Rising Powers in a Changing Global Order : The Political Economy of Turkey in the Age of BRICs

The rise of BRICs presents a major challenge to the existing global order. A second category of emerging powers, which may be labeled near-BRICs have also displayed increasing pro-activism in recent years in terms of influencing the regional balance of power politics, in addition to their growing presence in international organizations and global affairs. It is in this context that we aim to examine Turkey as a striking example of a “near-BRIC” power, a country that has adapted an increasingly assertive and independent style of foreign policy with aspirations to establish itself as a major regional actor. Using the Turkish experience as a reference point, this paper aims to understand the extent to which near-BRICs possess the economic capacity, sustainable growth performance and soft-power capabilities needed to establish themselves as significant regional and global actors. The recent Turkish experience clearly highlights both the potential and the limits of regional power activism on the part of emerging powers from the “global south.”