Browsing by Author "Aydin, Mustafa"

Now showing 1 - 7 of 7

Citation Count: 0
Continuity and Change in Turkish Politics: Economic and Behavioural Explanations of Democratic Backsliding
(Routledge Journals, Taylor & Francis Ltd, 2024) Aydin, Mustafa; Yildirim, Kerem
This paper introduces a special issue focusing on the intricacies of Turkey's party system and the evolution of Turkish party competition amid democratic challenges. The introduction provides a brief overview of each paper in this special issue, which delves into the relationship between economic factors and voter behavior, offering insights into the continued dominance of the ruling party. While doing so, the special issue specifically examines the 2023 Turkish General elections, presenting alternative perspectives on how the incumbent party maintains its electoral success.
Citation Count: 5
Foreign Policy, 1923-2018
(Routledge, 2019) Aydin, Mustafa
[Abstract Not Available]
Citation Count: 0
Introduction: the Burden of History, Image, Geopolitics and Misperception in the Aegean
(Routledge Journals, Taylor & Francis Ltd, 2024) Aydin, Mustafa; Ifantis, Kostas
This short paper provides an overview of the complex and often turbulent relations between Greece and Turkey, focussing on recent developments and the challenges in their bilateral relationship. It discusses the historical context, including attempts at reconciliation, and examines the role of perceptions, geopolitics, and historical grievances in shaping the current situation. It emphasises the cyclical nature of Greek-Turkish relations, with periods of calm followed by tensions and crises. It highlights the need for a comprehensive approach to resolving the existing disputes between the two countries, including the importance of confidence-building measures and a political settlement. Overall, it underlines the complexity of Greek-Turkish relations and the challenges in achieving lasting peace and stability in the region, calling for a new paradigm in bilateral relations that addresses historical grievances, promotes mutual understanding, and fosters cooperation for the benefit of both countries and the region.
Citation Count: 0
Politics of Household Indebtedness in Turkey
(Routledge Journals, Taylor & Francis Ltd, 2024) Ayhan, Berkay; Aydin, Mustafa; Ulcay, Ahmet
This paper deals with how Justice and Development Party (AKP) governments navigated the politics of household indebtedness in Turkey and utilized it towards the 2023 elections. It argues that household debt is a political tool with positive and negative consequences for incumbent governments. Households have been able to access debt instruments such as credit cards, consumer credit, car loans, and mortgages in Turkey since the onset of financialisation in the 2000s. AKP governments have benefited from the micro-level household wealth/debt accumulation as well as its macro-level economic implications for the construction-led, credit-dependent economic growth model. On the other hand, household debt has had destructive societal consequences such as bankruptcies, divorces, and suicides that became commonplace in the opposition narratives. Pinpointing the responsibility for indebtedness among households, financial system, regulatory agencies, and government, as well as devising policy solutions, has become a political struggle in the months leading up to the 2023 elections.
Citation Count: 1
TURKEY'S CAUCASUS POLICIES
(Univ Complutense Madrid, Servicio Publicaciones, 2010) Aydin, Mustafa
The emergence of newly independent states in the Caucasus at the end of the Cold War presented challenges to Turkey, while enlarging its role. The collapse of the Soviet Union removed the century-old Soviet/Russian threat, while at the same time created a power vacuum on Turkey's borders. In this environment, Turkey became an important actor in the region as a result of its strong historical connections. While Turkey had traditionally avoided involvement in regional politics, it has since been drawn into the volatile new politics of the region. After twenty years, Turkey has become one of the important players in a region where its involvement has particularly increased since August 2008 with its suggestion to establish a Caucasus Cooperation and Stability Platform. Although its attempt to further engage Armenia is halted now and, economic and political conditions in the region are unlikely to stabilize for some years, it is without doubt that Turkey will continue to create new networks of interdependency between Ankara and the regional capitals.
Citation Count: 0
Turkey's Middle East Policies
(Routledge, 2022) Aydin, Mustafa; Dizdaroglu, Cihan
[Abstract Not Available]
Citation Count: 2
Turkish Foreign Policy in the Chaos of War, 1939-1945
(Routledge Journals, Taylor & Francis Ltd, 2021) Aydin, Mustafa
The World War II marked an important watershed for Turkey's foreign policy. It caught Turkey in the middle of a nation and state-building processes as well as still recovering from the damages of the previous war. Thus when the war started, its main concern was to survive it without damage to its territorial integrity. To ensure this, Turkey signed non-aggression agreements with all the major powers and tried to steer a course between the clashing interests of belligerents. Its main strategy was geared towards staying out of the war as long as possible as it did not have the means to ensure its security. While the Italian threat appeared paramount early in the war, this was neutralized by maintaining friendly relations with Germany, which was balanced by developing closer relations with Britain. But the main source of apprehension to Turkey during the war was the Soviet Union, which remained as the defining feature of its foreign policy after the war, and motivated the Turkish leaders to secure Allied guarantees that would ensure its safety at the end of the war.