INSULATOR, PLAYER, OR ASSERTIVE INSULATOR? REASSESSING TÜRKİYE’S ROLE IN THE EASTERN MEDITERRANEAN

Authors : Tuğçe Ersoy Ceylan

Pages : 1-25

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Publication Date : 2025-06-30

Article Type : Research Paper

Abstract :This study reassesses Türkiye’s evolving position in the Eastern Mediterranean through the lens of the Regional Security Complex Theory. While Türkiye has long been categorized as an insulator state, situated at the intersection of multiple regional security complexes without full integration into any; recent shifts in foreign policy under the Justice and Development Party reflect an assertive attempt to transcend this structural marginality. Against this backdrop, the study introduces the concept of an assertive insulator, a state that actively seeks regional influence but remains constrained by systemic and geopolitical realities. Through an in-depth analysis of Türkiye’s energy politics, regional alignments, and strategic behavior, the paper demonstrates that Türkiye’s foreign policy activism has not yielded full inclusion in emerging regional configurations. Instead, it has reinforced its liminal status. The findings thus not only reaffirm the explanatory power of RSCT but also call for a conceptual refinement to better account for hybrid and transitional actor roles in regional security dynamics.
Keywords : bölgesel güvenlik kompleksi teorisi, türk dış politikası, doğu akdeniz, atılgan yalıtkan, enerji politikaları

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