Abstract:

This article examines the process of geopoliticization in Turkey, fueled by ideological shift, new elite consensus and popular historical narratives as a direct consequence of the heightened sensitivity of both elites and the public as a whole to geopolitical concerns. ''Geopoliticization'' refers to the heightened sensitivity and dependency of domestic politics on the global geography at both discursive and practical levels. Understanding Turkey's current politics at both substantive and institutional levels requires an analytical mapping of the complex interactions of elites and society with the external scale (such as military, personal interest, leverage in domestic politics, and ideological convergence). At this juncture, ideological shift, differences in the attitudes and attributes of the governing elites, and the reinterpretation of national history as a new dimension of the interaction with society have come to the forefront of the discussion. In Turkey, geopolitical tensions have permeated politics, society, and the economy in these three dimensions. The lines that have traditionally drawn between domestic and global politics have begun to blur as a result of this trend. It is possible to claim that Turkey's foreign policy engagements will deepen and grow as a consequence of the geopoliticization being supported by elites and social groups. The feeding of this macro-shift via the military-industrial complex à la Turca leads to a new normal, and perhaps even status quo, among the bureaucracy, politics, society, and intellectuals. This article concludes that geopoliticization, accelerated by the expansion of the defense industry, has the potential to shape both the content of politics in Turkey as well as the actor distribution of politics through the formation of elite alliances and public support.

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