100 Years of Continuity in Turkish Foreign Policy: A Constructivist Perspective

Abstract

Turkish foreign policy displays a distinct identity and certain characteristics that are continuous over the span of a century. This continuity and ideational permanence can be thoroughly explained via a social constructivist theoretical framework. This article employs a conventional constructivist lens to explain and analyze how Türkiye has adopted humanitarian and enterprising qualities in its foreign policy-making since the early Republican era. The initiatives, approaches and practices that have been recently put into effect by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Türkiye can indeed be traced back and interpreted as the marks of a distinct foreign policy in the international arena. The applied constructivist framework, which provides a broader analysis of Turkish foreign policy, facilitates a better understanding of its continuity and consistency, encompassing interests defined based on the Republic’s distinct identity and guiding principles throughout a century of constant evolution.