Burak Bilgehan Özpek – författare

This comprehensive volume analyses the phenomena of populism and Islamism in Turkey under Justice and Development Party (JDP) rule since 2002, and its impact on the country’s foreign policy. The authors seek to identify the meanings of ‘populism’ and ‘Islamism’ in the Turkish context and their relationship to democracy there, exploring the extent to which they may explain the apparent rise of authoritarianism and illiberalism under the JDP and especially under President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, and address the tensions between Turkey’s ‘western’ and ‘Muslim’ discourses and the politicization of history in the ‘new Turkey’. They examine the implications of these developments for Turkey’s EU accession prospects and its western alliances, explore the impact they have had on the country’s approach to the Arab Spring, and consider their relationship to Turkey’s status as an emerging economy in an economically globalizing context. The volume also debates whether Turkish populism is unique to that country or reflects a growing trend in world politics, including in the west.This book will be of great interest to students and researchers of political science and international relations, especially those with a focus on Turkey. It was originally published as a special issue of the journal Turkish Studies.

This comprehensive volume analyses the phenomena of populism and Islamism in Turkey under Justice and Development Party (JDP) rule since 2002, and its impact on the country’s foreign policy. The authors seek to identify the meanings of ‘populism’ and ‘Islamism’ in the Turkish context and their relationship to democracy there, exploring the extent to which they may explain the apparent rise of authoritarianism and illiberalism under the JDP and especially under President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, and address the tensions between Turkey’s ‘western’ and ‘Muslim’ discourses and the politicization of history in the ‘new Turkey’. They examine the implications of these developments for Turkey’s EU accession prospects and its western alliances, explore the impact they have had on the country’s approach to the Arab Spring, and consider their relationship to Turkey’s status as an emerging economy in an economically globalizing context. The volume also debates whether Turkish populism is unique to that country or reflects a growing trend in world politics, including in the west.This book will be of great interest to students and researchers of political science and international relations, especially those with a focus on Turkey. It was originally published as a special issue of the journal Turkish Studies.

Focused on the rise of the Justice and Development Party (AKP) over the last two decades, this book discusses and contextualizes key events and developments in Turkish politics, economics and foreign policy.The authors begin by exploring the longer-term historical trends that shaped the country, focusing on Ottoman and Republican legacies, culminating in the formation of the modern state in Turkey. This context, it is argued, is key in understanding the AKP’s emergence since 2002 as the preeminent political power. The book further argues that the AKP achieved this position due to political maneuvers aimed at undermining military influence within politics, its management of the economy and its approach to foreign policy. These three domains are dealt with in successive chapters to help explicate how the AKP built broad societal coalitions and consolidated its power. The book concludes by analyzing contemporary developments: in the face of mounting economic and political challenges, the fate of the AKP, and of Turkey, remain uncertain.Written in an accessible style and grounded in data-driven analysis, the book will appeal to journalists, policymakers, researchers and general audiences interested in the contemporary Middle East, Turkish political economy and international relations.