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

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.