Linking Foreign Policy and Energy Security: An Asset or a Liability for Turkey?

Abstract

This article aims to examine the intricate interaction between energy politics and Turkish foreign policy in a turbulent region in terms of challenges and opportunities. From a theoretical perspective, the focus of the article lies at the critical intersection of soft and hard security, as well as domestic and external politics. It argues that, on the one hand, Turkey has been highlighting its potential of ‘energy hub’ position as an asset and, on the other hand, Turkey also needs to effectively deal with numerous hard and soft security issues closely linked with its foreign policy and rising domestic energy needs, which constitutes a major liability. Ultimately, the delicate balance that Turkey will try to strike will have a decisive impact in terms of determining its nature of interaction with other critical actors and future role as a regional power.

Keywords

Energy Security, Turkish Foreign Policy, Pipeline Politics, Climate Change, Geopolitics, Energy Politics

Citation

Yılmaz, Şuhnaz and Sever-Mehmetoğlu, Duygu, “Linking Foreign Policy and Energy Security: An Asset or a Liability for Turkey”, International Relations, Volume 13, No. 52, 2016, pp. 105-128.

Affiliations

• Şuhnaz YILMAZ, Assoc. Prof. Dr., Department of International Relations, Koç University & University of California at Los Angeles (UCLA)
• Duygu SEVER-MEHMETOĞLU, PhD Candidate, Department of International Relations, Koç University