Graduation Year

2019

Document Type

Thesis

Degree

M.A.

Degree Name

Master of Arts (M.A.)

Degree Granting Department

Government and International Affairs

Major Professor

Nicolas Thompson, Ph.D.

Committee Member

Bernd Reiter, Ph.D.

Committee Member

Steven Roach, Ph.D.

Keywords

The American Foreign Policy, Turkey-USA Bilateral Relations

Abstract

This study focuses on understanding and explaining the factors affecting Turkey-US bilateral relations, which have been on a fluctuating course in recent years. Turkish foreign policy had a Western-centric foreign policy approach in line with Turkey’s westernization goal in previous years. However, Turkish foreign policy has undergone a major change since it became clear that the long-lasting European Union accession process would not reach a result. Therefore, Turkey's new foreign policy, which is not Western oriented and closely associated with the former Ottoman Empire geography, has also affected the bilateral relations between Turkey and the United States.

The most important factor affecting Turkey-US bilateral relations is common interests. The study examines how bilateral relations are maintained when two countries share common interests and what consequences this may have if the two countries have different interests. As a result, the international institutions of which the two countries are members have not been sufficient to change the interest-oriented structure of bilateral relations.

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