The Ontological Security Dilemma in Turkish Foreign Policy: Greece as an Existential Counterweight, Anatolian Demographics, and the Revisionism of the Aegean Maritime Status Quo

This monograph investigates the structural persistence of revisionism in Turkish foreign policy through the analytical framework of ontological security, moving beyond conventional materialist and neo-realist paradigms. It posits that the Republic of Türkiye’s existential friction with the Hellenic Republic is anchored in deep-seated identity dilemmas stemming from: (a) the Anatolian territorial substrate and the paradox of geographic enclosure by the Greek Aegean archipelago, (b) recent archaeogenetic findings revealing demographic discontinuity between central Asian Turkic populations and the overwhelmingly indigenous Anatolian population, and (c) the unresolved historical trauma of the 1821 Greek Revolution and the Sèvres Syndrome. By analyzing the clashing legal doctrines of UNCLOS 1982 versus continental shelf enclosure arguments, the paper deconstructs the "Blue Homeland" (Mavi Vatan) doctrine as an externalized compensatory projection intended to alleviate internal identity insecurities. Finally, it outlines strategic imperatives for a credible Hellenic multi-domain deterrence architecture across the diplomatic, cognitive, and naval-defense spectrums. Keywords: Ontological Security; Turkish Foreign Policy; Blue Homeland (Mavi Vatan); Aegean Dispute; UNCLOS 1982; Greek-Turkish Relations; Archaeogenetics; Sèvres Complex; Deterrence Strategy. Author: George Papasimakis (Independent Geopolitical & Strategic Analyst; Ereunitiko).ORCID: 0009-0006-6347-7254Series: Monograph & Working Paper Series in Strategic Studies (Paper No. 2026-09).