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A Constructivist Analysis of Turkish Foreign Policy in 1980S and 2000S: the Example of Turkey- U.S A Constructivist analysis of Turkish Foreign Policy in 1980s and 2000s: The example of Turkey- U.S. Relations Dissertation im Fach Politikwissenschaft eingereicht in der Philosophischen Fakultät der Universität Siegen zur Erlangung des akademischen Grades des Doktors der Philosophie (Dr. phil.) vorgelegt von Ömer YILMAZ Gutachter: 1. Gutachter: Prof. Dr. Jürgen Bellers 2. Gutachter: Prof. Dr. Markus Porsche-Ludwig Siegen, Juli 2014 ABSTRACT In this study, Turkish foreign policy (FP) during the Özal (1983-1993) and Erdoğan eras (2003-2012) is comparatively analyzed. There are two main motivations in conducting this research. The first one is related to the arguments that the Erdoğan leadership has been pursuing a novel FP line compared to the past experiences of the Turkish Republic. This study suggests that even if it is an advanced form based on a serious theoretical and conceptual ground, the Erdoğan leadership’s FP is an extension of Özal leadership's FP line. Considering their common goals to make Turkey first a regional and later a global actor, it is hypothesized that both leaderships have pragmatically evaluated Turkey's potential in accordance with their identity definitions and shaped their FP approaches and practices according to their identity perceptions and paradigms. It is also hypothesized in this respect that similar identities bring about similar FP understandings and practices. Therefore, the second goal of the dissertation is to employ constructivism with its identity-oriented brand so as to explain Turkish FP in two different time periods. In this context, the social construction processes of both leaderships’ identities have been particularly highlighted. Subsequently, the FP approaches and the corresponding FP principles in both eras have been discussed and the impact of identity on their FP understandings as well as policy practices has been studied. With a view to analyzing the reflection of these FP approaches and principles to the practical level, bilateral relations between the USA and Turkey are elaborated with an eye to these two allies' common interests in the Middle East, Balkans and Central Asia. In this manner, while this study seeks to demonstrate the similarities in terms of FP approaches and policy practices of both Özal and Erdoğan leaderships, it aims to explain the differences at the practical level again from a constructivist point of view. The last goal of this thesis is to make an academic contribution to the literature by suggesting the accuracy of the holistic constructivist approach to explain the FP practices and find out their roots. Holistic constructivism seeks to take the domestic and international as two faces of a single social order and underlines the importance of accommodating all factors affecting the identities and interests of state. Thus, this dissertation proposes that FP of a country, like Turkey, cannot be analyzed only with the role of agents. Even if these agents might be extraordinarily influential, other factors such as structure might be also determining. However, the bottom line here is how the agents see and perceive the structure as well as other determining factors of FP and define the course of FP of their countries. 2 ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS I am deeply indebted to Prof. Jürgen Bellers who has guided me with his valuable comments, always become encouraging, patient and supportive regarding the progress of my study. I will also never forget the generous support, wise advice and patience of Prof. Kemal İnat. I will always be grateful to his invariably encouraging attitude towards me. He read the drafts of the dissertation, constructively criticized and granted guiding comments as to all aspects of my study. I am also thankful for the valuable comments of Assistant Prof. Halil Kürşad Aslan and Associate Prof. Cenap Çakmak about this study. Finally, I wish to thank my parents and my family, my dear wife Betül and my dear sons Ali Cenap and Necip Ahmet in particular. Without their patience and encouragement, I would never manage to finish this thesis. 3 TABLE OF CONTENTS ABSTRACT.......................................................................................................................................2 ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS ......................................................................................................................3 TABLE OF CONTENTS ..........................................................................................................................4 LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS.....................................................................................................................8 INTRODUCTION ................................................................................................................................ 10 Introductory remarks .................................................................................................................... 10 Assumptions ................................................................................................................................. 15 Theoretical framework .................................................................................................................. 19 Hypotheses and focus of the research ........................................................................................... 21 Methodology ................................................................................................................................ 23 Review of chapters........................................................................................................................ 25 CHAPTER 1: THEORETICAL BACKGROUND ........................................................................................ 27 1.1. Constructivist critiques of MainstreamIR Theories ...................................................................... 27 1.2. Constructivism ....................................................................................................................... 30 1.2.1. Introduction and variants of constructivism ..................................................................... 30 1.2.2. Common characteristics of constructivists ....................................................................... 34 1.2.3. A "Wendtian" approach to constructivism ....................................................................... 39 1.2.3.1. Wendt’s approach to structure ..................................................................................... 40 1.2.3.2. Wendt’s approach to Agent .......................................................................................... 44 1.2.3.3. Critique of Wendt's Constructivism: Identity and domestic politics in Wendt’s analysis and the insufficient emphasis of psychological qualities of policy makers .................................. 49 1.3. Constructivism and foreign policy of Özal and Erdoğan leaderships ........................................ 53 CHAPTER 2: A CONSTRUCTIVIST APPROACH TO THE DETERMINANTS OF TFP AND THEIR TRANSFORMATION/RE-INTERPRETATION IN ÖZAL/ ERDOĞAN ERAS .............................................. 63 2.1. Geographical location ............................................................................................................. 63 2.1.1. Re-interpretation of geopolitical location by Özal and Erdoğan leaderships ..................... 65 2.2. Historical and cultural dimensions .......................................................................................... 68 2.2.1. Re-interpretation of history by Özal and Erdoğan leaderships .......................................... 72 2.3. Ideological and internal factors .............................................................................................. 74 2.3.1. Kemalism ......................................................................................................................... 74 2.3.2. Internal politics ................................................................................................................ 79 2.3.2.1. Socially constructed ideas about the role of military in Turkish Politics and its transformation in the 1980s and 2000s ..................................................................................... 79 2.3.2.2. Evolving role of non-governmental organizations and civil society ................................ 84 2.3.2.3. Developments in domestic politics ................................................................................ 87 2.3.2.4. Rising role of public opinion on the re-construction of Turkish identity and its impact on TFP ............................................................................................................................................ 89 4 2.3.2.5. Economy as a determining factor of foreign policy ........................................................ 91 2.3.2.6. Other Factors: Personality of the leaders ...................................................................... 93 2.4. External Factors...................................................................................................................... 97 2.5. Concluding Remarks ............................................................................................................. 100 CHAPTER 3: A COMPARATIVE ANALYSIS OF FOREIGN POLICY APPROACHES OF ÖZAL AND ERDOĞAN LEADERSHİPS................................................................................... 103 3.1. Turkish Foreign Policy during the Özal Era: A Paradigm-shift? ..............................................
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