중동부유럽

This study seeks to examine the reasons behind the changes in Turkey’s changing security on security interests and identity interests. To evaluate foreign policy and a state’s perception of interests, one needs to incorporate both a structural and domestic level-of-analysis for greater depth and insight. In this particular case, Turkey’s security interests have changed since the end of the Cold War, and also the election of the Justice and Development Party (AKP) into the Turkish political sphere has resulted in a change in Turkey’s political identity from what was previously a Kemalist, military-backed secular democracy to a more uniquely Turkish political Islam that reconciles both its Muslim social identity and democracy in the political sphere. These two factors have changed Turkey’s perception of interests and both security and identity interests agree on Turkey’s potential as a leader in the Middle Eastern region. Because of these changes in interest perceptions, this has ultimately changed the dynamics in Turkey-EU and Turkey-USA relations.