The Dark Side of the Moon: An Ever-Fragmenting Discipline and Turkish IR in “the Outer Periphery”

Year 2024, , 1 - 22, 24.01.2024

Haluk Özdemir

https://doi.org/10.20991/allazimuth.1416560

Abstract

A recent debate has emerged in the literature about a need for more global
International Relations (IR), one which is truly international, to be worthy of its
name. This paper outlines the multi-dimensional fragmentation in IR, which has
prevented the emergence of a genuinely integrated and global discipline, and
created a context in which the periphery cannot make original contributions to
the core. The main purpose of this paper is to point out the major obstacles for
such original contributions that emanate from the periphery itself. Aside from
the general core-periphery fragmentation in the discipline, the periphery is
collapsing within itself. From that perspective, the core and the periphery look
more integrated, while the real division is between the periphery and the outer
periphery. The outer periphery, while mostly invisible to the core, has real effects
in IR practice, yet its nature and problems are not looked upon or handled by
the current literature. Based on this observation, and using the Turkish example,
four major problems of the outer periphery that affect the periphery and curtail
its potential for original contributions are identified: (1) apathy towards western
IR; (2) conspiracy theorizing; (3) chronological historicism; and (4) the outer
periphery’s influence on the mainstream periphery. After discussing these
problems, it is concluded that the periphery can make contributions to the core
only after it has helped the outer periphery solve its problems, and integration
within the periphery is achieved. Only then can original contributions of the
periphery to a truly international IR be possible.

Keywords

Global IR, core, periphery, outer periphery, Turkish IR

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