A Bibliometric Analysis on the Role of Mediation in Turkish Foreign Policy Since 2002

After the Cold War, the elimination of limitations regarding foreign policy has led to Türkiye’s mediation activities improving. However, external security issues and transitional governments during the 1990-2002 period prevented Türkiye from achieving continuity and consistency with its foreign policy. Since 2002, Türkiye has leveraged soft power and humanitarian diplomacy with support from its geopolitical and cultural depth to enhance its mediating role in foreign policy. Between 2002-2020, mediation assumed a significant position among the key principles determining the direction of Turkish foreign policy. Türkiye’s success in regional mediation led to the emergence of branding after 2020. Specifically, Türkiye’s responsibility in the Balkans and its mediator role during the Russia-Ukraine War have been considered historical turning points in attaining a character that produces security. In fact, the empirical analysis on mediation has identified Türkiye as one of the actors most associated with mediation post-2002, placing it in the same cluster as such global players as the United Nations and the United States of America. In this regard, Türkiye has differentiated itself from other actors engaged in the same activity. The study uses a mixed methods to examine this differentiation. The study uses the historical classification of 1990-2024 based on the assumption that Türkiye has become a global actor in meditation since 2002 while only being a regional player pre-2002. In line with this, the study uses bibliometric and discourse analyses benefitting from an explanatory analytical method to explore the concept of mediation.