Turkey's role in the Arab spring and the Syrian conflict

Abstract

Turkey's geopolitical identity has been in flux since the end of the Cold War. While societal pressures for democratization initially motivated popular support for European integration, seemingly incompatible identity narratives and rising Islamophobia made such integration increasingly difficult. Turkey's vocal support for democratization in the context of the Arab Spring brought these contradictions to the fore. The coup in Egypt in July 2013 was a turning point with Turkey and key Western powers adopting sharply different positions. The Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK)'s offensive in July 2015 and the failed coup attempt in July 2016 elevated immediate security threats above all other considerations - Turkey gradually downplayed its support for opposition forces to the military dictatorships in Egypt and Syria, while seeking a rapprochement with Russia.