Turkey Under the AKP: Civil-Military Relations Transformed

Issue Date January 2012
Volume 23
Issue 1
Page Numbers 100-108
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Recent years have seen a transformation in Turkish civil-military relations—away from the traditional picture of weak elected officials overseen by a strong military, to one of a strengthened civilian government and a military with decreased influence. This article explores the questions of how this transformation has occurred, whether it will last, and what it indicates about prospects for democratic consolidation in Turkey. It includes suggestions for ensuring the institutionalization of these changes, and discusses possible stumbling blocks to further advancement.

About the Author

Ersel Aydınlı is associate professor of international relations at Bilkent University in Ankara and executive director of the Turkish Fulbright Commission. His books include Globalization, Security, and the Nation State: Paradigms in Transition (with James N. Rosenau, 2005).

View all work by Ersel Aydınlı