Religion and Secularism in Turkish Foreign Policy

Document Type

Book Chapter

Publication Date

5-1-2026

Department 1

Political Science

Abstract

This chapter explores the role of religion in Türkiye’s foreign policy since 1923, focusing on its conceptualization within significant regional and international developments. In contrast to the Kemalist era’s emphasis on secularism, Türkiye’s foreign policy over the last three decades has exhibited an increasing visibility of Islamic identity. Observers of this shift often assume a mutually exclusive categorization between secularism and religion. Using the case study method, this study suggests that the positionality of religion, rather than its collusion with secularism, is the key determinant in its conceptualization. Positionality of religion refers to chosen political position of religion by the foreign policy executive in a particular period and assumes use of religion is malleable. Changing security environment, geopolitical threats, and economic opportunities shaped positionality of religion in foreign policy. Unlike the early decades of the Turkish Republic, religion has been increasingly positioned in the form of a Muslim majority state identity in the post-Cold War era. The Justice and Development Party (Adalet ve Kalkinma Partisi, AKP) leadership deepened the pre-existing connection between Türkiye’s foreign policy aspirations and its Muslim majority state identity. While religion has been an increasingly influential factor for Ankara, it has not been the dominant element of Türkiye’s foreign policy in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region or elsewhere. However, escalating regional and global insecurities, coupled with increasing polarization, allow religion to maintain its relevance in foreign policy.

DOI

10.1007/978-3-032-17678-3_4

ISBN/ISSN

978-3032176776

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