Edinburgh Studies on Modern Turkey – serie

The British described themselves as "the oldest friend" of the Ottomans - but this was never true. At times it was valuable to Britain to support the Ottoman Empire against Russian encroachment, however by the end of the 19th century successive British Governments had begun to sponsor the dismemberment of the Empire. British public opinion and political pressure groups portrayed the Ottomans in universally defamatory terms, affecting the diplomatic actions of politicians. Politicians themselves harbored deep prejudices against the Turks and Islam. The result, through numerous incidents, was British pressure to dismember the Ottoman Empire. Treaty provisions guaranteeing Ottoman territorial integrity were ignored. Christian countries and Christian minorities were supported, even when Muslims in those countries were being killed and forced from their lands. British leaders even refused to publish consular reports that described the oppression of Muslims which would have given the lie to press reports of evil Turks. Drawing upon decades of archival research, Justin McCarthy shows how the British were anything but friends to the Ottomans.

The British described themselves as "the oldest friend" of the Ottomans - but this was never true. At times it was valuable to Britain to support the Ottoman Empire against Russian encroachment, however by the end of the 19th century successive British Governments had begun to sponsor the dismemberment of the Empire. British public opinion and political pressure groups portrayed the Ottomans in universally defamatory terms, affecting the diplomatic actions of politicians. Politicians themselves harbored deep prejudices against the Turks and Islam. The result, through numerous incidents, was British pressure to dismember the Ottoman Empire. Treaty provisions guaranteeing Ottoman territorial integrity were ignored. Christian countries and Christian minorities were supported, even when Muslims in those countries were being killed and forced from their lands. British leaders even refused to publish consular reports that described the oppression of Muslims which would have given the lie to press reports of evil Turks. Drawing upon decades of archival research, Justin McCarthy shows how the British were anything but friends to the Ottomans.

Investigates how leaders in Turkey's political sphere have hindered democratic consolidationExplores political leaders and their impact on democracyReveals a salient pattern of authoritarianism and undemocratic behaviour amongst political leaders to account for Turkey's inability to consolidate democracy in its multi-party historyIncorporates a study of both intra-party rule and leadership in the broader political context to offer a fuller understanding of the forces that have shaped political developments in the countryUses interviews and Turkish and English sources to build an empirically rich documentation of Turkey's multi-party historyOffers scholars of democracy and democratisation lessons into the role elites play in democractic breakdownsThis longitudinal study reveals how the conduct of political leaders has been central to the shortcomings of the Turkey's democratic system. The most prominent political leaders, from the birth of the Republic until today, have all displayed a desire to sustain their rule through authoritarian and undemocratic measures. This has ensured efforts to improve, strengthen and respect democratic institutions and practices have been weak or non-existent across the multi-party era. In turn, the chapters identify how the leaders' values, beliefs and practices underwritten by authoritarianism, have resulted in the tenuous existence of democracy, oscillating between simply enduring and failure during the periods they occupied the seats of political power. By looking at the Turkish experience, the book also offers comparative lessons and insights into the role political leaders play in the survival or failure of democracy.?

This longitudinal study reveals how the conduct of political leaders has been central to the shortcomings of the Turkey’s democratic system. The most prominent political leaders, from the birth of the Republic until today, have all displayed a desire to sustain their rule through authoritarian and undemocratic measures. This has ensured efforts to improve, strengthen and respect democratic institutions and practices have been weak or non-existent across the multi-party era. In turn, the chapters identify how the leaders’ values, beliefs and practices underwritten by authoritarianism, have resulted in the tenuous existence of democracy, oscillating between simply enduring and failure during the periods they occupied the seats of political power. By looking at the Turkish experience, the book also offers comparative lessons and insights into the role political leaders play in the survival or failure of democracy.

This book enhances our understanding of 'the popular' in the study of politics through a critical examination of the uses and constructions of 'the people', from the establishment of the Turkish Republic to the present. It proposes ways of reading the insertion and operationalisation of the notion of 'the people' as a concept, a political subject, the object of policy and politics over the past century. The author assesses the ways 'the people' have been shaped by the history of the republic and how in turn they have informed ways of visualising society, the country's political culture and institutional architecture, and framed the parameters and repertoires of political action.

Turkish Politics and 'The People' enhances our understanding of 'the popular' in the study of politics through a critical examination of the uses and constructions of 'the people' from the establishment of the Turkish Republic in 1923, to the present. It proposes ways of reading the insertion and operationalisation of the notion of 'the people' as a concept, a political subject, the object of policy and politics over the past century. It assesses the ways 'the people' have been shaped by the history of the republic, and, in turn, have informed ways of visualising society, the country's political culture, institutional architecture and framed the parameters and repertoires of political action.

Analyses contemporary Turkish social and political transformation from 2010 to 2020 through the urban landscape of IstanbulAnalyses contemporary Turkey through the series of these key events, especially as they relate to the recent history of IstanbulUses an interdisciplinary perspective that incorporates the intersection of religion, politics and space through attention to architecture and the urban landscapeAdopts an accessible but rich interpretive method that covers a wide range of political and religious issues crucial to understanding Turkey's most recent historyProvides an original analysis of the decade of 2010-2020 in contemporary Turkish history through a series of case studies of the decade's key eventsUses an interdisciplinary perspective that incorporates the intersection of religion, politics and space through attention to architecture and the urban landscapeUtilises an accessible but rich interpretive method that covers a wide range of political and religious issues crucial to understanding Turkey's most recent historyOver the past decade, the AKP, under the leadership of Recep Tayyip Erdogan, has decisively turned Turkish politics in the direction of conservative Turkish Islamic national identity. Through an analysis of four case studies - the 2010 designation of Istanbul as the European Capital of Culture, the 2013 Gezi Park protests, the association of the first Bosphorus bridge with the 2016 coup attempt, and the transition of Hagia Sophia from museum to mosque in 2020 - the book identifies key moments of change and describes how the AKP has restructured public spaces in Istanbul to reflect its values.This book explores the momentous shifts in power during a crucial decade in Turkish history, 2010-2020, by analyzing how these events have produced shifts in the physical landscape of Istanbul. Through an analysis of four case studies, the book focuses on the role of the Turkish state under the AKP in the restoration of conservative Islamic and Neo-Ottoman imagery and iconography in public space through the intentional transformation of architecture and the built environment. A specific ideological framework undergirded the AKP's conception of the built environment, the plans it implemented to transform it, and the forms of resistance that these plans generated. This specific ideological framework is here termed Erdo?anian Neo-Ottomanism, which describes AKP's use of the power of the state to shape the urban landscape in their social and ideological image. This phenomenon is the subject of this book's analysis.

Over the past decade, the AKP, under the leadership of Recep Tayyip Erdo?an, has decisively turned Turkish politics in the direction of conservative Islamic national identity. A specific ideological framework undergirded the AKP's conception of the built environment, the plans it implemented to transform it and the forms of resistance that these plans generated. This framework is termed Erdo?anian Neo-Ottomanism and describes AKP's use of the power of the state to shape public surroundings in their social and ideological image. By utilising an interdisciplinary approach that incorporates religion, politics and space, Courtney Dorroll and Philip Dorroll focus on the role of the Turkish state under the AKP in the restoration of traditional Islamic and Neo-Ottoman imagery and iconography.This book explores the momentous shifts in power during this crucial decade in Turkish history through an analysis of four case studies. The 2010 designation of Istanbul as the European Capital of Culture, the 2013 Gezi Park protests, the Monument to the Martyrs of July 15 and associated memorial practices related to the 2016 coup attempt and the transition of Hagia Sophia from museum to mosque in 2020 these are identified as the most prominent ways in which the AKP has restructured public spaces in Istanbul to reflect its values. The authors scrutinise this phenomenon and intentional transformation of the physical landscape through an accessible but interpretive method that uncovers issues crucial to understanding Turkey's most recent history.

This book offers the first comparative study of the foundations, consolidation and contestation of regime guardianship in the Islamic Republic of Iran and the Republic of Turkey. For decades, the military in Turkey and the clergy in Iran acted as the guardians of Ataturk and Khomeini's ideological legacies. At the turn of the 21st century rising popular actors in both countries started challenging the tutelary control of the state and society. While in Turkey the clash between the Kemalist guardians and their Islamist-led rivals resulted in a victory for the latter, although not for democracy, in Iran, traditionalist guardians were able to thwart popular challenges to their authority at the expense of the regime's democratic legitimacy. How was guardianship established, consolidated and contested in these republics with seemingly inimical founding ideologies? Why did it unravel in Turkey but survive in the Islamic Republic in the early 2010s? And what do these power struggles and their outcomes tell us about political contestation in tutelary hybrid regimes?

This book offers the first comparative study of the foundations, consolidation and contestation of regime guardianship in the Islamic Republic of Iran and the Republic of Turkey. For decades, the military in Turkey and the clergy in Iran acted as the guardians of Atatürk and Khomeini’s ideological legacies. At the turn of the 21st century rising popular actors in both countries started challenging the tutelary control of the state and society. While in Turkey the clash between the Kemalist guardians and their Islamist-led rivals resulted in a victory for the latter, although not for democracy, in Iran, traditionalist guardians were able to thwart popular challenges to their authority at the expense of the regime’s democratic legitimacy. How was guardianship established, consolidated and contested in these republics with seemingly inimical founding ideologies? Why did it unravel in Turkey but survive in the Islamic Republic in the early 2010s? And what do these power struggles and their outcomes tell us about political contestation in tutelary hybrid regimes?

At a time when many governments in advanced or emerging markets are embarking on some form of industrial policy and protectionism, this book looks at how these policies have evolved in Turkey in comparison with other emerging markets. Based on a historical-institutional political economy framework the book examines the main factors domestic and global contributing to the rise, retreat and return of industrial policy in Turkey. It argues that it is not the state's intervention to the market per se, but uncertainty-amplifying interventions of the state because of its weak capacity that conditioned the effectiveness of industrial policy in Turkey. To this end, it also poses broader conceptual questions of relevance to other emerging markets about the role of the state in economic development.

At a time when many advanced and emerging economies are adopting more active industrial policies, this book provides an in-depth historical empirical account of industrial policy in Turkey its rise, retreat and return. This study adopts a multidisciplinary approach and covers the role of the state from Turkey's initial industrialisation to the current period of restructuring and potential technological upgrading of its manufacturing base. The analysis traces how industrial policy has been shaped by state capacity, the waves of reforms following economic crises, the dearth of long-term finance for industrialisation and, more recently, the need to address issues such as low-tech industrial structure and pre-mature de-industrialisation.

Through the narrative analysis of texts, ranging from political speeches to museum documents as well as graffiti and posters from protests, this book tries to shed light on contemporary Turkish politics as well as offering a glance into how narratives operate in the political realm. Following the journey of political narratives and counternarratives in the Turkish context facilitates the mapping of the cultural terrain while being attentive to power, resistance and dynamism.By analyzing narratives of collective memory, patriarchy and economic development, all of which are deeply embedded culturally, it traces the ways in which narratives shape politics. The chapters deal with issues such as the role historical narratives play in hegemonic power struggles among political parties, the narrative resources upon which populist regimes draw, how economic development narratives affect prospects of and threats against democratic practices and institutions, and how protesters subvert dominant notions of citizenship through counternarratives.

Through the narrative analysis of texts, ranging from political speeches to museum documents as well as graffiti and posters from protests, this book tries to shed light on contemporary Turkish politics as well as offering a glance into how narratives operate in the political realm. Following the journey of political narratives and counternarratives in the Turkish context facilitates the mapping of the cultural terrain while being attentive to power, resistance and dynamism.By analyzing narratives of collective memory, patriarchy and economic development, all of which are deeply embedded culturally, it traces the ways in which narratives shape politics. The chapters deal with issues such as the role historical narratives play in hegemonic power struggles among political parties, the narrative resources upon which populist regimes draw, how economic development narratives affect prospects of and threats against democratic practices and institutions, and how protesters subvert dominant notions of citizenship through counternarratives.

This book fills a significant gap in the extensive literature on autocratisation by offering theorisation of authoritarian institutional landscapes beyond partisan and formal institutions in light of novel empirical evidence. Focusing on Turkey, one of the most cited contemporary cases of autocratisation, this book documents the multifaceted transformation of civil society through the parallel mechanisms of cooptation, repression and contestation. Despite incessant attempts at taming through repression and controlling through cooptation, 'tactful contention' a blend of vigorous advocacy, non-violent protests, occupations, campaigns, digital activism, and democratic innovations is non-negligible within civil society. This book offers a profound understanding of civil society's role as both a target and catalyst in autocratisation, essential for anyone interested in contemporary authoritarian trends and democratic resilience.

This book fills a significant gap in the extensive literature on autocratisation by offering theorisation of authoritarian institutional landscapes beyond partisan and formal institutions in light of novel empirical evidence. Focusing on Turkey, one of the most cited contemporary cases of autocratisation, this book documents the multifaceted transformation of civil society through the parallel mechanisms of cooptation, repression and contestation. Despite incessant attempts at taming through repression and controlling through cooptation, 'tactful contention'—a blend of vigorous advocacy, non-violent protests, occupations, campaigns, digital activism, and democratic innovations— is non-negligible within civil society. This book offers a profound understanding of civil society's role as both a target and catalyst in autocratisation, essential for anyone interested in contemporary authoritarian trends and democratic resilience.

Focusing on the intense aftermath of the Gezi park episode, this book scrutinises the ways in which activists pursued a rugged journey of radical democratic mobilisation in Istanbul, including public parks, neighbourhoods and squat houses. Synthesising the findings of field research carried out during 2014-2016 in Istanbul's Yo?urtcu Park Forum with archival documents and secondary literature, this book weaves the voices of the activists into the narrative. Kaan A?artan offers a critical analysis of the initial force of the Gezi uprising and its subsequent unravelling in reconstituting a more egalitarian society and democratic citizenship in Turkey.

Focusing on the intense aftermath of the Gezi park episode, this book scrutinises the ways in which activists pursued a rugged journey of radical democratic mobilisation in Istanbul, including public parks, neighbourhoods and squat houses. Synthesising the findings of field research carried out during 2014-2016 in Istanbul's Yo?urtcu Park Forum with archival documents and secondary literature, this book weaves the voices of the activists into the narrative. Kaan A?artan offers a critical analysis of the initial force of the Gezi uprising and its subsequent unravelling in reconstituting a more egalitarian society and democratic citizenship in Turkey.

This book is a critical reading of Turkey's entanglement and struggle with modernity, Islam, diversity, democracy and human rights/liberties slightly less than the last two centuries. Its major argument is that the relationship between religion and state forms an important dimension not only of official state ideology, but also in interrelations between different groups in society and in those groups' relations with the state. The book provides an overarching view of modern Turkey's religion, politics and society over an extended period and examines the complex relations between society, religion, laicite, state identity and their reflections in state power and daily life. This book's originality and novelty and what makes this study different from others in the market is its provision of an overarching view of religion, politics, and society in modern Turkey over an extended period starting from Ottoman times era current times.

This book is a critical reading of Turkey’s entanglement and struggle with modernity, Islam, diversity, democracy and human rights/liberties over the last two centuries. Its major argument is that the relationship between religion and state forms an important dimension not only of official state ideology, but also of interrelations between different groups in society and in those groups’ relations with the state. The book provides an overarching view of modern Turkey’s religion, politics and society over an extended period and examines the complex relations between society, religion, laicité, state identity and their reflections in state power and daily life. This book’s originality and novelty stems from its examination of religion, politics and society in modern Turkey over an extended period, from the Ottoman era to current times.

The relationship between Greece and Turkey has been fraught with tension for a century, with a range of issues including territorial disputes, cultural and political differences. Despite being NATO allies and neighbours, the two nations have a long history of conflict and mistrust, but also a sense of similarity and mutual admiration. In the 21st century, the situation has become increasingly complex, as we have seen a resurgence of nationalist sentiment on both sides, as well as an active engagement between the two nations through common initiatives, tourism, media and social sciences. This book analyses the human dimension of Greek-Turkish relations, using extensive primary data collected from interviews and archival research conducted over 30 years. It focuses on the topic of the compulsory exchange and its consequences, as well as the Greek minority in Turkey, the Turkish minority in Greece, and contemporary developments in the mutual, yet paradoxical, relationships between the two nations.

The relationship between Greece and Turkey has been fraught with tension for a century, with a range of issues including territorial disputes, and cultural and political differences. Despite being NATO allies and neighbours, the two nations have a long history of conflict and mistrust, but also a sense of similarity and mutual admiration. In the 21st century, the situation has become increasingly complex, as we have seen a resurgence of nationalist sentiment on both sides, as well as an active engagement between the two nations through common initiatives, tourism, media and social sciences. This book analyses the human dimension of Greek-Turkish relations, using extensive primary data collected from interviews and archival research conducted over 30 years. It focuses on the topic of the compulsory exchange and its consequences, as well as the Greek minority in Turkey, the Turkish minority in Greece, and contemporary developments in the mutual, yet paradoxical, relationships between the two nations.

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 Kosebalaban 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. Kosebalaban 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.

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 Kosebalaban 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. Kosebalaban 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.

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 Kosebalaban 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. Kosebalaban 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.

Over the past decade, Turkey has witnessed unprecedented waves of migration from the Middle East, as well as from neighbouring regions such as the Caucasus and Eastern Europe. This book offers the first systematic and comprehensive analysis of these public and political discourses, including the collective anxieties—particularly demographic anxiety—and state policies that have emerged in response. It deftly integrates insights from migration studies, ontological security theory, and securitisation literature to illuminate public opinion, societal attitudes, and governmental approaches toward refugees and migrants. Not only does this book provide a cross-regional perspective on the migration crises of the Middle East and Europe, but it also situates the Turkish case within broader global-comparative debates. It is an examination of how Turkey has navigated significant migratory pressures in ways that resonate with, and diverge from, patterns observed worldwide.

This book examines the circumstances of the Kurds in 21st century Turkey, under the hegemony of the AKP government. After decades of denial, oppression and conflict, Kurds now assert a more confident presence in Turkey’s politics – but does increasing visibility mean a rejection of Turkey? Recording Kurdish voices from Istanbul and Diyarbakır, Turkey’s most important Kurdish-populated cities, this book generates new understandings of Kurdish identity and political aspirations. Highlighting elements of Kurdish identity including Newroz, the Kurdish language, connections to religion, landscape and cross-border ties, it offers a portrait of Kurdish political life in a Turkey increasingly dominated by its president, Recep Tayyip Erdoğan. Within the context of Turkey’s troubled trajectory towards democratisation, it documents Kurdish narratives of oppression and resistance, and enquires how Kurds reconcile their distinct ethnic identity and citizenship in modern Turkey.

This book examines the circumstances of the Kurds in 21st century Turkey, under the hegemony of the AKP government. After decades of denial, oppression and conflict, Kurds now assert a more confident presence in Turkey’s politics – but does increasing visibility mean a rejection of Turkey? Recording Kurdish voices from Istanbul and Diyarbakır, Turkey’s most important Kurdish-populated cities, this book generates new understandings of Kurdish identity and political aspirations. Highlighting elements of Kurdish identity including Newroz, the Kurdish language, connections to religion, landscape and cross-border ties, it offers a portrait of Kurdish political life in a Turkey increasingly dominated by its president, Recep Tayyip Erdoğan. Within the context of Turkey’s troubled trajectory towards democratisation, it documents Kurdish narratives of oppression and resistance, and enquires how Kurds reconcile their distinct ethnic identity and citizenship in modern Turkey.

This book examines Turkey’s ethno-religious activism and power-related political strategies in the Balkans between 2002 and 2020, the period under the rule of the Justice and Development Party (AKP), to determine the scopes of its activities in the region.Ahmet Erdi Öztürk illuminates an often-neglected aspect of Turkey’s relations with its Balkan neighbours that emerged as a result of the much discussed ‘authoritarian turn’ – a broader shift in Turkish domestic and foreign policy from a realist-secular to a Sunni Islamic orientation with ethno-nationalist policies.Öztürk draws on personal testimonies given by both Turkish and non-Turkish, Muslim and non-Muslim interviewees in three country cases: Bulgaria, North Macedonia and Albania. The findings shed light on contemporary issues surrounding the continuous redefinition of Turkish secularism under the AKP rule and the emergence of a new Muslim elite in Turkey.