Ideational Factors in Turkey’s Alignment with Qatar and Their Impact on Regional Security

Abstract

Turkey and Qatar have developed exceptionally cordial relations and aligned their foreign policies on many regional issues. In the 2017 Gulf crisis, despite the risk of incurring material losses and sacrificing relations with blockading countries, Turkey quickly came to the support of Qatar alleviating Doha’s physical and political isolation. This highlights how ideational elements and norms play a crucial role in Turkey’s foreign policy towards Qatar, with wider implications for regional security and intra-Sunni disputes. The ideational dimensions of Turkey’s foreign policy towards Qatar are especially evident when looking at Turkish national role conceptions as reflected in Ankara’s official discourse under the rule of the Justice and Development Party (AKP).