عنوان

The Turkish model, the double-security dilemma, and the political reproduction of state polities in the Middle East

Number

TLets774341

Title Proper

The Turkish model, the double-security dilemma, and the political reproduction of state polities in the Middle East

General Material Designation

[Thesis]

First Statement of Responsibility

Araj, Victoria Dimitri

Name of Publisher, Distributor, etc.

University of Bradford

Date of Publication, Distribution, etc.

2018

Dissertation or thesis details and type of degree

Thesis (Ph.D.)

Text preceding or following the note

2018

Text of Note

Conceptually the aims of this thesis are to show the salient features of the political reproduction of states as a necessity for their survival as they continually face a double-security dilemma in the neoliberal era. Empirically this thesis examines Turkey's ruling party from 2002 to 2015. The Justice and Development Party (Adalet ve Kalkınma Partisi, AKP) maintained authority by mitigating the polities and actors that posed vertical and horizontal competition to their power (the double-security dilemma of domestic and international threats faced by state rulers). To outcompete and absorb its rivals, the AKP maintained a post-Islamist alliance-building model of political reproduction through a globalized Islamic neoliberal authority pattern until 2011. This became popularized as the 'Turkish Model', a model of political reproduction framed as suitable for other Muslim-majority states. The findings from data analysis show that to maintain the constitutive sovereignty of the Turkish state, the AKP built a post-Islamist hegemony. Furthermore, this thesis explores how the AKP horizontally built a pluralist vision of neo-ottomanism enabling their navigation of the international political system. Their 'zero-problems' foreign policy was the cornerstone of building regional liberal peace. This policy was the basis of the AKP's maintenance of functional sovereignty until the 'Arab Spring'. Yet, the new double-security dilemma that emerged through the 'Arab Spring' not only threatened the existence of post-Islamism within Turkey, but the existence of the 'Turkish Model' itself. The AKP then moved towards a fortifying pattern of authority to shield both themselves and the Republic from emergent threats.

Alliance-building ; Turkish foreign policy ; Islamic neoliberalism ; Justice and Development Party ; Turkish domestic politics

Araj, Victoria Dimitri

University of Bradford

Electronic name

p

[Thesis]

276903

a

Y