The Davutoglu Effect in Turkish Foreign Policy: What If the Bowstring Is Broken?

Abstract

Ahmet Davutoglu became the Minister of Foreign Affairs in 2009, the second term of Justice and Development Party (JDP) government, and he is regarded as the architect of the JDP's foreign policy since 2002. During his term, Turkey has pursued an active and multi-dimensional foreign policy. The model of Davutoglu in explaining the Turkey's multi-dimensional foreign policy is the bow and arrow analogy. Accordingly, he argues that Turkey, with its ideational and geographical advantages, is an archer, and the more it draws the back of the bow through the East, the farther the arrow flies West. However, the gap between theory and reality undermines the consistency of Davutoglu's foreign policy formulation.