%60
Workload Calculation
ActivitiesCountPreparationTimeTotal Work Load (hours)
Lecture - Theory144398
Assignment56975
Seminar110111
Individual Work42320
Midterm Examination110111
Final Examination110010
TOTAL WORKLOAD (hours)225
Contribution of Learning Outcomes to Programme Outcomes
PÇ-1
PÇ-2
PÇ-3
PÇ-4
PÇ-5
PÇ-6
OÇ-1
3
3
4
4
4
4
OÇ-2
4
3
4
3
3
3
OÇ-3
3
3
3
3
3
3
OÇ-4
4
3
4
4
4
4
OÇ-5
4
3
4
3
3
3
Adnan Menderes University - Information Package / Course Catalogue
2026