1 This book offers a fresh rethinking of Turkish foreign policy under the Justice and Development Party (AKP), drawing on both mainstream and critical approaches within International Relations (IR) theory. Through a series of region-specific case studies-including Turkey's evolving policies toward Syria, Iraq, Israel, the Gulf, and the Eastern Mediterranean-it explores the complex interplay of domestic, regional, and global drivers that shape foreign policy choices. The chapters engage with diverse theoretical perspectives such as Neo-Realism, Constructivism, Neo-Marxism, Critical Geopolitics, and Ontological Security. The contributors critically assess how well-established IR frameworks account for Turkey's foreign policy behaviour in a shifting international landscape. In doing so, they test not only the boundaries of conventional theory but also contribute to the development of more nuanced, context-sensitive approaches to foreign policy analysis.

Accessible to both scholars and general readers, this book enriches IR scholarship while providing new perspectives on Turkey's shifting role in a transforming Middle East.