CIAO DATE: 10/2012
Volume: 1, Issue: 2
July 2012
Çiğdem Kentmen
This article examines whether theories previously developed to explain variations in individual attitudes toward European Union (EU) membership in post-communist Central and Eastern European countries (CEECs) also explain attitudes in Turkey. In CEECs, attitudes reflect whether individuals feel they win or lose in economic and democratic transitions. Although Turkey did not experience a transition from communism to liberal democracy, its political and economic spheres have nevertheless changed to meet EU membership conditions. Using 2002.2 and 2003.2 Eurobarometers, I found that, while satisfaction with economic circumstances significantly increased pro-EU attitudes, satisfaction with the democratic system did not increase pro-EU attitudes in Turkey and many CEECs.
China Reaches Turkey? Radio Peking's Turkish Language Broadcasts During the Cold War (PDF)
Çağdas Üngör
A young socialist regime with few diplomatic ties in the 1950s and 1960s, the People's Republic of China (PRC) made significant attempts to reach foreign audiences through the use of mass media. Shortwave broadcasting was a particularly significant means of disseminating the PRC's worldview abroad. Radio Peking's Turkish language section, which was established in 1957 along with Arabic and Persian broadcasts, signaled China's desire to reach countries in the Middle East. Predating official Sino-Turkish ties and providing a direct cultural link between china and Turkey at a time when few such channels existed, Radio Peking's Turkish language broadcasts should be regarded as a significant aspect of Sino-Turkish relations during the Cold War years. Based on recently available Chinese language sources, as well as interviews with retired staff, this article examines Radio Peking's Turkish language section with regard to its organization, program content and audience from 1957 to 1976. It is significant that the PRC regime continued its Turkish language broadcasts amidst various challenges, such as administrative instability, lack of trained personnel, poor technical equipment and unsatisfactory audience numbers.
The Arab Spring – Contemporary Revolutions in Historical Comparison (PDF)
Mark Almond
In 1971 it was apparently "too early" for Zhou Enlai to give Henry Kissinger his assessment of the significance of the French Revolution. It is certainly too soon to sump up the importance of the events in the Arab world since January 2011. However, it seems reasonable to attempt an interim assessment of how the "Arab Spring" fits into the pattern of major revolutions and waves of upheaval since 1789. Such a review of similarities and contrasts between current events and past developments should provide some historical foundations for comparative analysis of the comparative revolutionary wave in the Middle East.
The Dynamics of Turkish-Israeli Relations (PDF)
Onur Gökçe
This article examines Turkish-Israeli relations from 1948 to 2012 in light of domestic and international events hat have impacted the two countries throughout the years. The article examines each country's threat perceptions, which emanate from developments in the Middle East. The author points out commonalities and confrontations between the two countries, and discusses how the latter can be avoided. The article explores how to improve relations in view of the rapid changes occurring in the region, and discusses how the two countries are positioning themselves in the current restructuring of the Middle East and emerging new power balances, some of which are created by these two major regional players themselves.
Can Iran be Contained? Thoughts on the Possibility of Extended Deterrence in the Middle East (PDF)
Carlo Masala, Ivo Hlaváček
"Extended deterrence," or "active deterrence," as it is sometimes called, threatens a nuclear-strategic response in case of a nuclear attack on the territory or troop of one's allies. This paper aims to explore the possibilities of extended deterrence in the Middle East in light of an Iranian nuclear military capability. Two preliminary remarks are necessary in order to frame the line of reasoning on the issue.
Bringing Religion Back In? Debating Religion in International Politics (PDF)
Eyüp Ersoy
Review article of 3 books: 1. Andrew Phillips, War, Religion and Empire: The Transformation of International Orders (Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2011, xii + 364 pp., USD 82.68, hardcover). 2. Timothy Samuel Shah, Alfred Stepan, Monica Duffy Toft, eds., Rethinking Religion and World Affairs (Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2012, x + 319 pp., USD 29.95, paper.). 3. Timothy Fitzgerald, Religion and Politics in International Relations: The Modern Myth (London: Continuum, 2011, x + 284 pp., USD 39.85, paper.).