About the Author:

Du Donghui is a senior lecturer at the Faculty of History, Shanghai University, and a graduate supervisor. He is also a researcher at the Turkey Research Center of Shanghai University. He received his Ph.D. in World History from Shanghai University in 2021 and conducted postdoctoral research in political science at Fudan University from 2021 to 2023. He was also a visiting scholar at Marmara University in Türkiye.

His main research areas include modern Turkish history, Turkish foreign policy, and Middle Eastern international relations. Du Donghui has published more than ten articles in specialized academic journals such as World History, European Studies, World Ethnic Groups, West Asia and Africa, Historical Studies, and World Economics and Politics Forum.

He served as principal investigator of the National Social Science Fund Youth Project in 2022 and successfully completed policy research projects at Fudan University in 2023, as well as a general project of the China Postdoctoral Science Foundation in 2022.

Summary:

This scholarly monograph provides an in-depth analysis of Türkiye’s foreign policy and security strategy amid profound political transformations in the Middle East. Using the concept of a “strategy of complex alliances,” the author examines the key directions of Turkish diplomacy in recent years. The book demonstrates how Ankara protects its national interests by simultaneously cooperating with multiple — and often competing — international actors.

The study extensively covers Türkiye’s relations with the United States and the European Union, its role within NATO, its strategic rapprochement with Russia and Iran, and its growing engagement with Arab states and Central Asian countries. Particular attention is given to Türkiye’s positioning in major regional crises, including the Syrian conflict, the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, tensions in the Eastern Mediterranean, and the Ukraine crisis.

The author interprets Turkish foreign policy as a complex diplomatic configuration that combines rivalry and cooperation beyond traditional alliance frameworks. The book is intended for scholars of international relations, political scientists, diplomats, and general readers interested in contemporary trends in Turkish foreign policy.