Author: İbrahim Karataş
Affiliation: İstinye University, Social Sciences Institute (Sosyal Bilimler Dergisi), Political Science and
International Relations Department
Organization/Publisher: Üsküdar Üniversitesi Sosyal Bilimler Dergisi
Date/Place: May 2021/Istanbul, Turkey
Type of Literature: Research Paper
Number of Pages: 26
Link: https://acikerisim.istinye.edu.tr/xmlui/handle/20.500.12713/1902
Keywords: Turkey, Kardeş, AK Party, Foreign Policy, Turkic, Muslim.
Brief:
All the nation-states have friends, though the degree of friendship varies from state to state. A camaraderie is based on shared interests, while others share religion, ethnicity, or regional proximity.
The case of Turkey is similar but not the same. Apart from friends, the Turkish foreign ministry has been using the word Kardeş in its discourse, particularly during the AK Party era. However, there is a criterion for Turkey’s brother country: Muslim or ethnically Turkic. The Muslim and Turkic countries are Turkey’s natural allies or strategic partners, but they are taken like real brothers. Non-Muslim or non-Turkic countries are also described as friends, supporters, or strategic partners. However, being a brother doesn’t mean Turkey has the best relations. Instead, Turkey has better relations with the non-brother countries. Being a brother country means having a privileged position in ties. For instance, Turkey’s association with Israel, India, and the United States is shaped by its brother countries like Palestine, Pakistan, and the Middle Eastern Countries. This author also counters the realist ideas that friendship is not possible in the international political order.
By: Ruby Clayton, CIGA Research Associate
