Power struggle on subjectivity and foreign policy: a post-structuralist analysis of JDP’s policies towards the United States (2002–2016)

Abstract

ABSTRACTThis article analyses Turkish foreign policy towards the United States (US) during the Justice and Development Party (JDP) era by using a post-structuralist approach. Post-structuralism posits that foreign policy is a political practice reflecting domestic power struggles. Moreover, subjectivities and foreign policy practices are neither universal, objective, nor predetermined, since they are co-constitutive. From this theoretical perspective, the article explores the JDP’s 'foreign policy' discourse on US-Turkish relations, highlighting discursive practices in legitimising specific subjectivities, such as 'conservative' and 'Muslim' ones, as 'inherent' origins of foreign policy conduct. In two phases, 2002–2009 and 2009–2016, it analyses how changes in JDP’s foreign policy preferences towards the US function to legitimise or marginalise particular subjectivities in its power struggle vis-à-vis 'Kemalist' state elites. Ultimately, the article concludes that the JDP’s discourse exhibits a continuity in hegemonising the 'Islamic' subjectivity ascribed to the Turkish population, despite changes in foreign policy decisions.KEYWORDS: Turkish foreign policyJDPpost-structuralismTurkey-US relations Disclosure statementNo potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).Notes1 See the discussion held in the TGNA, TBMM Tutanak Dergisi, Period. 22, Vol. 6, 11 March 2003, 456–462. See also, (Robins, Citation2003).2 Details can be seen in ‘The Alliance of Civilizations Initiative’, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Republic of Türkiye, https://www.mfa.gov.tr/the-alliance-of-civilizations-initiative.en.mfa.Additional informationNotes on contributorsTuncer BeyribeyTuncer Beyribey serves as a guest lecturer at Istanbul Arel University. Prior to this role, he held the position of a research assistant at Marmara University, where he successfully completed his doctoral studies. His academic pursuits primarily encompass the domains of terrorism discourse, political violence in Turkey, and Turkish foreign policy.Nur Çetinoğlu HarunoğluNur Çetinoğlu Harunoğlu is assistant professor of International Relations at Marmara University, Istanbul. Her research interests cover Turkish foreign policy, US foreign policy, Turkey–US relations, and Gulf region. She is the co-author of Turkey between the United States and Russia: Surging on the Edge (with Aysegul Sever and Emre Ersen, Maryland: Lexington Books, 2021) and Soguk Savas Sonrasinda Turkiye-ABD Iliskilerinde Orta Dogu ve Lider Diplomasisi (The Middle East and Leadership Diplomacy in Turkey-US Relations after the Cold War, with Ali Faik Demir, Istanbul, Yeditepe Publications, 2023).