Oguzhan Göksel – författare

Türkiye-Britain Relations: Two Hundred Years of an Intertwined Conflict and Cooperation studies all aspects of Turkish-British relations. Türkiye’s relations with Britain, including those in the Ottoman era, followed a peculiar pattern of cordial bilateralism. There was continuous correspondence and a certain level of understanding even during the very times of hostility, i.e., the Anglo-Turkish War (1807-1809) and the First World War (1914-1918). While the Ottoman Empire considered Britain a great power to be allied with; Britain treated the Ottoman Empire as a counterbalance in its “Great Game” against Russia and its competition with France throughout the 19th century. After the proclamation of the Republic of Türkiye in 1923, Britain continued to be a bilateral partner with Türkiye during the Second World War, Ankara’s membership to NATO, relations with the Middle East, the Cyprus issue, relations with the European Union, and the United States. Almost at every turning point of this bilateral relationship, conflict and cooperation walked hand in hand and without demolishing the above-stated understanding and consideration.

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.

This volume examines contemporary political relations between Turkey and the Middle East. In the light of the Arab Uprisings of 2011, the Syria Crisis, the escalation of regional terrorism and the military coup attempt in Turkey, it illustrates the dramatic fluctuations in Turkish foreign policy towards key Middle Eastern countries, such as Iran, Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Syria and Iraq. The contributors analyze Turkey’s deepening involvement in Middle Eastern regional affairs, also addressing issues such as terrorism, social and political movements and minority rights struggles. While these problems have traditionally been regarded as domestic matters, this book highlights their increasingly regional dimension and the implications for the foreign affairs of Turkey and countries in the Middle East.