Turkey's Policy Research Articles

Trends in out-of-pocket health expenditure inequality in Turkey under comprehensive health reforms

The success of Turkey's inclusive health policies has served as a strategic tool for building progressivity and improving social welfare. The objective of this study is to examine the inequality trend in out of pocket (OOP) health expenditures in Turkey. Data from the Turkish Statistical Institute's Household Budget Survey conducted in 2015 and 2019 were used to measure inequalities in OOP total health, pharmaceutical and hospital expenditure variables across socioeconomic status. Decomposition analysis was conducted to identify the factors contributing to inequalities. The study findings demonstrate that OOP health expenditure is higher among the poor in Turkey. Evidence suggests that in Turkey inequalities in OOP health expenditures continue to persist. The results show that OOP health, pharmaceutical, and hospital expenditures increased from 2015 to 2019. The inequality index and curve approaches reveal that the pro-rich distribution of OOP health expenditures is remarkable from 2015 to 2019. The burden of OOP pharmaceutical and hospital services expenditures stands on the shoulders of poor households. Progressive universalism is essential to achieve poverty alleviation strategies and reduce inequality for egalitarian development.

Analysis of science and technology policies in Turkey's eleven development plan: An assessment within the framework of global innovation index

Analysis of science and technology policies in Turkey's eleven development plan: An assessment within the framework of global innovation index

Reimagining raciolinguistic ideologies through an analysis of localized language-in-education policies in Turkey and Korea

ABSTRACT As global migration and transnational mobility have increased steadily in the recent few decades, interests in equity-based theories and pedagogies have intensified to respond to racially and linguistically diverse student needs in today’s classrooms. Raciolinguistic ideology is a theoretical framework challenging monoglossic language ideologies and the ‘White gaze’ that privileges White speaking and listening subjects (Flores, N., & Rosa, J. (2015). Undoing appropriateness: Raciolinguistic ideologies and language diversity in education. Harvard Educational Review, 85(2), 149–171. https://doi.org/10.17763/0017-8055.85.2.149). While raciolinguistic ideologies aim to critically examine the idealized monolingualism, the framework is typically adopted to analyze racial realities in Western or European educational contexts. In this study, we intend to (re)imagine raciolinguistic ideologies situated in non-Western educational contexts by examining language-in-education policies in Turkey and South Korea. Using raciolinguistic ideologies and Kaplan and Baldauf’s (Kaplan, R. B., & Baldauf, R. B., Jr. (2005). Language-in-education policy and planning. In E. Hinkel (Ed.), Handbook of research in second language teaching and learning (pp. 1013–1034). Lawrence Erlbaum) language-in-education planning framework as our analytical lenses, we interrogate raciolinguistic ideologies manifested through language-in-education policy and planning in Turkey and South Korea, where transnational mobility and diversity are drastically increasing to shape language education. The analyses suggest broadening the definition and viewpoint of race to understand space-specific and localized interpretations of raciolinguistic ideologies while dismantling new contemporary racism in non-Western educational contexts. Recommendations and implications for future critical examinations of racial regimes and educational policies are discussed.

Managing Uncertain Times in Turkey: Refugee Healthcare Research during a Global Pandemic

When I entered graduate school in September 2016, Turkey was mired in a series of successive crises. I had spent the first half of the year living in Istanbul, writing about the country's reception of Syrian refugees as a journalist and researcher. During that stretch, a series of suicide bombings and, in my last week in the country, an attempted coup, were formative for the way I made sense of future fieldwork in Turkey. I surmised that it would be wrought with unpredictability. My research interest in Syrian refugees’ access to Turkey's state services was itself marked by uncertainty. This uncertainty was tied to the nature of Syrians’ explicitly temporary legal status within Turkey and the broader domestic and geopolitical context that shaped the contours of Turkey's refugee policy. Given these layers of unpredictability both endogenous and exogenous to my research interest, I planned to design my research with uncertainty as an analytical focus.

The hydrogen perspective for Türkiye, which is on the Asia-Europe energy transition route. Can Türkiye become hydrogen hub?

This study examines the potential for hydrogen to undertake a leading role in the transition to sustainable energy in Türkiye. Türkiye, with its well-established energy infrastructure and increasing focus on renewable energy, has the potential to undertake a significant part in the worldwide hydrogen market. The research uses a multi-level perspective to analyse the interactions between different region connected with Türkiye, and the processes and strategies within the national energy system. The findings suggest that hydrogen production and transport in Türkiye has the potential to significantly contribute to the decarbonization of the industry and flexibility services in Asia, Europe and Africa. However, the ongoing advancement in the field of hydrogen in Türkiye is at a critical juncture where coordinated efforts are necessary to fully realize its potential. Türkiye recently announced the Hydrogen Technologies Strategy and Roadmap. Under the new Hydrogen Technologies Strategy and Roadmap, Türkiye plans to significantly increase the production of hydrogen. Türkiye plans to significantly increase its installed electrolyser capacity to support the production of hydrogen. Specifically, the plan aims to increase the installed capacity to 2 GW by 2030, 5 GW by 2035, and 70 GW by 2050. Turkey's strategic investments and policy adjustments could propel its green hydrogen production to 3.4 million tons yearly by 2050. With an anticipated domestic demand for hydrogen at 1.9 million tons annually, Turkey could potentially export between 1.5 and 1.9 million tons yearly by 2050. Türkiye boasts an extensive network of transmission and distribution pipelines for natural gas, totalling 10,000 km, including those with large diameters. The existing pipelines could transport hydrogen in its pure form or blended with natural gas. The natural gas pipeline capacity in Turkey stands at 32 billion cubic meters. This infrastructure enables the transportation of an estimated 575 million tons of hydrogen yearly to neighboring countries by employing a mix of 20 % hydrogen and natural gas. With an extensive network of natural gas transmission and distribution pipelines, Turkey positions itself as an integral part of the interconnected hydrogen energy infrastructure, linking the nation with Europe and neighboring regions. The results of this study present new approaches into the dynamics of the energy system and contribute to ongoing discussions about transition routes and consider the current status of hydrogen in Türkiye, the country's renewable energy potential, the policy and regulatory framework, and the infrastructure and market conditions necessary in order to foster the growth of a hydrogen hub.

Analysis of Social Assistance and Solidarity Foundation Policies In Turkey: The Case of Denizli / Çal

Kamu politikası hükümetlerin içerisinde bulundukları siyasal sistemler doğrultusunda yetkililer tarafından hazırlanan ve toplumun büyük çoğunluğuna etki eden kararlar ve eylemlerin toplamıdır. Kamu politikası analizi kamu politikası sürecinde hükümetin ve sivil toplum kuruluşlarının politika sürecindeki rollerini incelemektedir. Süreç modeli ise politika analizini inceleyen modellerden yalnızca biri olup gündeme geliş, formüle ediliş, kanunlaştırma ve politikanın değerlendirmesinden oluşmaktadır. Çalışmada, Denizli Çal ilçesi Sosyal Dayanışma ve Yardımlaşma Vakfı üzerine bir araştırma gerçekleştirilmiş ve elde edilen bulgular politika süreç modeli çerçevesinde değerlendirilmiştir.

Avrupa Birliği Eğitim Politikalarının Ortaöğretim ve Yükseköğretim Çerçevesinde Türkiye Eğitim Politikaları Açısından İncelenmesi

When evaluated in terms of Turkey's education policies, it can be said that the orientation of the education system remains mostly at the individual level, and the determined goals do not determine the direction of economic development. The Council of the European Union expects contributions from education in the direction of ensuring individual development, ensuring social development based on democracy, and raising the human power required by the economic and technological revolution. Education is seen as the main tool in eliminating the negative effects of globalization, information society and technological developments. The role of education in this process is to ensure full access to information for everyone and to develop the capacity of individuals to participate in economic life. It can be said that the main expectations for education in Turkey, where the literacy rate is low and girls are not sent to school, are in the direction of increasing the literacy rate and attracting the population of the age, especially female students, to the education system. The application of the European Dimension, which is one of the most prominent concepts here, differs according to school types and steps. While applications based on personal experiences are mostly included in primary education, the European Dimension is associated with the relevant career process in vocational education. Secondary education in the European Union is considered as the level of education where qualified manpower and individuals who will lead Europe's competition policies will be trained, and it is included in the scope of compulsory education in the vast majority of countries in the European Union. For this reason, completing secondary education in the European Union is at least as important as completing primary education. At the same time, the European Union considers the transformation of higher education mandatory. The necessity of this transformation in higher education is brought about by old forces such as state and public pressure for responsibility and transparency, costs, effectiveness, quality assurance and efficiency, as well as new forces such as new stakeholders of higher education, rapid changes in technology, changing social demands for renewable skills in the global era. Key Words: Education Policies, Secondary Education, Higher Education, European Union

Ulus Oluşturma Sürecinde Genç Cumhuriyetten Notlar: Yurttaşlık, Sağlık Hakkı ve Kamusal İletişim

I. Dünya Savaşı sonrasında, uluslararası ilişki ve dengelerin yeniden düzenlendiği bir ortamda, Anadolu’da, bir imparatorluktan ulus-devlete geçişin, yeni bir düzenin kuruluşunun mücadelesi verilmekteydi. Ulusun statüsü henüz Cumhuriyet olarak ilan edilmemekle birlikte; egemenliğin kaynağının değiştiği, “halk” olduğu bilinmekteydi. 29 Ekim 1923’te yeni düzenin adı da resmen konuldu: Cumhuriyet. Savaşlardan yorgun düşmüş, insanlarını kaybetmiş genç devletin, ilk politikalarından biri de sağlık hakkının kullanılmasını olanaklı kılan düzenlenmelerin yapılmasıdır. Sağlık hizmetleri ve kamusal iletişim söz konusu olduğunda iki temel amaç, sağlık hizmetlerinin kamusal biçimde sağlanması ve sağlık bilincinin geliştirilmesidir. Çalışmada, Türkiye’de, sağlık alanında politikaların oluşturulması ve kurumsallaştırılmasında ilk ve kalıcı adımların atıldığı 1920-1950 yılları arasındaki gelişmelerin incelenmesi amaçlanmaktadır. Betimsel bir çalışma olan makalede, konuyla ilgili ulusal ve uluslararası mevzuatın yanı sıra incelenen dönemin ekonomik, siyasal, toplumsal yapısı üzerine yapılan araştırmalardan, temel politika belgelerinden, birincil kaynaklardan ve dönemin tanıklıklarından yararlanılmıştır. Sağlık Bakanlığı’nın, sağlık hizmetlerinin koruyucu, iyileştirici ve rehabilite edici nitelikleriyle bir arada sunulması gerekliliğinden hareketle, her alanda sağlık hizmetlerine yatırım yaptığı ve politika geliştirdiği görülmektedir.

Dış Politikanın Uluslararası Öğrenci Hareketliliğindeki Rolü: Türkiye’nin Afrika Açılımı Örneği

This article examines the impact of foreign policy decisions, specifically the Africa Opening Policies, on international scholarship programs and student mobility from Africa to Türkiye. The background of Türkiye’s African policy is discussed, along with policies made by different governments. The article evaluates student exchanges and scholarships in bilateral agreements and regional cooperation between Türkiye and African countries. The central question is whether the openings in Turkey's African policy have had any effect on student mobility from Africa. To answer this question, the article uses international scholarship programs as an instrument in Turkish foreign policy in the context of the Africa Opening Policies as a single case study, which is designed to provide an in-depth understanding and contextualization of scholarship programs within foreign policymaking. Analyzing the policy documents from relevant institutions such as the Council of Higher Education, the Ministry of National Education, and the Presidency of Turks Abroad and Related Communities, the study uses process tracing methodology to show that foreign policy openings and desired relations with a particular country or region affect the design and priorities of international higher education programs. Thus, the article explores foreign policymaking as a driving factor in developing international student mobility in Türkiye.

Թուրքիայի փափուկ ուժի կիրառման նավթային գործոնը Վրաստանի հանդեպ / Oil Factor of Turkey in applying soft power over Georgia

The main purpose of the article is to analyze the symbiotic relationship between Turkey and Georgia, explaining how the Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan pipeline serves as the cornerstone of their bilateral relationship. Thanks to the Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan pipeline, Turkey and Georgia have created a reliable energy corridor, strengthening their geopolitical importance and reducing their dependence on traditional energy routes. This cooperation not only strengthened their economic interdependence, but also increased their strategic importance in the broader regional context. The article reflects not only the steps envisaged for oil transportation, Turkey's soft power policy, but also the strong partnership between Turkey and Georgia and evidence of interconnected interests.

Analysis of Environmental and Energy Policies in Turkey, the European Union and the United States

Energy consumption plays a pivotal role in the development of societies. Sustainable Energy Resources are vital inputs for daily life, and energy and industrial products are essential for economic growth (Ministry of Energy and Natural Resources, 2022). Consequently, those responsible for managing a country's energy sector must ensure the uninterrupted, reliable, timely, clean, and affordable supply of energy, as well as diversify energy sources to enhance energy security.
 The concept of "sustainable development" has emerged in response to the need to prevent irreversible environmental damage caused by conventional energy sources and outdated technologies while ensuring access to energy as a fundamental human right under optimal conditions (Pamir, N 2005). Developed societies have transitioned from planning based solely on energy source acquisition and production to a planning approach that carefully considers the energy-economy-ecology balance (3E) while taking into account resource diversity and geopolitical realities (Energy Policies and Global Developments, emo.org.tr).
 Turkey remains heavily dependent on energy imports, accounting for approximately 74% of its energy needs (Ministry of Energy and Natural Resources, 2023). The multifaceted nature of Turkey's energy strategy and its energy dependence emphasize the importance of international relations in this field.
 U.S. energy policies have global ramifications, particularly in areas such as energy resource utilization, energy trade, and energy independence (Ministry of Energy and Natural Resources, 2022). U.S. energy policies play a significant role in international relations, impacting relationships with other countries, especially in matters related to energy exports and imports.
 In Europe, there is uneven progress towards clean electricity, with both successes and challenges in transitioning to a low-carbon energy system. While the European energy sector has taken significant steps towards decarbonization, there has been limited progress in some countries, and much more progress is needed. Achieving a fully decarbonized energy system in Europe requires united efforts and coordination to address the challenges posed by fossil fuel dependence and climate change.

Роль исламского фактора во внешней политике Турции в Центральной Азии

The article examines the religious component of Turkey's foreign policy strategy in the countries of Central Asia. Relying on a common Islamic identity with the Turkic republics, Ankara seeks to re-shape the geopolitical space of this strategically important region in its own interests. Back in the 90s, Turkey successfully managed to promote its version of moderate Islam in the countries of Cen-tral Asia, using state and non-state religious structures for this purpose. For official Ankara, Islam has become a tool for spreading the ideas of pan-Turkism as evidenced by the official discourse of top state officials and the activities of Turkish religious movements. The Islamization of Turkey's domestic policy under the current political leadership determines the religious and ideological con-tours of the country’s foreign policy. The authorities are intensifying the Islamic discourse position-ing Turkey as the center of the Muslim world. In the Muslim countries of Central Asia, Ankara as-pires to achieve Islamic and Turkic solidarity simultaneously, using the tools of “soft power” con-trolled by the state such as Dianet and the Turkish Religious Foundation. Despite the closure (ex-cept for Kyrgyzstan) of a network of educational institutions funded by the popular preacher F. Gulen, his followers managed to create a positive image of Turkey among the population of Central Asian countries. In the context of the world order transformation, Turkey will strengthen the ideo-logical and religious orientation of its foreign policy in the Central Asia which in the future may allow Ankara to increase its importance in a changing world.

Education Policy in Turkey During the Reign of Recep Tayyib Erdogan

Education Policy in Turkey During the Reign of Recep Tayyib Erdogan

Turkey's Humanitarian Aid Through Education Provision of the Syrian Children School-Aged Refugees

The article explains how the Turkish government carries out a policy of providing education for Syrian school-age refugees. Turkey is the largest recipient and the second largest contributor of Syrian refugee aid, primarily as a transit country with many refugees bound for Europe via Turkey before continuing to their destination countries. As the host of refugees, a significant amount requires Turkey to help and facilitate them to access various services, such as social services, health, and especially education for school-age children. The study uses qualitative methods through data collection in literature studies and descriptive data analysis. The study uses qualitative methods through data collection in literature studies and descriptive data analysis. Research has found that Turkey's education policy has shown significant results, helping Syrian refugees at school age because of the ease of access to education that can be obtained, including rights and benefits equal to other Turkish children. Policies imposed by Turkey, such as psychological assistance for children who are still experiencing trauma and the provision of facilities in temporary education or Turkish public schools, have been successfully adopted.

Example of Syrian Refugees in the Scope of Turkey's Migration Policy and Management

The phenomenon of migration is a concept that is often encountered today. The phenomenon of migration has a critical importance especially for many regions and countries that have faced with immigrants and migration flows in various periods. Nowadays, many countries continue to struggle with regular and irregular migration, and many countries host refugees from different regions or countries. At this point, Turkey has been seen as a bridge between the West and the East and has been accepted as a migration country or migration route for refugees. In this context, Turkey draws attention as a country that has been exposed to migration flows from various regions and geographies from the past to the present. Furthermore, especially since 2011, the increase in Syrian refugees in Turkey after the internal conflict and war in Syria and refugees who left their country and migrated to Turkey in recent years, brought along various problems in Turkey. These increasing refugees and refugee flows have required Turkey to make various policies and regulations. This article will focus on the Syrian refugees problem in Turkey and analyze Turkey's migration policies and migration management regarding refugees.

Authoritarian middle powers and the liberal order: Turkey's contestation of the EU

Abstract The conventional expectation that middle powers support the liberal international order (LIO) is now increasingly being questioned. This article seeks to explore why and how emerging authoritarian middle powers contest the LIO through a study of Turkey's contestation of the EU. By conceptualizing contestations of the LIO as claims to global justice, the article examines the justice claims that underlie Turkey's contestation; with regard to discourse, it does so through a qualitative content analysis of President Erdoğan's speeches, and with regard to practice, through a survey of Turkey's contestatory foreign policy practices. The article shows that middle powers can discursively attack the legitimacy of the LIO by underlining its constituents' failures in upholding their moral duties towards citizens extending beyond their borders (impartiality) and to those who suffer from structural inequalities in the international order (mutual recognition). It demonstrates that their contestatory practices, however, are made with a view to pursue the sovereign interests of the state, with minimal regard for impartiality and mutual recognition. The article unpacks this inconsistency and finds that authoritarian middle powers' contestation of the LIO is mainly driven by concerns for regime security, where the centrality of an issue area to the government's survival prospects is the key factor which determines whether contestation will occur.

100 Years of Health Policies in Turkey: An Example of Document Analysis in the Scope of Control Knobs

Sağlıklı olmanın koşulsuz olarak bir hak olduğu kabul edildiği günümüzde devletlerin vatandaşlarına sağlık hizmeti sunarken izlemiş olduğu politikalar toplum sağlığı için en belirleyici unsurlardan biridir. Geçmişten günümüze kadar hükümetlerin izlemiş olduğu sağlık politikaları toplumun ihtiyaçları ve konjonktürel değişkenler doğrultusunda dönemsel olarak değişiklik göstermiştir. Türkiye’de de Cumhuriyetin ilanıyla birlikte sağlık alanında birçok atılım yapılmış ve günümüze kadar izlenen sağlık politikaları dönemsel olarak farklı yaklaşımlar benimsenmiştir. Bu araştırmanın amacı, T.C. Sağlık Bakanlığının kuruluşundan günümüze kadar uygulanmış sağlık politikalarını analiz etmek ve sonuçlarını incelemektir. Araştırma kapsamında nitel araştırma yöntemlerinden doküman analizi kullanılmıştır. Türkiye’de 100 yıllık sağlık politikalarına ilişkin bilgileri Sağlık Bakanlığı internet sitesinde yer alan sağlık istatistik yıllıkları ile meclis tutanakları ve kürsü konuşmalarının yıllık yayınları analiz edilmiştir. 100 yıllık sağlık politikaları değerlendirilirken kontrol düğmeleri (finansman, ödeme, organizasyon, düzenlenme ve davranış) kapsamında değerlendirilmiştir. 100 yıllık süreç içerisinde izlenen politikalar genel olarak değerlendirildiğinde yatay örgütleme ve kamu sağlığı uygulamalarının zaman içerisinde dikey örgütlenme ve bireysel sağlık politikalarına dönüştüğü görülmektedir. Sağlık çıktılarına bakıldığında ise her dönemin kendisine özgü birtakım sorunları (örgütlenme, finansman, erişim, bulaşıcı hastalıklar vs.) olmasına rağmen her dönem sağlık statüsünde önemli iyileşmelerin olduğu ifade edilebilir.

Türkiye'nin Çevrenin Korunması-Büyüme İkilemi: Algıların ve Etki Eden Faktörlerin Analizi

This study analyzes the determinants of individuals' perceptions towards the dichotomy of achieving economic growth and environmental preservation in Turkey. Using logistic models, the study investigates the impact of various socio-economic and socio-demographic factors such as material well-being, life satisfaction, age, gender, education level, employment status, settlement type, religiosity, and political view on individuals' attitudes towards prioritizing the environment. The results of logistic regression analysis, based on a sample of 1.935 participants obtained using the World Values Survey, wave 7, indicate that individuals with higher material well-being and life satisfaction in Turkey tend to prioritize the environment over growth. The findings of this study confirm the neoclassical perspective on environment for the Turkish cohort, which indicates the environment can be accepted as a luxury good. Additionally, it is found that individuals aged 60 and above, part-time workers and retirees, those who do not identify as religious, highly educated individuals, those with more children, and individuals with a left-wing ideology are more inclined to prioritize environmental protection over economic growth compared to each category's reference group. On the other hand, no statistically significant differences based on settlement type (urban-rural dichotomy) or sex were detected in prioritizing environmental preservation over economic growth. The findings of the study indicate that, in designing Turkey's macro-level growth and environmental policies, socio-economic and demographic disparities need to be taken into consideration.

Reckoning with ‘new’ Turkey: Modes of US reaction to unwanted policy shifts in the Middle East

AbstractThis article discusses the changing relations between the United States and Turkey in light of Turkey's contemporary foreign policy that often challenges American interests. More specifically, it adopts a comparative approach to examine the variables that determine the course of US reaction when unwanted policy shifts take place in the Middle East. To this end, apart from Turkey, the article examines two more cases: US relations with Egypt in the 1950s, and with Iran right before, during and after the 1979 revolution. The comparative analysis reveals that the case of contemporary Turkey has been more similar to the historical case of Egypt, which explains why Washington has been adopting (and is more likely to continue doing so) a “wait‐and‐see” approach vis‐à‐vis Ankara. However, domestic changes in Turkey, though not as abrupt and radical as in Iran, remain significant and may have a deeper impact on US–Turkish relations in the future.

Echo Chambers, or “The Will of the People”: The Case of Alimony Contesters and Antifeminist Countermovement in Turkey

This article focuses on the alimony contesters in Turkey, who are a part of the online antifeminist countermovement. The alimony contesters’ movement is significant because, even though they are small in numbers, they successfully leveraged support from pro-government media organizations and journalists in the broader context of the authoritarian media atmosphere in Turkey. The media support, and the fact that their discourse is in parallel with Turkey's authoritarian government's policies on women and gender, helped them break the walls of their echo chambers and shape the public discourse. The aim of the study is to use a three-step methodology to figure out alimony contesters’ hybrid media strategy to stimulate the public debate and influence news framing and editorial choices by building relationships with pro-government journalists and news outlets. The study demonstrates that the demands of a small group that is organized on social media and has limited followers can be presented as the public will if it receives sufficient support from politics and the media.