Türkiye’s Digital Diplomacy Initiative: Challenges and Opportunities
in: Contributions to International Relations, Springer Nature, pp.67-75, 2024
- Publication Type: Book Chapter / Chapter Research Book
- Publication Date: 2024
- Doi Number: 10.1007/978-3-031-50966-7_7
- Publisher: Springer Nature
- Page Numbers: pp.67-75
- Keywords: Artificial intelligence, Online consular services, Soft power, Turkish digital diplomacy, Turkish public diplomacy
- Ankara Haci Bayram Veli University Affiliated: Yes
Abstract
Digital diplomacy became an integral part of public diplomacy in the beginning of the 2000s. With the emergence of the COVID-19 pandemic, states became increasingly aware about the importance of digital technologies in all spheres of life, including diplomacy. Having a great legacy of statecraft and diplomacy, Türkiye had launched its digital diplomacy initiative in 2019, almost a year before the announcement of the pandemic in March 2020. Today, Türkiye is among the most important actors in the field of digital diplomacy as proved by indexes and studies such as the Digital Diplomacy Index. As an OSCE member, Türkiye is making rapid progress in using digital tools to actively strengthen its image, promote it to the outside world, and carry out diplomatic activities significantly through digital means. This chapter aims to demonstrate the online influence of the Republic of Türkiye by examining strategies and practices of digital diplomacy. The findings of this chapter suggest that Türkiye is quite advanced regarding the digitalization of consular services and actively present on almost all social media platforms. Based on this research, it was argued that digital diplomacy may be a field, where Türkiye has a chance to increase its soft power and outrival developed countries, which usually rank higher in the soft power indexes.