Turkish foreign policy strategy in Sub-Saharan Africa after 15 July 2016
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Date
2023
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Thesis (Ph.D.) - Bogazici University. Institute for Graduate Studies in the Social Sciences, 2023.
Abstract
The failed coup of 15 July 2016, marked the definitive split in the political relationship that linked the ruling AKP and the Gülen Movement (GM), both in Turkish domestic and foreign policy. Indeed, the GM through its transnational networks of schools and businesses had long played a role in Turkish diplomacy, in its non-traditional areas, especially in Sub- Saharan Africa (SSA). Therefore, the events of 15 July 2016 induced a necessary transformation of Turkish foreign policy strategy in SSA, where the Turkish state should take over control of its foreign policy in that region, where it is now competing with one of its former transnational actors. To this effect, this research tries to address the issue of the change that affects the Turkish foreign policy strategy in SSA, following the events of 15 July 2016. It also intends to tackle issues such as the relationship between the Turkish state and its civil society in foreign policy, as well as the theoretical issue of the success of a strategy of soft power with the state as the main agent. In this regard, Turkey's relationship with two SSA countries since 15 July 2016 onwards are analyzed as a case study of the reaction of SSA countries to the Turkish foreign policy strategy in SSA after the failed coup of July 2016, namely: Turkey-Senegal relationship and Turkey-Nigeria relationship. In doing this, this study relies on IR theories such as neo-classical realism, neo-realism, and soft power. It also uses the qualitative approach, with content analysis as a data analysis strategy. NOTE Keywords : Turkish foreign policy, Soft Power, Turkish foreign policy in SSA, AKP GM political alliance, GM networks in Africa, GM schools in Africa.