Kemalist Turkey and the Middle East: International Relations in the Interwar Period
Cambridge University Press
Edition: First Edition. Hardback., 11/9/2017
EAN 9781107198005, ISBN10: 1107198003
Hardcover, 310 pages, 23.5 x 15.7 x 2 cm
Language: English
To better understand the lasting legacy of international relations in the post-Ottoman Middle East, we must first re-examine Turkey's engagement with the region during the interwar period. Long assumed to be a period of deliberate disengagement and ruptured ties between Turkey and its neighbours, Amit Bein instead argues that in the volatile 1930s, Turkey was in fact perceived as taking steps towards increasing its regional prominence. Bein examines the unstable situation along Turkey's Middle Eastern borders, the bilateral diplomatic relations Ankara established with fledgling governments in the region, grand plans for transforming Turkey into a major transit hub for Middle Eastern and Eurasian transportation and trade, and Ankara's effort to enhance its image as a model for modernization of non-Western societies. Through this, he offers a fresh, enlightening perspective on the Kemalist legacy that still resonates in the modern politics of the region today.
List of figures
List of maps
1. Not so distant neighbor
2. Degrees of separation
3. Ties that bind
4. Great expectations
5. The Turkish model
6. Strolling through Instanbul
7. A distant neighbor
Bibliography
Index.