This book explores the significance of Turkey's Blue Homeland (Mavi Vatan) naval concept, which defines its maritime rights and interests in the surrounding seas - Aegean Sea, Black Sea, and the Mediterranean. The concept has a powerful socialized definition and a popular appeal across the political spectrum in Turkey with important implications for security in the wider Middle East. The book investigates the impact of geopolitics and domestic-political factors on the concept and uncovers motivations behind its trajectory since 2004 with a particular focus on the last several years, the period when Turkey's naval assertiveness reached its peak following the failed coup attempt in 2016. Based on in-depth interviews with diplomats, naval officers, academics, and researchers in the field, the book takes the reader through a journey on how the Turkish government has reinforced an activist policy since 2016 due to pressures of regional insecurity, domestic coalition logrolling, and nationalist sentiment.
Chapter 1 - Introduction.- Chapter 2 - Global Maritime Powers and Turkey's Interest in Naval Development.- Chapter 3 - The Modern Origins of Turkey's Blue Homeland Policy.- Chapter 4 - Turkey's Maritime Crisis and Naval Development.- Chapter 5 - Liberalisation and the EU Journey: 2004-2010.- Chapter 6 - Identity Projection and Axis Shift towards the Middle East: 2010-2016.- Chapter 7 - Re-securitization and the Emergence of Blue Homeland: 2016-2022.- Chapter 8 - Conclusion.
Serhat Süha Çubukçuoglu is a geopolitical strategist working at the intersection of policymaking, research, and media. He is currently a Senior Fellow in Strategic Studies at TRENDS Research and Advisory in Abu Dhabi, UAE, as well as an advisory board member at Koç University's Maritime Forum in Istanbul, Turkey.
