Constructivist Influences on Turkey-NATO Relations (1991-2011)

Abstract

After the Soviet threat disasppeared in 1991, serious discussions took place about the relevance of NATO and membership of Turkey. It was even suggested that Turkey needed to take on new foreign policy initiatives other than NATO. Nonetheless, Turkey actively contributed to NATO’s transformation policies and increased its presence and visibility in NATO over the years. In this study, causes for this continuity in Turkish-NATO relations are being investigated. The conceptual framework of the study is based on the constructivist approach that emphasizes the importance of identities and related interests in determination of foreign policy preferences. Constructivism also claims that international social structure plays a significant role in formation of those identities and interests. In the first part of the study, the level of Turkey’s contribution to NATO during the research period of 1991-2011 is analysed. In the second part, the contiunity between NATO-Turkey relations has been explained based on the constructivist concepts of “structure agent interaction, logic of appropriateness and habit”.

Keywords

Constructivism, Transformation of NATO, Turkey-NATO Relations, Identity, Security Community

Citation

Adem Çakır, “Constructivist Influences on Turkey-NATO Relations (1991-2011)”, International Relations, Volume 18, Issue 71, 2021, pp. 45-66, DOI: 10.33458/uidergisi.947560

Affiliations

• Adem ÇAKIR, Dr., Çorlu/Tekirdağ