Ahmet Davutoglu
Encyclopedia
Professor Ahmet Davutoğlu (ahˈmet ˈdavutoːɫu; born 26 February 1959) is a Turkish political scientist, an academic and an ambassador
. On May 1, 2009, he was named Minister of Foreign Affairs of Turkey
after being the chief advisor to the Prime Minister
of Republic of Turkey
.
, Turkey
. He graduated from İstanbul Erkek Lisesi, which is a Deutsche Auslandsschule (German International school) and studied at the Department of Economics and Political Science of the Boğaziçi University
, İstanbul. He holds a masters degree in Public Administration
and a PhD degree in Political Science
and International Relations
from Boğaziçi University
. Between 1993 and 1999 he worked at the Marmara University
and became a full professor in 1999. He was the chairman of the Department of International Relations at Beykent University
in Istanbul
, Turkey.
He is a father of four and his wife is a medical doctor.
Ahmet Davutoğlu was granted a title of ambassador by the joint decision of President Ahmet Necdet Sezer
and Prime Minister Abdullah Gül
that was made on 17 January 2003 and published in the Official Gazette of the Republic of Turkey dated 18 January 2003.
His publications include Alternative Paradigms: The Impact of Islamic and Western Weltanschauungs on Political Theory, The Civilizational Transformation and The Muslim World in English, Stratejik Derinlik (Strategic Depth), and Küresel Bunalım (The Global Crisis) in Turkish.
Especially his book Strategic Depth is a very influential book in Turkey's foreign policy orientation. He is very influential in the military, academic, and government triangle shaping Turkish foreign policy.
Ambassador Davutoğlu was one of the leading actors on behalf of the Turkish government during the shuttle diplomacy for the settlement of 2008 Israel–Gaza conflict.
Davutoğlu was appointed as the Foreign Minister of Turkey on 1 May 2009. He has since called for Turkey
to become more than just a regional power
within Europe
and the Middle East
and desires Ankara
to have a far more influential role in world politics. Davutoğlu is generally linked to the notion of Turkish neo-Ottomanism
, which favours a commonwealth with its neighbours and old Ottoman
connections. Although his foreign policies have been regarded as neo-Ottomanist by Western and especially U.S. media, Davutoğlu does not accept such a characterization. He stated in an interview with Turkish daily Sabah
that "as much as we don't use this conceptualization, the fact that it is being used against us is either because of misunderstanding or lack of goodwill." He argued against the idea that Turkey is trying to establish a neo-Ottoman imperial order by saying that: "I have said that Turkey as a nation-state is equal with any other nation-state of our region whether it is small in population or area. We don't have any hegemony on anyone. Rather what we are trying to do is to contribute to the establishment of a permanent peace in our region. If by order they mean is Pax Ottomana
, Pax in the meaning of order, we are trying to establish a order, it is not wrong to say such thing".
He was listed in by Foreign Policy
magazine as one of the "Top 100 Global Thinkers of 2010" for "being the brains behind Turkey's global reawakening". In an interview with him he talked about his "Zero Problem Policy" and said that "It is possible to have zero problems if the other actors respect our values. It doesn't mean that we will be silent in order to have good relations with all parties. In 2011's Foreign Policy
magazine's list of "Top 100 Global Thinkers" he was listed together with Recep Tayyip Erdogan
for "imagining a new role for Turkey in the world- and making it happen".
Ambassador-at-large
An ambassador-at-large is a Diplomat of the highest rank or a Minister who is accredited to represent his country internationally.Unlike an ambassador-in-residence who is usually limited to a country and/or embassy, the ambassador-at-large is entrusted to operate in several usually neighboring...
. On May 1, 2009, he was named Minister of Foreign Affairs of Turkey
Turkey
Turkey , known officially as the Republic of Turkey , is a Eurasian country located in Western Asia and in East Thrace in Southeastern Europe...
after being the chief advisor to the Prime Minister
Prime minister
A prime minister is the most senior minister of cabinet in the executive branch of government in a parliamentary system. In many systems, the prime minister selects and may dismiss other members of the cabinet, and allocates posts to members within the government. In most systems, the prime...
of Republic of Turkey
Turkey
Turkey , known officially as the Republic of Turkey , is a Eurasian country located in Western Asia and in East Thrace in Southeastern Europe...
.
Life and career
Ahmet Davutoğlu was born in KonyaKonya
Konya is a city in the Central Anatolia Region of Turkey. The metropolitan area in the entire Konya Province had a population of 1,036,027 as of 2010, making the city seventh most populous in Turkey.-Etymology:...
, Turkey
Turkey
Turkey , known officially as the Republic of Turkey , is a Eurasian country located in Western Asia and in East Thrace in Southeastern Europe...
. He graduated from İstanbul Erkek Lisesi, which is a Deutsche Auslandsschule (German International school) and studied at the Department of Economics and Political Science of the Boğaziçi University
Bogaziçi University
Boğaziçi University is a public university located on the European side of the Bosphorus strait in Istanbul, Turkey. It has five faculties and two schools offering undergraduate degrees, and six institutes offering graduate degrees...
, İstanbul. He holds a masters degree in Public Administration
Public administration
Public Administration houses the implementation of government policy and an academic discipline that studies this implementation and that prepares civil servants for this work. As a "field of inquiry with a diverse scope" its "fundamental goal.....
and a PhD degree in Political Science
Political science
Political Science is a social science discipline concerned with the study of the state, government and politics. Aristotle defined it as the study of the state. It deals extensively with the theory and practice of politics, and the analysis of political systems and political behavior...
and International Relations
International relations
International relations is the study of relationships between countries, including the roles of states, inter-governmental organizations , international nongovernmental organizations , non-governmental organizations and multinational corporations...
from Boğaziçi University
Bogaziçi University
Boğaziçi University is a public university located on the European side of the Bosphorus strait in Istanbul, Turkey. It has five faculties and two schools offering undergraduate degrees, and six institutes offering graduate degrees...
. Between 1993 and 1999 he worked at the Marmara University
Marmara University
Marmara University is a public university in Turkey. Situated in Istanbul, Marmara University has succeeded in becoming the second largest university in the whole country...
and became a full professor in 1999. He was the chairman of the Department of International Relations at Beykent University
Beykent University
Beykent University is a private university in Istanbul, Turkey, teaching in English. The typical enrolment is 15,000 students.It has four faculties comprising 28 academic departments in the fields of Engineering and Architecture, Fine Arts, Science, Economics and Administrative Sciences; a school...
in Istanbul
Istanbul
Istanbul , historically known as Byzantium and Constantinople , is the largest city of Turkey. Istanbul metropolitan province had 13.26 million people living in it as of December, 2010, which is 18% of Turkey's population and the 3rd largest metropolitan area in Europe after London and...
, Turkey.
He is a father of four and his wife is a medical doctor.
Ahmet Davutoğlu was granted a title of ambassador by the joint decision of President Ahmet Necdet Sezer
Ahmet Necdet Sezer
- External links :* , Presidency of the Republic of Turkey...
and Prime Minister Abdullah Gül
Abdullah Gül
Dr. Abdullah Gül, GCB is the 11th and current President of the Republic of Turkey, serving in that office since 28 August 2007. He previously served for four months as Prime Minister from 2002-03, and as Minister of Foreign Affairs from 2003-07....
that was made on 17 January 2003 and published in the Official Gazette of the Republic of Turkey dated 18 January 2003.
His publications include Alternative Paradigms: The Impact of Islamic and Western Weltanschauungs on Political Theory, The Civilizational Transformation and The Muslim World in English, Stratejik Derinlik (Strategic Depth), and Küresel Bunalım (The Global Crisis) in Turkish.
Especially his book Strategic Depth is a very influential book in Turkey's foreign policy orientation. He is very influential in the military, academic, and government triangle shaping Turkish foreign policy.
Ambassador Davutoğlu was one of the leading actors on behalf of the Turkish government during the shuttle diplomacy for the settlement of 2008 Israel–Gaza conflict.
Davutoğlu was appointed as the Foreign Minister of Turkey on 1 May 2009. He has since called for Turkey
Turkey
Turkey , known officially as the Republic of Turkey , is a Eurasian country located in Western Asia and in East Thrace in Southeastern Europe...
to become more than just a regional power
Regional power
In international relations, a regional power is a state that has power within a geographic region. States which wield unrivaled power and influence within a region of the world possess regional hegemony.-Characteristics:...
within Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
and the Middle East
Middle East
The Middle East is a region that encompasses Western Asia and Northern Africa. It is often used as a synonym for Near East, in opposition to Far East...
and desires Ankara
Ankara
Ankara is the capital of Turkey and the country's second largest city after Istanbul. The city has a mean elevation of , and as of 2010 the metropolitan area in the entire Ankara Province had a population of 4.4 million....
to have a far more influential role in world politics. Davutoğlu is generally linked to the notion of Turkish neo-Ottomanism
Neo-Ottomanism
Neo-Ottomanism is a Turkish political ideology that in its broadest sense, promotes greater engagement with areas formerly under the Ottoman Empire....
, which favours a commonwealth with its neighbours and old Ottoman
Ottoman Empire
The Ottoman EmpireIt was usually referred to as the "Ottoman Empire", the "Turkish Empire", the "Ottoman Caliphate" or more commonly "Turkey" by its contemporaries...
connections. Although his foreign policies have been regarded as neo-Ottomanist by Western and especially U.S. media, Davutoğlu does not accept such a characterization. He stated in an interview with Turkish daily Sabah
Sabah
Sabah is one of 13 member states of Malaysia. It is located on the northern portion of the island of Borneo. It is the second largest state in the country after Sarawak, which it borders on its southwest. It also shares a border with the province of East Kalimantan of Indonesia in the south...
that "as much as we don't use this conceptualization, the fact that it is being used against us is either because of misunderstanding or lack of goodwill." He argued against the idea that Turkey is trying to establish a neo-Ottoman imperial order by saying that: "I have said that Turkey as a nation-state is equal with any other nation-state of our region whether it is small in population or area. We don't have any hegemony on anyone. Rather what we are trying to do is to contribute to the establishment of a permanent peace in our region. If by order they mean is Pax Ottomana
Pax Ottomana
Pax Ottomana is a term used to describe the economic and social stability attained in the conquered provinces of the Ottoman Empire, which, at the height of the Empire's power during the 16th and 17th centuries, applied to lands in the Balkans, Anatolia, the Middle East, North Africa and the...
, Pax in the meaning of order, we are trying to establish a order, it is not wrong to say such thing".
He was listed in by Foreign Policy
Foreign Policy
Foreign Policy is a bimonthly American magazine founded in 1970 by Samuel P. Huntington and Warren Demian Manshel.Originally, the magazine was a quarterly...
magazine as one of the "Top 100 Global Thinkers of 2010" for "being the brains behind Turkey's global reawakening". In an interview with him he talked about his "Zero Problem Policy" and said that "It is possible to have zero problems if the other actors respect our values. It doesn't mean that we will be silent in order to have good relations with all parties. In 2011's Foreign Policy
Foreign Policy
Foreign Policy is a bimonthly American magazine founded in 1970 by Samuel P. Huntington and Warren Demian Manshel.Originally, the magazine was a quarterly...
magazine's list of "Top 100 Global Thinkers" he was listed together with Recep Tayyip Erdogan
Recep Tayyip Erdogan
Recep Tayyip Erdoğan has been Prime Minister of Turkey since 2003 and is chairman of the ruling Justice and Development Party , which holds a majority of the seats in the Grand National Assembly of Turkey. Erdoğan served as Mayor of Istanbul from 1994 to 1998. He graduated in 1981 from Marmara...
for "imagining a new role for Turkey in the world- and making it happen".
Selected works
- Alternative Paradigms: The Impact of Islamic and Western Weltanschauungs on Political Theory. University Press of America, 1993
- Civilizational Transformation and the Muslim World. Quill, 1994
- Stratejik derinlik: Türkiye'nin uluslararası konumu. Küre Yayınları, 2001
- Osmanlı Medeniyeti: Siyaset İktisat Sanat. Klasik, 2005
- Küresel Bunalım. Küre, 2002.
See also
- Foreign policy of the Recep Tayyip Erdoğan governmentForeign policy of the Recep Tayyip Erdoğan governmentThe foreign policy of the Recep Tayyip Erdoğan government concerns the policy initiatives made by Turkey under its current Prime Minister, Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, towards other states.-Background:-History:...
- List of Turkish diplomats
External links
- Profile at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs
- Column archive at Aljazeera
- Column archive at The GuardianThe GuardianThe Guardian, formerly known as The Manchester Guardian , is a British national daily newspaper in the Berliner format...
- A Shift in Turkish Foreign Policy: Turkey's Strategic Depth, Qantara
- Interview with Turkey's Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoğlu: "Turkey Creates Balance in the Middle East", Qantera
- "Turkey's new visionary", Aljazeera, May 13, 2010
- "Turkey's Zero-Problems Foreign Policy", a Foreign Policy Magazine article from Davutoğlu, MAY 20, 2010