Turkish Foreign
Policy - IREU 421
Critical Approach
Instructor: Tugrul
Keskin
Office: 312
Iktisadi ve Idari Bilimler Fakultesi
Cell: 533-607-8465
Office Hours: Tuesday
ve Thursday All Day or by appointment
(PLEASE include “Turkish Foreign Policy”
in the subject line in your emails)
A country that
demands moral perfection in its foreign policy will achieve neither perfection
nor security
Henry Kissinger
Course Description and Objective
The focus of this course is Turkish Foreign Policy from 1923 to the present day. We will review and explore the different stages in Turkish Foreign Policy. In the early republican era, Turkish foreign policy was more independent than today. This independent focus was caused by different factors, but in historical context, the republic was established just after the Independence War, and at this time the world was less connected than today. This era is called the Ataturk era. Between 1923 and 1938, Turkish Foreign Policy was rooted in a nation-state centric ideology; more so than after 1938. However, Ataturk’s death in 1938 led to a transformation of Turkish Foreign Policy. This will be referred to as the Inonu Era, and this accelerated especially after the end of WWII in 1946. The third stage in Turkish Foreign Policy is the Democrat Party era between 1950 and 1960, which consisted of different political actors, and a more NATO-learning policy orientation that was adopted in this time. The fourth stage is one that can be characterized as purely NATO orientation an approach, which hijacked Turkish Foreign Policy between 1960 and 1980. However in the 1974 conflict between Greece and Turkey over Cyprus, Turkey did have an independent foreign policy from NATO and the US.
PERIODS IN TURKISH FOREIGN POLICY
1. 1923-1938
Ataturk Era
2. 1938-1950
Inonu Era: Moving Toward the West
3. 1950-1960
The Democrat Party Era: Adaptation of NATO Policies
4. 1960-1980
Chaos and the NATO Orientation
5. 1980-1983
The Military Era: Continuation of NATO Policies
6. 1984-2002
Europeanization of Turkish Foreign Policy and the Liberal Era
7. 2002-Present
Pan-Islamist and Middle East Orientation Era
Between 1980 and 1983, the military guardian of the
secularist regime, took over Turkish foreign relations and policy. This era can
be characterized as the combination of an independent and a NATO-oriented
Foreign Policy. At the beginning of 1984 (just after the 1983 election),
Turkey’s foreign policy was redesigned based on the Europeanization and
modernization of the country. Membership in the European Union had become the
main goal of the country’s foreign policy. This period can be described as the
liberal European era, and ended in 2002. From 2002 to today, Turkish Foreign
Policy has undergone another shift, that can be described as a more Middle
East and Islamist-centric foreign policy. In this class, we will review each of
these eras and foreign actors, and domestic political parties that have
impacted Turkish Foreign policy from 1923 to today.
Learning Outcomes (Tugrul Keskin):
By
the end of the course, you will have enhanced your:
§
Critical
thinking in relation
to international studies
§
Ability
to question dogmas and taboos in today’s societies
§
Consciousness
of differing perspectives and diversity
§
Understanding
of world issues and trends
§
Understanding
of the impact of colonialism and imperialism in developing
nations
You also will have increased your
knowledge concerning:
§
Resources
in your potential discipline
§
Resources
specific to your region
§
Traditional
information sources
§
Alternative
information sources
§
Knowledge
of relevant methodologies
Learning Outcomes
Core Learning Outcome: Students will demonstrate an understanding
of world cultures, politics, and economics, within the context of
globalization, as well as developing the skills and attitudes to function as
“global citizens.”
Specific Outcomes:
- Demonstrate knowledge of global issues, processes,
trends and systems (i.e. economic and political interdependency among
nations; environmental-cultural interaction; global governance bodies).
- Can articulate an understanding of her/his culture in
global and comparative context; that is, recognizes that her/his culture
is one of many diverse cultures and that alternate perceptions and
behaviors may be based in cultural differences.
- Demonstrates an understanding of the meaning and
practice of political, military, economic, and cultural hegemony within
states and within the global system.
- Demonstrates an understanding of how her/his field is
viewed and practiced in different international contexts.
- Uses diverse cultural perspectives and frames of
reference, including those of the media, to think critically and solve
problems.
- Uses information from other languages and other
countries to extend their access to information and experiences.
- Interprets issues and situations from more than one cultural
perspective.
- Can articulate differences among cultures;
demonstrates tolerance for the diverse viewpoints that emerge from these
differences.
- Demonstrates a critical understanding of the
historical origins of the nation-state, and its current role in the global
system.
- Can apply the key theoretical concepts in the field
to interpret global issues.
- Exhibits an ongoing willingness to seek out
international or intercultural opportunities.
Required Readings:
Please
see the course schedule!
Recommended Texts:
1.
Ali Carkoglu and
E. Kalaycioglu (2009). The Rising Tide of
Conservatism in Turkey. New York, Palgrave/MacMillan.
2.
Bernard Lewis, The
Emergence of Modern Turkey. Oxford University Press, 2001.
3.
Turkish Studies, Volume 11 Issue 1
2010: Special Issue: Islamization
of Turkey under AKP Rule. Birol Yesilada and Barry Rubin. Routledge
Press.
4. Erik
J. Zurcher. 2005. Turkey: A Modern History, Revised Edition. New York: I.B
Tairus&Co Ltd.
5.
Ersin Kalaycioglu, Turkish
Dynamics: Bridge Across Troubled Lands. Palgrave Macmillan, 2005.
6. Hakan
M. Yavuz 2003. Islamic Political Identity
in Turkey. New York, NY: Oxford University Press.
7. Hakan
M. Yavuz. 2006. The Emergence of A New
Turkey: Democracy and The Ak Party. Salt Lake City, UT: The University of
Utah Press.
8. Graham
Fuller. 2007. New Turkish
Republic: Turkey As a Pivotal State in the Muslim World. Washington, DC:
United States Institute of Peace Press.
9. Stephen Kinzer. 2008. Crescent
and Star: Turkey Between Two Worlds. New York, NY: Farrar, Straus and
Giroux.
Readings:
Other Readings will be posted on MUBIS and you will find
them under the course news.
Course Philosophy:
The goal of this course is to
enable students to write a theoretically guided and empirically rooted research
paper. I expect you to become familiar with the social, political and
economic underpinnings of Contemporary Turkish Foreign Policy.
The success of this course
depends on your continued and sustained reading and participation. The course
will be based on a four-dimensional method of learning, and this includes
inquiry and critical thinking; communication; the diversity of human
experience; and ethics and social responsibility. First, I would like you to
critically analyze what you learn in this class or have learned so far through
the media and education, because in today’s world, truth is a relative concept.
Throughout human history, critical thinking is the one of the most important
factors that has contributed to human development. In order to become
active, self-motivated, empowered learners and future leaders, you will need to
have the ability to think critically, and therefore your criticism, feedback
and suggestions are necessary. Second, I would like you to enhance your writing
and oral communication skills in this course. Therefore, it is important to
clearly elaborate your arguments in the class discussion as well as in the
written assignments.
Third, we are each part of the human mosaic, and all have different experiences
based on our social, political and economic differences. We can all learn from
and respect each other and benefit from our diversity. Please try to learn from
and understand those with different perspectives than you. Lastly, we need to
learn that we are all part of this intellectual community and larger society,
and all have social and ethical responsibilities to our family, community,
classmates, and humanity. We live in a globalized world and therefore, we need
to be aware of events in our community, and the world today. In order to
enhance our knowledge, we must critically examine our social, political and
economic environment in order to apply this knowledge to our experience.
Course Requirements
To prevent confusion later,
please read the following information:
Grades: Your grade for
this course will be based on your performance on the following components,
shown below with their dates and respective weights.
Item Date Weight (%)
Quizzes (5) 30.0
Short Analytical Paper November 30 20.0
Class Participation/Attendance 10.0
Newspaper Articles 10.0
Final Exam: You will take the final exam on Friday, January 8th (15:00
– 16:00). I will ask 30 multiple-choice/true and false questions and you
will have two hours to finish the exam. If you have any questions or concerns,
please let me know as soon as possible.
Quizzes: You will have 5 quizzes. The quizzes will have 12
questions from each week’s class readings and discussions. Each Quiz is worth 6
points and each question is worth 0.5 point. You will find the schedule of
quizzes below. Please carefully review the quiz schedule. If you have schedule
conflict, drop the class. If you have any questions or concerns, please do not
hesitate to contact me directly.
Quiz Schedule:
October 23, 30, November 6, 13 and 20
Analytical Paper: In this requirement, you will select a topic
related with Turkish Foreign Policy and will critically analyze based on our
readings. This paper should be at least 1500 words in length. You must
provide a word count at the end of your paper. The paper is due on Sunday
November 29th. Everyone will select a different topic and period.
Your selection must be approved and registered by me; therefore you must contact me directly regarding your
selection. The deadline for selecting/registering your subject with me is
Sunday, November 1st. The deadline for submitting your review is
Sunday November 29th. Late submissions will not be accepted.
Attendance: Regular
attendance is one of the most important parameters to successful completion of
the course requirements. If you miss more than 4 classes, you will not receive
an attendance grade. Excuses will not be
permitted for any reason.
Class
Participation: Each student must read the course materials before they
attend class and I expect them to participate in class discussion. Class
participation in the form of informed questions and comments will be taken into
consideration when determining your final grade. Additionally, the class
participation grade also depends on class attendance.
Newspaper Articles: During the semester, you can bring 10
newspaper articles related with our class subjects. You cannot bring more
than one article in the same week. You will have to summarize these
articles in class and will find the recommended newspapers listed on http://internationalstudiesandsociology.blogspot.it/,
under the external links section. Newspaper
articles sent by email will not be accepted. Please bring it to class, the
first page of the printed/hard copy of the article. You can only bring an
article from the selected newspapers, posted on http://internationalstudiesandsociology.blogspot and you will find them under links section.
Some of the recommended newspapers are The Guardian, Al-Jazeera,
Democracynow.org, Financial Times, The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal,
Pravda, Haaretz, China Daily, and the Economist. Please do not bring
articles from Turkish newspapers!
Extra Credit: For this extra credit option, you will build your resume based on one
of the samples on Mubis. The first sample resume is for academic job
applications, and the second one is for general job applications. You will only
build a resume based on your interests, Please select only one. For your
resume, please use Times New Roman, 12 font size. Please submit your hard copy
of your resume/vita/cv to me.
The last day to submit your resume and/or internship proof letter is Sunday,
November 29.
You
will find the two sample resumes on Mubis.
For
this second extra credit option, you will find an organization, NGO, government
agency or a corporation based in Istanbul, Ankara, Berlin, Beijing, Moscow,
Paris, Washington DC or anywhere in Turkey or the World and you will apply for
an internship for the spring or summer 2016. Please bring a print copy of your
proof of your internship application to me. In the internship application, if you are asked for a recommendation,
you may include my name as your reference. You can find recommended agencies,
corporations, organization or think tanks on http://internationalstudiesandsociology.blogspot.
PLEASE
READ CAREFULLY!
Coming late to class: Late comers will not be accepted to class, so
be on time. If you are late for a class, please do not disturb your classmates
and me and do not come at all. Please also do not send an email or call me regarding your class
attendance. If there is a medical need, bring an official letter from a doctor.
Whatever the reason is, if you cannot come to class, this is your
responsibility. If you miss more than 4 classes, you will not receive an
attendance grade.
PLEASE
READ CAREFULLY!
Laptop and
cell phone policy: No laptops or cell phones will be allowed in this
class. Please turn your cell phone off before you come to class. If you use
the Internet/laptop or your cell phone during class, you will be asked to
leave.
PLEASE READ THE FOLLOWING ARTICLES:
- Why a
leading professor of new media just banned technology use in class
- Why you
should take notes by hand — not on a laptop
- To Remember
a Lecture Better, Take Notes by Hand
Responsibility: You and/or your parents pay tuition for this
class; therefore, you have responsibility to yourself and/or your parents.
Passing or failing the class is not the main objective, rather that you learn
and improve your knowledge. Please read and try to understand the main concepts
of this class. If you are having difficulty, please do not hesitate to see me
and discuss your concerns!
Each year, almost half a million
people graduate from American public universities (see http://collegecompletion.chronicle.com/).
As you will see from the statistics, the job market is very competitive;
therefore, students need to improve their knowledge, skill, and experience in
order to find a job they want. Learning is a lifelong process. An academic
institution like Maltepe University will provide you with an educational
discipline and methodology; everything else is up to you. You should study and
improve your skills, in order to compete with the rest of the graduates. While
you are in the program, you should apply for internships to obtain relevant
experiences before you graduate. Therefore, if you need a letter of
recommendation for an internship or job, please do not hesitate to ask me, if
you receive at least an A, A- or B+ grade from my class. Please also remember
that an undergraduate degree might not be enough to find the job you want;
therefore, you might need to apply to graduate school. In order to apply to
graduate school, you will also need to have a letter of recommendation. I am
also happy to advise you on graduate school or provide a letter of
recommendation if you receive an A, A- or B+ grade.
No Laptops and cell phones
will be allowed in this class.
Course Timeline
WEEK 1
September 21-25
1923-1938 Ataturk Era
Social and Political
Transformations of Modern Turkish Politics – Tugrul Keskin
Turkish Foreign
Policy During Ataturk's Era
A Short Summary of
Turkish Foreign Policy: 1923-1939 by Ayla Gol
WEEK 2
September
28-October 2
1923-1938 Ataturk Era
Orientalism in Modern
Turkish Studies – Tugrul Keskin
Atatürk's Foreign Policy
By Seyfi Tashan
Turkish Foreign
Policy: Four Pillars of Tradition By Leonard Stone
WEEK 3
October 5-9
1938-1950 Inonu Era:
Moving Toward the West
The Diplomatic Maneuvers of Turkey in World War II
By Hakan Ozden
WEEK 4
October 12-16
1938-1950 Inonu Era:
Moving Toward the West
Turkish Foreign Policy
During the Second World War: An Active Neutrality By Selim Deringil
WEEK 5
October 19-23
1950-1960 The Democrat
Party Era: Adaptation of a NATO Policies
The Democratic
Foreign Policy Approach (1950-1960) Sedat
Laciner
Turkey’s Accession
to NATO: Building a ‘Little America’ By Reem Abou-El-Fadl
Friday
October 23
- QUIZ – 1
WEEK 6
October 26-30
1950-1960 The Democrat
Party Era: Adaptation of a NATO Policies
Turkish Foreign Policy
during Adnan Menderes Period By Gül Tuba Dağcı and Kaan Diyarbakırlıoğlu
WEEK 7
November 2-6
1960-1980 Chaos and
the NATO Orientation
Securing Turkey through
Western-Oriented Foreign Policy By Pınar Bilgin
Turkish Foreign Policy
Between 1960-1971: Neo-Kemalism vs.
Neo-Democrats? By Sedat Laçiner
Friday
October 30
- QUIZ – 2
WEEK 8
November 9-13
1960-1980 Chaos and
the NATO Orientation
NATO's Islamists:
Hegemony and Americanization in Turkey - Cihan Tugal - New Left Review 44,
March-April 2007
WEEK 9
November 16-20
1980-1983 The Military
Era: Continuation of NATO Policies
Nationalist Movement
Party (MHP): From Pan-Turkism to Localization – Tugrul Keskin
Turkish Foreign Policy Framework and Analysis By
Mustafa Aydin
Friday
November 6
- QUIZ – 3
WEEK 10
November 23-27
1984-2002
Europeanization of Turkish Foreign Policy and the Liberal Era
Turkish Foreign Policy
Framework and Analysis By Mustafa Aydin
Friday
November 13
- QUIZ – 4
WEEK 11
November 30-December 4
1984-2002
Europeanization of Turkish Foreign Policy and the Liberal Era
Turgut Ozal Period in
Turkish Foreign Policy: ÖZALISM By Sedat Laciner
WEEK 12
December 7-11
1984-2002
Europeanization of Turkish Foreign Policy and the Liberal Era
Turkish Foreign Policy at the end of the Cold War:
Roots and Dynamics By Mustafa Aydin
Friday
November 20
- QUIZ – 5
WEEK 13
December 14-18
2002-Present Islamist
and Middle East Era
A Paradigm Shift in
Turkish Foreign Policy: Transition and Challenges By Ahmet Sözen
WEEK 14
December 21-25
2002-Present Islamist
and Middle East Era
Turkey’s Foreign Policy in the AKP Era: Has There Been a Shift in the
Axis? By Laura Batalla Adam
FINAL
January 8
15:00-16:00
Third, we are each part of the human mosaic, and all have different experiences based on our social, political and economic differences. We can all learn from and respect each other and benefit from our diversity. Please try to learn from and understand those with different perspectives than you. Lastly, we need to learn that we are all part of this intellectual community and larger society, and all have social and ethical responsibilities to our family, community, classmates, and humanity. We live in a globalized world and therefore, we need to be aware of events in our community, and the world today. In order to enhance our knowledge, we must critically examine our social, political and economic environment in order to apply this knowledge to our experience.
WEEK 1
September 21-25
1923-1938 Ataturk Era
Social and Political
Transformations of Modern Turkish Politics – Tugrul Keskin
Turkish Foreign
Policy During Ataturk's Era
A Short Summary of
Turkish Foreign Policy: 1923-1939 by Ayla Gol
WEEK 2
September
28-October 2
1923-1938 Ataturk Era
Orientalism in Modern
Turkish Studies – Tugrul Keskin
Atatürk's Foreign Policy
By Seyfi Tashan
Turkish Foreign
Policy: Four Pillars of Tradition By Leonard Stone
WEEK 3
October 5-9
1938-1950 Inonu Era:
Moving Toward the West
The Diplomatic Maneuvers of Turkey in World War II
By Hakan Ozden
WEEK 4
October 12-16
1938-1950 Inonu Era:
Moving Toward the West
Turkish Foreign Policy
During the Second World War: An Active Neutrality By Selim Deringil
WEEK 5
October 19-23
1950-1960 The Democrat
Party Era: Adaptation of a NATO Policies
The Democratic
Foreign Policy Approach (1950-1960) Sedat
Laciner
Turkey’s Accession
to NATO: Building a ‘Little America’ By Reem Abou-El-Fadl
Friday
October 23
- QUIZ – 1
WEEK 6
October 26-30
1950-1960 The Democrat
Party Era: Adaptation of a NATO Policies
Turkish Foreign Policy
during Adnan Menderes Period By Gül Tuba Dağcı and Kaan Diyarbakırlıoğlu
WEEK 7
November 2-6
1960-1980 Chaos and
the NATO Orientation
Securing Turkey through
Western-Oriented Foreign Policy By Pınar Bilgin
Turkish Foreign Policy
Between 1960-1971: Neo-Kemalism vs.
Neo-Democrats? By Sedat Laçiner
Friday
October 30
- QUIZ – 2
WEEK 8
November 9-13
1960-1980 Chaos and
the NATO Orientation
NATO's Islamists:
Hegemony and Americanization in Turkey - Cihan Tugal - New Left Review 44,
March-April 2007
WEEK 9
November 16-20
1980-1983 The Military
Era: Continuation of NATO Policies
Nationalist Movement
Party (MHP): From Pan-Turkism to Localization – Tugrul Keskin
Turkish Foreign Policy Framework and Analysis By
Mustafa Aydin
Friday
November 6
- QUIZ – 3
WEEK 10
November 23-27
1984-2002
Europeanization of Turkish Foreign Policy and the Liberal Era
Turkish Foreign Policy
Framework and Analysis By Mustafa Aydin
Friday
November 13
- QUIZ – 4
WEEK 11
November 30-December 4
1984-2002
Europeanization of Turkish Foreign Policy and the Liberal Era
Turgut Ozal Period in
Turkish Foreign Policy: ÖZALISM By Sedat Laciner
WEEK 12
December 7-11
1984-2002
Europeanization of Turkish Foreign Policy and the Liberal Era
Turkish Foreign Policy at the end of the Cold War:
Roots and Dynamics By Mustafa Aydin
Friday
November 20
- QUIZ – 5
WEEK 13
December 14-18
2002-Present Islamist
and Middle East Era
A Paradigm Shift in
Turkish Foreign Policy: Transition and Challenges By Ahmet Sözen
WEEK 14
December 21-25
2002-Present Islamist
and Middle East Era
Turkey’s Foreign Policy in the AKP Era: Has There Been a Shift in the
Axis? By Laura Batalla Adam
FINAL
January 8
15:00-16:00
