Turkish pillars of soft power in Southeastern Europe.

Abstract

A brief assessment of the current and future soft power potential of Turkey's AKP government vis-à-vis the Balkans. Concerning four (4) criteria of cultural, economic, diplomatic and democratic significance, to what extent can Turkey allure neighbors to its immediate west? Since the liberalizing reforms of Turgut Ozal's post-coup government and the cessation of bipolar competition in its vicinity, Turkey has a sandbox opportunity to advance trade and foreign policy dealings in the region that has not existed for decades. Nonetheless, constraints on persuasiveness and credibility remain. Through compartmentalized political, economic and anthropological lenses, this essay attempts to pinpoint where the lira stops.