Erdogan’s Endgame with Egypt

August 6, 2021 / Global Forum

Rapprochement with Egypt is a necessary first step for Turkey to break out of its self-induced isolation, but it will require concessions that Erdogan may not be willing to make.

State, Media, and Political Messaging in Contemporary Turkey

Spring 2021 / Book Reviews

The AKP’s political messaging tactics have undergone significant change over time, but remain an important strategic tool for the party.

Erdoğan Fails the Coronavirus Test

May 11, 2020 / COVID-19: Global Crisis

The president’s concentration of executive power has left Turkey vulnerable to decisions based more on saving the economy—and thus his own skin—than on stopping the COVID-19 pandemic.

Erdoğan’s Failure on the Nile

Spring 2019 / Essays

How Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan went from being a regional Islamist leader in the Arab Spring to being the Middle East’s odd man out

Turkey’s Pan-Islamist Foreign Policy

Spring 2019 / Essays

Understanding Turkey’s diplomatic moves post-2011 by looking back to the Ottoman conception of ittihad-i Islam

Erdoğan’s Achilles Heel

Summer 2018 / Essays

President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan’s policy toward Syrian refugees could become his downfall as anti-refugee sentiment in Turkey grows, especially if the economy weakens.

Turkey’s Risky Adventure in Afrin

February 19, 2018 / Tahrir Forum

Turkey’s military incursion into Kurdish-controlled northern Syria risks straining diplomatic ties and exposing Turkey to increased terror threats.

It’s tempting to blame the country’s recent slide into repression on President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan’s thirst for personal power. But did the ruling Islamist party ever really abandon the country’s long tradition of state authoritarianism?